Auburn graduate Juli Goldstein has landed a role on the big screen playing herself in the Warner Bros. film "Dolphin Tale 2" after helping save the life of a young dolphin.
The first film, "Dolphin Tale," was inspired by the true story of a bottlenose dolphin named Winter.
In the film, Winter loses her tail and is fitted with an artificial tail at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida.
The sequel, starring Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr. and Morgan Freeman, highlights the veterinary work of Goldstein and other marine mammal experts to save a dolphin named Hope.
Goldstein graduated from the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and played a crucial role in the real-life rescues of dolphins Winter and Hope.
"I was on board with the research committee that helped develop Winter's prosthetic tail, which was amazing because it was something that had never been done before," Goldstein said.
Right after completion of "Dolphin Tale," Goldstein learned about Hope.
On the night of the wrap party for the first film, the two-month-old animal was found near death in the Indian River Lagoon and was kept alive by being transferred to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium because of the efforts of Goldstein and her colleagues.
"We found her still trying to nurse on her dead mother, which is common with marine mammals," Goldstein said. "But we transferred her to Clearwater and she made it."
Not only did Goldstein play herself in the film, she also helped with the technical side of the film as well.
"Much of the film used animatronics, and I helped to make sure the dolphins movements were authentic," Goldstein said. "There was a scene with a dead dolphin at the bottom of the pool, and it was scary how real it looked."
Goldstein said she is humbled by her experience with the film and was amazed by the process that goes into making a movie.
"I love movies, and I never realized how much work goes into behind the scenes with lighting and music," Goldstein said. "It was an honor to be in the presence of these actors."
Goldstein said she thanks her education at Auburn for where she is today.
According to Goldstein, she continues to use the core values that were instilled into her during her time at the University.
"Auburn is with everything that I do," Goldstein said. "My professors truly taught me that anything is possible with hard work."
Joseph Newton, associate professor of pathology, taught Goldstein in her second year of veterinary school and said he is proud of her accomplishments.
"She's done well since she left," Newton said. "She has been a very good ambassador for Auburn and the veterinary school here, so we are just happy she has succeeded as well as she has."
Current Auburn veterinary students look up to Goldstein and her career path.
"As a pre-vet student, it encourages me to work as hard as I can do accomplish my goals," said Paige Vaughn, sophomore in biomedical science. "We can all learn from her."
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