01 / Characters · 07 of 07
King Julien
The self-crowned king of the lemurs, who likes to move it.
2005 to 2014
02 / Who he is
King Julien XIII is a ring-tailed lemur who has crowned himself king of Madagascar, adores parties, dancing and himself, and cannot understand why everyone else does not feel the same way. The part was small when Sacha walked into the recording booth for DreamWorks’ Madagascar in 2005. He improvised an accent, based on a lawyer he had met in Sri Lanka, and the role grew around it. Julien has no hidden camera and no target. He is pure performance, a tiny lemur with the ego of an emperor, and the one character children know before they know the man.
Character file
- Full name
- King Julien XIII
- Nationality
- Madagascar, and the fictional Lemur Kingdom
- Occupation
- King of the lemurs
- Partner
- Sonya
- Species
- Ring-tailed lemur
- Special move
- Move it, move it
- Family
- Prince Barty (father), Princess Julienne (mother), King Julien XII (maternal uncle), King Julien XI (maternal grandfather)
03 / The reel
Best of King Julien
Clip, 2005, DreamWorks Madagascar
I Like to Move It, the best of King Julien
DreamWorks' own best of King Julien, set to I Like to Move It.
Clip, 2012, Universal Kids
Afro Circus remix, Madagascar 3
Afro Circus, the earworm from Madagascar 3.
- On YouTube, fromMovieclips
Clip, 2005, Movieclips
Madagascar, the I Like to Move It scene (Movieclips)
The first film's party scene, where the lemurs meet the New Yorkers.
Trailer, 2005, Universal Kids
Madagascar official trailer
The 2005 trailer.
More
Trailer, 2014, Universal Kids
Penguins of Madagascar official trailer
Official trailer; King Julien is a minor presence in the spin-off.
Trailer, 2014, DreamWorks Madagascar
Penguins of Madagascar official trailer 2 (DreamWorks Madagascar)
Alternative upload on DreamWorks' own Madagascar channel.
Trailer, 2012, Universal Kids
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted official trailer
Official trailer 2 for the 2012 film.
Trailer, 2008, Universal Kids
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa official trailer
Official trailer for the 2008 sequel.
04 / Where he appeared
Where he appeared
- 2005MadagascarDreamWorks Animation
- 2008Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaDreamWorks Animation
- 2012Madagascar 3: Europe's Most WantedDreamWorks Animation
- 2014Penguins of MadagascarDreamWorks Animation
05 / On the record
Notable moments
Sacha tells Jimmy Kimmel where the accent came from: a lawyer he met in Sri Lanka.
I Like to Move It becomes the franchise's signature, and will.i.am records it again for the sequel.
All Hail King Julien, the Netflix series with Danny Jacobs in the role, wins three Daytime Emmys in 2015.
06 / Honours
Awards and accolades
Julien is the one character with a Daytime Emmy in the family. All Hail King Julien won three in 2015, with Danny Jacobs in the role. Sacha's own honours are in the Awards section.