{"id":486,"date":"2026-10-05T16:59:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T16:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saiyaaramovie.com\/dreamworks-forgotten-island-boasts-historic-filipino-voice-cast-led-by-h-e-r-and-liza-soberano\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T16:59:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T16:59:49","slug":"dreamworks-forgotten-island-boasts-historic-filipino-voice-cast-led-by-h-e-r-and-liza-soberano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saiyaaramovie.com\/?p=486","title":{"rendered":"DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island Boasts Historic Filipino Voice Cast Led by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano"},"content":{"rendered":"

DreamWorks Animation has assembled a groundbreaking voice cast for its upcoming animated feature Forgotten Island, led by Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer H.E.R. and Filipino actress Liza Soberano. The film, which marks the first major Hollywood animated feature inspired by Filipino culture and mythology, is set for theatrical release on September 25, 2026.<\/p>\n

The studio revealed the full cast lineup in October 2025, confirming that Tony Award-winning icon Lea Salonga, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, and Emmy nominee Jenny Slate would also star in the adventure comedy. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the casting, noting that DreamWorks Animation hopes to make a splash with the ensemble.<\/p>\n

H.E.R., born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, voices the lead character Jo, while Soberano voices her best friend Raissa. The two play high school graduates who have been inseparable since grade school but are about to embark on separate life paths.<\/p>\n

Lea Salonga takes on the role of The Dreaded Manananggal, described as the most feared creature on the island. Salonga, a Tony winner known for her work in Miss Saigon and Les Mis\u00e9rables, recently voiced a character in the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters.<\/p>\n

Dave Franco voices Raww, a well-meaning but hapless weredog who becomes an ally to the two protagonists. Manny Jacinto, known for The Good Place and Top Gun: Maverick, voices Bungi, while Jenny Slate voices Batiba, a tree demon.<\/p>\n

The supporting cast includes BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon as Lola Fatima, Jo’s grandmother; global comedy superstar Jo Koy; Emmy winner Ronny Chieng as King Truffle Wuffle; Kevin McCann as Prince Mermahn of the Kataw people; and Amielynn Abellera in an undisclosed role. Sophia Laforteza also appears in the film.<\/p>\n

The cast predominantly features Filipino American and Filipino actors, including H.E.R., Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy, Liza Soberano, Dolly de Leon, and Lea Salonga, alongside Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and Ronny Chieng. The animation team includes Manila-based studio Snipple Animations, which created hand-drawn 2D animation sequences for the film.<\/p>\n

A Personal Story Rooted in Filipino Folklore<\/h2>\n

Forgotten Island is directed and written by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the filmmaking team behind DreamWorks’ 2022 Oscar-nominated feature Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Mark Swift produces. The film represents Mercado’s feature directorial debut after serving as co-director on The Last Wish.<\/p>\n

The story follows Jo and Raissa as they celebrate their last night together before Raissa leaves for a scholarship at Caltech. They stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing about from their Filipino families.<\/p>\n

Joined by Raww the weredog and a small pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face the Dreaded Manananggal. They discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, and they race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.<\/p>\n

H.E.R. told Reuters that her mother often told her about the Manananggal when she was a child. She said, ‘When I was a kid, that was the one that my mom would always tell. She’d be like, The Manananggal is gonna get you! We went to the Philippines, and I saw the bats, and she’d be like, Look, it’s the Manananggal!’<\/p>\n

Mercado said the inspiration came from the Filipina women in his life. He told Reuters, ‘Strong women have affected me and made me the person I am.’ Crawford’s wife is Filipina, and Mercado named the character Jo after his sister Joann.<\/p>\n

The film is set in an island town in the Philippines in the 1990s, a time before smartphones and social media became part of daily life. The music scorer, Nathan Matthew David, traveled across the Philippines to research Indigenous music, recorded the bamboo organ, and invited Farid Guinomla from Mindanao to play the gong and kulintang at their Los Angeles studio. Songs include performances by Lea Salonga, Bini, SB19, and a recording of Francis Magalona.<\/p>\n

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