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Manny Jacinto Feels the Pride and the Pressure as Filipino Fans Rally Behind ‘Forgotten Island’

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DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Forgotten Island’ has been carrying a lot of meaning for audiences long before its theatrical debut, and Manny Jacinto is feeling every bit of it. Reuters described the film as the first major Hollywood feature-length animated movie inspired by Filipino culture and mythology, a milestone that makes its release especially significant.

That context matters. Attractions Magazine pointed to a USC Annenberg study that found Filipino actors made up just 6.1% of AAPI actors in 200 top-grossing films released in 2018 and 2019. Against that backdrop, a studio animated feature built around Filipino folklore and led by a predominantly Filipino and Filipino American voice cast feels like a genuine breakthrough.

Universal Pictures held the film’s world premiere on Wednesday, September 23, and Jacinto used the moment to reflect on what the project means to his community. Speaking with DiscussingFilm on the carpet, he said he was grateful for the support Filipinos have shown the movie, calling the turnout huge.

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‘Forgotten Island’ Voice Cast Guide (With Photos)

Jacinto also admitted that the moment comes with weight. He explained that opportunities like this don’t come around often, which creates real pressure for the film to perform well. The interview clip quickly took off. One fan replied that they hoped the movie would open even more doors for Jacinto and the Filipino community in Hollywood.

Born in Manila and of Filipino-Chinese descent, Jacinto is best known for ‘The Good Place’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, and he recently appeared in Disney’s ‘Freakier Friday’. In ‘Forgotten Island’, he voices Bungi, a giant demon baby who is prone to emotional outbursts, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Attractions Magazine identified the character as Bungi the Tiyanak, drawn from Philippine folklore. Critics seem to love him, with one review calling the demon baby adorable.

Set in the Philippines during the 1990s, the film follows childhood friends Jo and Raissa, voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, who become trapped in the mystical world of Nakali. The land gradually feeds on memories, forcing the pair to escape before they forget each other entirely.

The name Nakali is short for nakalimutan, the Tagalog word for forgotten. The voice cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Lea Salonga, who voices the fearsome Manananggal. Directors and writers Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado have described the film as a tribute to the women in their families. Mercado is Filipino American, and Crawford’s wife is Filipina.

The early reception has been glowing. The film debuted with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and The Hollywood Reporter praised its dazzling, fast-paced animation, noting influences from anime, Studio Ghibli, and ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’. Not every critic was fully sold. Deadline’s review felt directors packed in too much visually during the first half, though it still called the film beautifully animated and wildly colorful.

The soundtrack is another big draw, featuring H.E.R., Salonga, P-pop acts SB19 and BINI, and a cover of INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart” from KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza, who also has a voice cameo.

‘Forgotten Island’ opened in Philippine cinemas on September 23 and arrives in US theaters on September 25. It marks DreamWorks Animation’s 50th feature film, a fitting milestone for such a culturally significant release.

Are you excited to see Forgotten Island bring Filipino culture and mythology to the big screen?

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!

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