Rachel Zegler, having already showcased her live-action acting prowess in movies likeWest Side StoryandThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesand due to play the Disney princess Snow White, is now entering the voice acting world with a new animated Netflix movie,Spellbound. Zegler voices Princess Ellian, who embarks on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters.Netflix has now released the trailer forSpellbound, andit offers a glimpse into the vibrant and enchanting world of Lumbria.
The vibrant first footage, which you can check out below, introduces Princess Ellian as a tenacious teenager and her parents, King Solon and Queen Ellsmere, as colorful-but-rampaging monsters. The story is filledwith larger-than-life characters, stunning animation, and captivating musical numbers, and it promises adventure and heart in equal proportion.
While she may already have experience playing a princess thanks to thelive-action adaptation ofSnow White, voice acting is a significant shift in Zegler’s career. The actress, though, is more than enthusiastic about having joined the cast ofSpellboundand even shared how thrilled she is about bringing Princess Ellian to life in an interview withNetflix’s Tudum, describing the experience as “a dream come true.”
“Taking on this job was so cool for my inner child. I was obsessed with so many animated films as a child, including Beauty and the Beast, which had such a gorgeous, sweeping score by Alan Menken, who did the music for our film … Films like these made me fall in love with musical theater, which ended up changing my life entirely.”
Spellbound Takes the Princess Story to New Heights
Directed by Vicky Jenson, who is known for her work onShrekandShark Tale,Spellboundis a collaborative effort with Skydance Animation. It aimsto modernize the fairy tale worldby crafting an innovative story that introduces some familiar aspects like “the kingdom, a princess, a king, a queen, and a spell” together with delicate and relatable issues within the family. Jenson, in the same interview, emphasized the importance of creating a movie that resonates with today’s audiences.
“For me, the story is even more universal than the specifics of this family dynamic. For me, it speaks to kids and their parents, to the kind of alienation that can happen as we grow up, and the steps we have to make toward each other to weather it together and come through the other side with better understanding.”
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Zegler also highlighted the spirit of Jenson’s idea and shared that the movie allows us to explore the inner workings of a family while maintaining the charm and wonder of classic fairy tales.
“Spellboundhandles delicate subjects with a lot of beautiful imagery, music, and an allegorical approach to real-life issues that kids sometimes face.”
The voice cast ofSpellboundis star-studded, featuring Nicole Kidman as Queen Ellsmere and Javier Bardem as King Solon alongside John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess in pivotal roles. Each of these actors brings a unique set of skills to the movie and their collective energy and dedication is what makesSpellboundmore artistic and rewarding. The highly anticipated moviealso features music and lyricsby Menken and Glenn Slater, known for their work inBeauty and the BeastandTangled.
Spellboundis coming to Netflix on August 11, 2025.
Spellbound
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters. Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled). A Netflix Film from Skydance Animation, Spellbound boasts an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, With Javier Bardem, And Nicole Kidman. Spellbound is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda and produced by John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation.
