Zoe Saldaña has joined the cast of the animated feature Julián, taking on both a voice role and an executive producer position as the project moves toward a world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2026. She is joining the film with her sisters, Cisely Saldaña and Mariel Saldaña, through their banner, Cinestar Pictures.
The film follows a seven-year-old boy who spends the summer with his grandmother in Brooklyn and begins to dream of himself as a mermaid. It is adapted from Julián Is a Mermaid and is being made with hand-drawn animation by teams working across Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Canada.
Saldaña said she, Cisely and Mariel were deeply moved by the story of Julián and its gentle, powerful message about self-expression and acceptance. She said they were excited to help share the heart-warming film with audiences around the world.
Louise Bagnall, who is making her directorial debut with Julián after becoming known for Academy Award-nominated short work, is leading the feature. Cartoon Saloon backs the project, with New Europe Film Sales handling international distribution and CAA Media Finance overseeing U.S. sales.
The addition of Saldaña and her sisters gives the film added momentum as it heads toward its festival launch. Julián enters that run with a widely sold source book, a hand-drawn production approach and a story built around identity and acceptance, all of which should make its Annecy debut one to watch.
