Jessica Julius is Vice President, Creative Development/Experiences at Sphere Studios, an immersive content studio focused on creating multi-sensory entertainment exclusively for Sphere, a cutting-edge entertainment platform first launched in Las Vegas in September 2023. In her role, Jessica leads the development and oversight of new, innovative content and experiences designed to maximize the capabilities of Sphere’s transformative medium.

With over 20 years of experience in film development and production, Jessica previously held the position of Producer and Vice President, Creative Development, at Walt Disney Animation Studios. There, she played a pivotal role in shaping numerous iconic animated projects, collaborating with directors, writers, and artists to bring animated feature films, miniseries, TV specials, and shorts to life. Her credits include the highly anticipated Moana 2 (2024), alongside Academy Award®-winning films such as Encanto, Zootopia, Frozen, and Big Hero 6. Jessica also contributed to the success of Oscar®- and Golden Globe-nominated films Wish, Raya and the Last Dragon, Frozen II, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Moana, Wreck-It Ralph, Winnie the Pooh, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Bolt.

Before joining Disney, Jessica began her career in the entertainment industry as a junior publicist, working on Oscar®-nominated films like Finding Nemo and Seabiscuit. Prior to that, she worked in live-action film and television production and at a talent agency, where she established a solid foundation in both the creative and business aspects of entertainment. It was her deep love of reading and her passion for collaborating with filmmakers that ultimately led Jessica to a career in development, where she found her true calling shaping and nurturing stories.

Beyond her film work, Jessica is the author of several “The Art of…” books, including those for Frozen II, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Moana, Zootopia, and Big Hero 6. She has also written multiple children’s picture books. An advocate for industry mentorship, she has served as a mentor and panelist for organizations such as Women in Animation, Women in Film, Cinestory, and the Austin Screenwriting Conference. Jessica earned degrees in Film & Media Communications and Women’s Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Originally from Minneapolis, she now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

For more info about Jessica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-julius/