What Liza Soberano Has Been Up to in Her Hollywood Era

Every big move comes with that hesitation or doubt about whether it’s worth it. Change, especially that which requires a major shift in life, doesn’t come easily. But even with internal and external doubt comes the trust you have in yourself and satisfaction of knowing that what you worked hard for finally pays off. Such is the case with Liza Soberano.

​Ever since she decided to pursue a career in Hollywood a few years ago, the A-list actress has faced her fair share of detractors who don’t think she can make it in America. But Liza has been moving in silence, because her work in Los Angeles has been paying off now that she’s currently in the middle of arguably the most exciting time of her Hollywood career to date. Two years ago, Liza made headlines when she co-starred in Zelda Williams’s horror-comedy Lisa Frankenstein with her scene-stealing role as Taffy. And it’s clear her Hollywood era is just getting started. Below, we run down all the major moves Liza has been up to in LA.  

​RELATED: Forgotten Island Is Putting Filipino Folklore Front and Center Like Never Before

​Liza Soberano’s First Lead Role in a Hollywood Movie

The most exciting development in Liza’s Hollywood career has been her lead role in the upcoming DreamWorks Animation movie Forgotten Island. Already, the film has piqued the interest of many, even if it won’t be released in cinemas until September.

Set in the 1990s, Forgotten Island tells the story of two best friends, Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (voiced by Soberano). Friends since they were in grade school, the two reach a crossroads when their lives look to diverge after they graduate high school. But their last night together would soon lead to an unforgettable adventure when they discover a magical portal that transports them to the mysterious island of Nakali. There, they meet all kinds of Filipino mythological creatures. To go home, Jo, Raissa, and their newfound friends must face the Manananggal as their friendship is put to the test on an island where the price of leaving is losing their memories of each other.

The film marks H.E.R.’s first animated movie, while this is Liza’s second time to voice an animated character following 2021’s Trese, which coincidentally was also based on Philippine mythology. Notably, the movie is a milestone for Liza as it is her first time as a lead actress in a DreamWorks movie and her first leading role in a Hollywood film. After earning rave reviews with her supporting role in Lisa Frankenstein, Liza is leaping to leading star status on a major Hollywood production, one that has the potential to be one of the most talked-about animated movies of the year. Also, seeing a Filipina lead in Hollywood is always a welcome move.  

Liza Soberano Working Behind the Scenes as a Producer

Liza’s career isn’t limited to the front of the camera as an actress. She’s also been expanding her resume to behind-the-scenes as a burgeoning producer. In case you didn’t know, Liza has her own company called Funny Face Films, which is co-producing the Philippine animated series Sun Chaser.

Made by Philippine-based animation studios Toon City and PlayLab, the series features an all-star cast including Manny Jacinto, Liza Soberano, Charo Santos-Concio, and Dingdong Dantes, and centers on a teen named Jordan Santos (voiced by Jacinto) who must rescue his grandmother from an evil entity. The show will debut its pilot episode at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

Liza, meanwhile, will serve as an executive producer of Imprint, an upcoming supernatural thriller directed by Marie Jamora, who has directed movies and shows both in the Philippines and the US. It follows a Filipino-American woman who discovers that she has psychic powers and must use them to track her father’s supernatural killer. Given how her initial foray into producing is with Filipino movies and shows, it’s nice seeing Liza lend her support and star power to projects made by Filipino talent to reach a wider audience.  

Liza Soberano’s Growing Hollywood Red Carpet Presence

With a growing career in Hollywood comes the fact that Liza is becoming more of a familiar face at red carpets and industry events, which means more moments for Liza and her stylist Katie Qian to showcase the actress’s evolving style. In 2026 alone, Liza, among other things, attended the Gold Gala in Los Angeles dressed in a stunning couture sculptural fan gown by Vietnamese designer Phan Huy, where she was joined by her co-star H.E.R. on the carpet and on stage as one of the event presenters.

The actress was also accompanied by Forgotten Island co-directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the latter of whom is also Filipino, as presenters at the 53rd Annie Awards, where she wore a gorgeous fishtail gown from Paolo Sebastian’s Fall/Winter 2024-2025 couture collection. With promotions for Forgotten Island set to ramp up in the next couple of months, expect to see more of Liza making the rounds. We’re already excited for the looks she is preparing for the press tour, especially when it comes to the Filipino elements incorporated, given the movie’s setting and themes.  

Featured Image: MEGA ARCHIVES, Photographed by MARK NICDAO. Creative Direction PATRICK TY. Styling KAT CRUZ-VILLANUEVA. Additional Styling ELDZS MEJIA. Art Direction BRIE VENTURA. Beauty Direction AGOO AZCUNA- BENGZON. Production JONES PALTENG.  Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES-ISIDRO. Makeup MICKEY SEE. Hair RENZ PANGILINAN. Fashion AXEL QUE. BYCARLL. CARL ARCUSA. ELEMENTARI. FARAH ABU. GLADEMIR ECHAVARRE. JOB DACON. NERIC BELTRAN. VANIA ROMOFF. Fashion Assistant BITHIA REYES. Styling Assistants CARL ALBERTO and MIGGS LEGUERRA of ELDZSTYLES, BITHIA REYES, RICH FORTU, and FED PANEN. Nails MIMI QIU LUXURY NAILS. Editorial Assistant JONNIE NGO. Photography Assistants VILLIE JAMES BAUTISTA, JOHN PHILIP NICDAO, ARSAN ULSER HOFILEN, CRISALDO SOCO. Shot on Location GOLDENBERG MANSION. Special thanks to SEC. DINA TANTOCO, GOLDENBERG MANSION, JOHN LOZANO, DONNIE MANALOTO OF BYS PHILIPPINES, and CALLE NAKPIL.

​Photos: LIZA SOBERANO (via Instagram)