Liza Soberano and H.E.R. on the Friendship at the Heart of 'Forgotten Island'

Liza Soberano and H.E.R. lead the voice cast of DreamWorks Animation's "Forgotten Island," now in theaters, as Raissa and Jo — two teenage best friends stranded in the mystical world of the island of Nakali who discover their only way home might cost them a lifetime of memories and emotions.

The film, written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and produced by Mark Swift, follows a final night together that puts the friendship to the test when one of the pair has to go abroad to college. DreamWorks has built its catalogue on such pairings — a boy and a dragon in "How to Train Your Dragon," Donkey and Ogre in "Shrek," a robot and bird in "The Wild Robot." "Forgotten Island" anchors its story in Filipino folklore, but its beating heart, as Variety reports, is the universal story of two friends who share memories and experiences.

For Soberano, the story hit home. Growing up in the Philippines, she understood the theme of "losing" a family member or friend who needed to go overseas for a better quality of life and to make a better living. "I've seen all the different permutations of how that could affect family and loved ones that you're leaving behind," she told Variety.

The story struck a deeper chord because she left a successful career in the Philippines for America. "I also went through that journey and that experience three years ago," she says. She was particularly torn about leaving behind her little sister. "It was really heartbreaking because I was afraid of, I was afraid of us not being close anymore — not just in proximity, but in the relationship itself. I was afraid that we would grow apart. But through this, I actually discovered that there are so many reasons to not grow apart. You have to really fight for the relationship and fight for the closeness, no matter how far you physically are from one another. I find a lot of comfort in that, and this movie has taught me so much about it."

H.E.R., who grew up near Vallejo, California, found the story relatable too. "I left when I was 17 to move to New York and it wasn't as far away — just across the country. But it felt super far. My sister was eight at the time, and I was 17 and she wanted her big sister around."

Beyond friendship, the film captures the Filipino experience through cultural details that resonated deeply with its cast. H.E.R. recalls seeing the Filipino elements for the first time: "Seeing the Filipino sun for the first time — even before seeing the full film — made us so emotional. I remember that day very well. I remember seeing 'pasalubong' written on the screen, and I thought, oh my gosh, this is as Filipino as it gets. The petroleum jelly, all those little details, just really made me feel like, wow, I'm so proud to be Filipino. This is reminding me of home right now."

Soberano points to another moment: "It was the despedida — the farewell party. That was such an accurate depiction of what it's like to be at a Filipino house party. There's so much chaos going on. You have the lolas and the lolos being grumpy at everyone, telling them to either eat, sit down or go sing — and not to be 'magulo.' Then you have the little kids doing their own thing, hiding under the tables and creating chaos everywhere. And, of course, you have the titos and titas either playing mahjong on the side or singing karaoke. I thought that was such a beautiful depiction of Filipino energy, but you also feel the love coming from everyone at the party."

The pair also sing on the film's soundtrack. Angela Leus, senior vice president of Film Music at Universal Pictures, previously told Variety that neither she nor the filmmakers wanted to assume H.E.R. would create an original song. "Everything needed to come from an organic place," Leus says. "But when H.E.R. saw the film, she was so inspired that she decided to write something — and she was even more inspired to bring in Liza."

Soberano admits she felt "major impostor syndrome being there" and asked herself, "What did I do in my life to deserve this?" She adds, "I just felt so honored and blessed to be part of it."

H.E.R. dismisses any doubt about her duet partner's performance. "She killed it. There was no need to be nervous because it was just fun. The fact that we were singing as Jo and Raissa just wraps it all up. Then we shot the video in Manila and made it kind of like a travel vlog, continuing that love letter to the Philippines. I'm just grateful to be in this process, especially with Liza. I love these characters. I love this film. I'm forever grateful for it."

With "Forgotten Island" now playing, the film stands as both a studio entry in the lineage of DreamWorks friendship stories and a mainstream animation milestone built around Filipino folklore, carried by two leads who say the story mirrored their own lives.