Hispanic actors stars Zoe Saldana and Diego Luna celebrate their culture with the new animated film "The Book of Life."

"The Book of Life" centers on Mexico's Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday, which Saldana, who is the voice of Maria, appreciates thanks to her Dominican culture.

"I wish Dominicans were more festive in remembering their dead," she told The Associated Press. "Every anniversary, you light candles all over the house and they have to be white candles. You get flowers, you go to the cemetery, but nobody really laughs. Everybody's crying, and it's a drama all the time."

Luna, the voice of Manolo, on the other hand, has a personal connection to the Día de los Muertos because he grew up in Mexico, where his father used the holiday as a "tool." The actor hopes "The Book of Life" will help other families discuss "what absence means and what happens."

"We are going to be here for such a short time. ... The idea of we're all going [to die], so why be afraid?" Luna said. "It's the only thing we know is going to happen. We can be afraid of what we don't know is going to happen. But if it's going to happen, let's accept it and embrace the idea and celebrate around that idea."

Saldana is happy that a movie about Latino culture is about to hit U.S. theaters.

"I'm excited that we're going to be able to share an aspect of our culture, as Latinos, that we are excited about, that we really hold dear to us, that we admire within each other," she said. "Now that the world will be able to see that, it will give them another layer of knowledge of what the Latino culture encompasses when it comes to their heritage."

Meanwhile, Luna thinks the animated film will help children welcome diversity into their lives.

"I think that when you're a kid, it's the right moment to talk about diversity, the right moment to know there's something else other than what you know," he said. "If there's something that makes you different, that makes you richer, too, and finding out that is important when you're a kid. I think this film celebrates the intelligence of young audiences, and it's exciting."

"The Book of Life" hits theaters Friday.

---

Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

Related