Behind the Booth: How Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, and Jenny Slate Brought Forgotten Island to Life
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Polygon recently spoke with the cast of Forgotten Island, including Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, and Jenny Slate, about the unique challenges of voice acting and seeing their animated folklore characters come to life.
Animation production is a marathon process, which means voice actors often record their lines years before seeing any finished footage. Speaking with Polygon, Forgotten Island stars Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and Manny Jacinto opened up about the surreal experience of finally watching the animated fantasy adventure come together. Because the core vocal recordings happen in isolation long before character models and lighting are finalized, the cast experiences the final film much like any other audience member walking into a theater for the first time.
The star-studded ensemble voices a roster of creatures pulled directly from Filipino folklore, bringing plenty of personality to the magical island setting. Franco plays Raww, a lively were-dog, while Slate takes on the role of Batibat Batiba, and Jacinto voices a massive, three-eyed demon baby named Bungi. The actors noted that seeing their audio performances matched with intricate character animation and lighting effects was a genuine surprise, especially when watching specific action beats and magical transformations hit the screen for the first time.
Crafting these performances also came with unique creative hurdles in the recording booth, from nailing comedic tonal shifts to voicing multiple roles in a single sequence. Franco highlighted a particularly goofy scene that leans heavily into classic nineties anime tropes, requiring him to shift vocal styles on the fly. Meanwhile, Jacinto and Slate focused on balancing humor with genuine stakes, ensuring their supernatural characters felt grounded despite the chaotic fantasy world around them. Forgotten Island is currently playing in theaters.
Tags: Animation, Gaming Culture, Entertainment, Voice Acting
Original article: Polygon