“Forgotten Island” had a historic premiere at the newly opened Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.
Dolly De Leon arrives at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. (Photo By Sthanlee B. Mirador/Sipa USA)
Liza Soberano arrives at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
H.E.R. arrives at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Manny Jacinto arrives at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Jollibee arrives at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
(L-R) Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado at the DreamWorks Animation’s FORGOTTEN ISLAND Los Angeles Premiere held at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
George Lucas’s longtime dream of having a special place for his rare and precious collection became a reality, and the occasion became doubly special because he chose the Philippine-inspired DreamWorks animation to be the first movie to premiere at the iconic museum, with its futuristic sculptural architecture by Ma Yansong and evolving landscape by Mia Lehrer.
“Forgotten Island,” a love letter to the Philippines by Filipino American director Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, who is married to Filipina Kathy Crawford, follows two childhood friends, Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), who made a pact to remain friends forever. Together, they planned to visit the enchanted island of Nakali, short for Nakalimutan Island, which Jo’s Lola Fatima (Dolly de Leon) has talked about all their lives. There, they encounter enchanted creatures from Philippine mythology, including the manananggal, duwendes, kapres, batibat, a shapeshifting aspin and tiyanaks.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Manny Jacinto attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Mark Swift, Januel Mercado, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Dave Franco, Liza Soberano and H.E.R. are seen onstage during DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Januel Mercado and Mark Swift attend DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: H.E.R. attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Manny Jacinto and Ronny Chieng attend DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Jo Koy attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Liza Soberano and H.E.R. attend DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Ronny Chieng, Liza Soberano, H.E.R., Jenny Slate, Dolly De Leon, Manny Jacinto and Dave Franco attend DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: (L-R) Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado, Mark Swift, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Liza Soberano and H.E.R. attend DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Dave Franco attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: H.E.R. attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Dolly De Leon attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Joel Crawford attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Liza Soberano attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Liza Soberano attends DreamWorks Animation’s premiere of “Forgotten Island” at Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation )
A Sarao jeepney welcomed guests on the red carpet, while the Jollibee mascot joined in the festivities.
Most of the cast and guests were dressed to the nines in their Filipiniana best. Liza Soberano wore an elegant, custom-made pink terno embellished with pink sequins and featuring a sweeping feathered skirt, created by none other than Mark Bumgarner. At the afterparty, she changed into a green miniskirt.
H.E.R. also chose Mark Bumgarner, wearing a white off-the-shoulder corseted dress with a dramatic fringed skirt and floral appliqués.
Manny Jacinto, who voiced Bungi, the baby demon, was daring and bold in a Randolf creation that evoked a pirate-inspired look. He wore a loose, blue-lined jacket with exaggerated red-and-black panels over a white shirt, paired with black knee-length pants finished with white ruffles. He completed the look with black boots and his shoulder-length hair pulled back.
Others wearing Randolf designs included Dolly de Leon, who voiced Lola Fatima. She wore a unique barong-inspired dress embroidered with white and pink flowers and accented with fringe on the sleeves. She paired it with lacy white socks and black-and-white pointed shoes. The look was especially charming on Lola Fatima.
Director Januel Mercado also opted for a unique Randolf barong inspired by the story of “Forgotten Island” and other things he loves. The design featured two microphones from the karaoke scene, manananggal wings and baybayin, among other details.
The food, of course, highlighted Filipino favorites such as lechon, pancit and plenty of rice, along with a corner filled with Jollibee treats, from chicken sandwiches to ube dessert pies and peach mango pies.
The DJ performed from a large boombox-like station reminiscent of Jo’s boombox in the movie, playing ’80s Pinoy dance hits and favorite line-dance tunes often heard at Filipino parties.
The mothers of Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado and Dave Franco were also present at the event. Other cast members and guests who arrived to celebrate the star-studded premiere included Jenny Slate, Jo Koy, Kristin Villanueva, Ronny Chieng, Kevin McCann, Nico Santos, Kailey Crawford and Kayla Teruel. The latter two actresses voiced the young Jo and Raissa.
It was a night of Filipino pride, and we were so happy to share in a moment when Philippine culture and community were celebrated on the global stage.
Janet Susan R. Nepales is an award-winning journalist and the first Filipina voting member and Associate of the Golden Globe Awards. She has been a member since 2008 and is the first Filipina to be elected to the Advisory Board. She is the author of the coffee table book “FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World” and the co-author of the first FWN book “DISRUPT: Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt.” A graduate of UST (AB Journalism, cum laude), she is based in Los Angeles and is a Hollywood entertainment journalist and TV correspondent.
