Directors hail 'blessed' Filipino cast of DreamWorks flick 'Forgotten Island'

MANILA, Philippines — "Forgotten Island" features a Filipino main cast, and for the film's directors, they got everyone they wanted for the milestone project.

The DreamWorks Animation feature is inspired by Filipino culture, mythology, and folklore, so naturally the voice cast were dominated by actors with Filipino backgrounds.

Filipino-Americans Liza Soberano and H.E.R. (whose real name is Gabrielle Sarmiento Wilson) top the bill as two best friends stranded on the titular mystical island Nakali.

In supporting roles are Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto, Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy, Filipino-American actress Amielynn Abellera, and representing homegrown Filipinos are award-winning actresses Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon.

Philstar.com spoke to directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the latter also a Filipino-American, in an exclusive interview and asked if there were any other actors they were hoping to tap.

Mercado said they got "everyone we wanted," while Crawford lamented how the movie was shorter than they he had hoped because they wanted to include more stories and characters.

"There were so many things in mythology, additional characters we could have written [where] we would want more actors," Crawford added.

Still, the director praised the "blessed" cast who "brought their own talent and experiences" above what he and Mercado could have pictured.

Mercado reiterated that they prioritzed getting Liza, H.E.R., and Lea, even labelling them the "pillars of an amazing cast."

"We could fill it out from there, that's where the heart is — the friendship of Jo and Raissam," Mercado ended, referring to H.E.R. and Liza's characters.

"Forgotten Island" goes wide in Philippine cinemas beginning September 23, with sneak screenings on September 19 and 20.

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