Filipino folklore takes center stage in DreamWorks' 'Forgotten Island' film
Directors say family inspired the project
For Mercado and Crawford, inspiration came from the Filipina women in their lives. Crawford's wife is Filipina, while Mercado looked to his sister Joann, for whom the character Jo is named, to help shape the project.
"Strong women have affected me and made me the person I am," Mercado said.
Plot follows two friends stranded in Nakali
The film follows two best friends — Jo, voiced by H.E.R., and Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano — who become stranded in the mystical world of Nakali, where their only escape could cost them a lifetime of memories.
The cast also features Lea Salonga, who voices Manang, the feared Manananggal.
