‘Forgotten Island’ Voice Cast Guide (With Photos)

DreamWorks Animation’s newest original feature sends two lifelong best friends into a hidden realm built on Filipino folklore, and the studio has assembled a voice cast that mixes Grammy winners, telenovela stars, and veteran comedic actors to bring it to life. Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, ‘Forgotten Island’ follows Jo and Raissa as their final night together as high school friends leads them into the magical island of Nakali before they go their separate ways. Once there, they encounter a host of magical and mythological creatures pulled from stories their Filipino families told them growing up, some of whom become allies and others enemies.

The film leans heavily on Philippine mythology and culture, and its voice cast reflects that, pairing Filipino talent with recognizable Hollywood names across the ensemble. Below is a closer look at the principal performers behind ‘Forgotten Island’ and the characters they voice.

H.E.R.

H.E.R., whose stage name stands for Having Everything Revealed, is an Academy Award and Grammy winning artist who voices Jo, a headstrong and impulsive young woman raised by her grandmother Fatima on the island’s mythology. She released her debut album, Back of My Mind, in 2021, and has since put out five EPs alongside collaborations with artists including Toni Braxton, Saweetie, and Ed Sheeran.

Her acting career began with a film debut in Yes Day, followed by a co-starring role in the feature remake of ‘The Color Purple.’ She won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah.

In the film, Jo has been best friends with Raissa since middle school, a bond that anchors the story once the pair are pulled into Nakali. Her casting brings both a musical pedigree and a growing screen resume to the lead role.

Liza Soberano

Liza Soberano, who is Filipino and American, was born in the United States before moving to the Philippines in her youth to pursue singing and acting. She broke out in 2013 with the romantic comedy Must Be Love and later joined the cast of the television series Got to Believe, going on to star in numerous Filipino romantic dramas across television and film.

More recently, she earned standout reviews for playing Taffy in Focus Features’ goth horror comedy ‘Lisa Frankenstein.’ In ‘Forgotten Island,’ Soberano voices Raissa, a super smart and disciplined character who has a plan for everything and only steps outside her tightly wound comfort zone when Jo pushes her to.

In the film’s story, Raissa is preparing to leave for Caltech to pursue a career at NASA just as the girls’ final night together takes an unexpected turn. That contrast between her disciplined nature and the chaos of Nakali becomes a central thread of the adventure.

Dave Franco

Dave Franco has built a voice acting resume that includes ‘The Lego Ninjago Movie’ and ‘Hoppers,’ and in ‘Forgotten Island’ he voices Raww, a goofy weredog inspired by Filipino mythology. Immature and impulsive, Raww carries plenty of swagger and calls himself a Lone Wolf, though he is really searching for a pack of his own.

Described as well meaning but hapless, Raww joins Jo and Raissa as their guide once they arrive on the island. A Hollywood Reporter critic singled out Franco’s performance as one of the film’s highlights, noting that Raww offers to guide the girls after claiming the trio had already spent the previous twelve hours together.

Jenny Slate joins him in the supporting cast as Batiba, a Batibat, described elsewhere as a memory eating demon that the friends encounter on the island. Together, the pair provide much of the film’s comic relief as Jo and Raissa navigate Nakali’s dangers.

Manny Jacinto

Manny Jacinto, best known to audiences from ‘The Good Place,’ voices Bungi, a Tiyanak in ‘Forgotten Island.’ The character is described as a giant demon baby prone to emotional outbursts, adding another layer of chaos to Jo and Raissa’s journey through the island.

Jacinto is part of the supporting cast that rounds out the film alongside Dolly de Leon and Jo Koy. His casting continues the production’s emphasis on pairing established screen actors with characters rooted directly in Philippine folklore.

Bungi’s presence in the story reinforces the film’s broader approach, filling Nakali with mythological figures who each carry their own temperament and role in Jo and Raissa’s path home.

Lea Salonga

Tony winning icon Lea Salonga voices The Dreaded Manananggal, described as the most feared creature on the island that Jo and Raissa must face. In the film, the character is also referred to as Manang, and has the ability to divide her body into two halves when necessary.

Salonga’s casting gives the film’s central antagonist a performer with decades of stage and screen experience, and reviewers have highlighted the character as central to the island’s mythology. Her presence anchors the more perilous side of Jo and Raissa’s journey, standing in contrast to the friendlier creatures like Raww and Batiba.

Rounding out the ensemble are Kailey Crawford, who voices a younger version of Jo alongside H.E.R., and Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng, who voice Datu and King Truffle Wuffle respectively. Together with the rest of the ensemble, Salonga’s performance closes out a cast built to carry both the film’s humor and its emotional stakes.

‘Forgotten Island’ arrives with a cast spanning music, comedy, and stage royalty, and it’s worth hearing which of these characters, Raww, Bungi, Batiba, or The Dreaded Manananggal, moviegoers end up talking about most once they’ve seen Jo and Raissa’s journey through Nakali for themselves.