*‘Elio’ Shines with Heart, Humor, and Hope: Zoe Saldana and others reflect on Disney Pixar's touching new tale*
Disney Pixar’s latest animated feature, Elio, promises more than just visual spectacle—it’s a moving, fun-filled journey centered around identity, love, and the courage to be yourself. As the film nears its release, stars Zoe Saldaña, Yonas Kibreab, and Jameela Jamil share insights about the powerful themes behind the story, the characters, and what they hope audiences take away from this universal tale.
“I really hope that fans are able to go to the movie theater to really just admire and celebrate all the hard work that these animators have put together with Elio,” said Saldaña at New York Red Carpet premiere of Elio. “It’s a compelling story, it’s all heart, but it’s very fun and it’s also very funny.”
Saldaña voices Olga, Elio’s aunt, a character who, at the heart of it, represents unconditional love. When asked what she wants parents to take away from the film, Saldaña shared a particularly poignant moment: “Olga says a very important line to Elio, and she says, ‘I may not understand you, but I love you.’ And I think that says a lot. Olga realizes that part of her relationship with Elio is about just loving him more than she can understand him and I think that's important,” she added.
At the center of the film is young Elio himself, voiced by Yonas Kibreab, who brings a quiet strength and authenticity to the character. For Kibreab, the journey of Elio is deeply personal and widely relatable. “I feel like no matter what age you are, you'll get something out of this movie,” Kibreab said. “And I feel with me, for as long as I've been working on it, the main thing that's been speaking to me is just always stay myself and never change who I am.”
The film doesn’t shy away from heavy emotions either, offering comfort to those who feel out of place or burdened by their own grief. “If you're feeling grief or feeling alone at times just like Elio, I just want them to really understand that everything is gonna be OK and you'll get through it just like Elio does,” said Kibreab.
Jameela Jamil, who lends her voice to the elegant and enigmatic Ambassador Questa, sees Elio as a story about unexpected strength and boundless hope. “This film is ultimately a message of hope and it's a message of the fact that it's often the people you never imagine anything of who can do the things you could never imagine,” said Jamil. “And I think that perfectly applies to Elio.”
_Disney Pixar releases Elio in Indian theatres on June 20 in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu._
