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Skydance Animation Production's Spellbound, directed by Vicky Jenson, premiered on Netflix on November 22, 2024, and it now holds an IMDB rating of 7.4/10. The movie has a stellar cast, including Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, and other music composers like Alan Menken and Glenn Slater.
Spellbound's storyline is set in the world of Lumbria, where Princess Ellian sets out on an adventure to reverse the curse that turned her parents, the King and Queen of Lumbria, into wild beasts. A dark spell transformed them into wild beasts during a visit to the Dark Forest, which she kept secret for a year. Due to these disruptive circumstances, ministers and advisors proposed that Ellian be the heiress and take over the throne.
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The plot thickens as she accidentally releases her parents into the kingdom, causing widespread chaos. This accident discloses her parents' beast identities to the guards. During a chasing sequence, she aids her parents escape from the kingdom with the help of a magic device left by two deities, Sunny and Ludo.
Spellbound received a fairly positive reception from the audience, and the cast also contributed to the movie's success. Here is a list of the voice actors and their previous works and contributions to the movie.
Netflix's Spellbound: Voice actors cast list explored
1) Rachel Zegler as Ellian
Rachel Zegler voices Princess Ellian, the protagonist of Spellbound. Zegler also recorded songs composed by Alan Menken for the movie, including The Way It Was Before and What About Me, which was featured during the climax.
Zegler's character becomes the key contributor to reverting the curse, which ends when Ellian makes peace with her parents' separation and loves them regardless. Zegler is known for her breakout role Maria in West Side Story, earning her a Golden Globe Award in the Best Actress Category.
She later starred as Anthea in the DC's Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). Moreover, she is all set to appear as Snow White in Disney's live-action Snow White movie in 2025 alongside Gal Gadot as Evil Queen.
2) Nicole Kidman as Queen Ellsmere
Nicole Kidman voices Queen Ellsmere's character. Queen Ellsmere's transformation into a wild beast established the plot's main struggle and the purpose of Ellian's mission to regain her parents in human form.
Nicole Kidman is known for her popular characters like Satine in Moulin Rouge. Kidman earned an Oscar for her role as Virginia Woolf in The Hours (2002). She also appeared in The Northman (2022) and Being the Ricardos (2021), showcasing versatility in selecting acting roles.
3) Javier Bardem as King Solon
Javier Bardem portrays King Solon in Spellbound, an old and wise yet cursed king who transformed into a beast. Bardem's performance in No Country for Old Men (2007) as Anton Chigurh earned him an Academy Award. Bardem also gave memorable performances in Skyfall (2012), Biutiful (2010), and Dune (2021) as Stilgar.
4) John Lithgow as Minister Bolinar
John Lithgow played the character of Minister Bolinar in Spellbound, a loyal advisor who ended up body-swapped with a creature.
Bolinar's humorous angle throughout the movie adds a lighthearted touch to Ellian's serious quest. Widely known for previous acting roles in popular shows like The Crown, recent acting stints include appearances in Bombshell (2019) and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).
5) Jenifer Lewis as Minister Nazara
Jenifer Lewis voices Minister Nazara Prone. In the movie Spellbound, she portrayed a sharp, no-nonsense advisor who accidentally body-swapped during Ellian's adventure.
Jenifer Lewis played Ruby Johnson in the popular sitcom Black-ish. She has also featured in some notable movies, like What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Think Like a Man (2012). She is nicknamed "The Mother of Black Hollywood" for her long-standing career and motherly roles.
6) Tituss Burgess as Ludo
Tituss Burgess portrays Ludo, the oracle of the moon. His popular voice-acting stints are The Angry Birds, Smurfs: The Lost Village, and Central Park. He plays the guide in Ellian's journey and possesses traits like humor and charm.
Tituss Burgess is best known for portraying Titus Andromedon in the hit series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020). As a renowned theatre actor, Burgess has worked on stage plays such as The Little Mermaid and Guys and Dolls.
7) Nathan Lane as Sunny
Nathan Lane voices Sunny, the Oracle of the Sun, a character similar to Ludo. Sunny acts as Ellian's guide, providing wit and charm. Lane is known for his famous character Albert Goldman from the 1996 comedy-drama The Bird-Cage.
Lane won multiple Tony Awards for his work in Broadway stage shows, such as The Producers, Angels in America, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
8) Jordan Fisher as Callan
From Netflix's To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You fame, Jordan Fischer plays Callan in Spellbound. His character becomes the closest ally to Ellian. He deals with her emotional vulnerabilities and struggles during the journey.
Callan is a multi-talented actor, singer, and dancer who appeared in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. Callan won season 25 of Dancing with the Stars and is known for appearing on Teen Wolf and Liv and Maddie.
Producers and Directors
Vicky Jenson, renowned for directing Shrek, collaborated with producer Linda Woolverton to shape the script for the movie. The two most iconic animated films in Vicky Jenson's career are The Prince of Egypt (1998) and The Road to El Dorado (2000).
Her transition to live-action with the film Post Grad (2009) showcased her abilities as a director. The production for Spellbound went through years of development and multiple distributors, including Paramount, Apple TV+, and Netflix.
The tunes for Spellbound were produced remotely by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater during the COVID-19 pandemic. Production adapted remotely, proving the team's coordination and persistence brought this magical animated adventure to the screens despite challenges.
Spellbound is available to stream on Netflix.
