Global streaming giant Netflix has announced on Monday that Filipino actress Liza Soberano will voice in the upcoming animated series Trese.
Soberano, who starred in popular Filipino television dramas Got to Believe and Forevermore, will voice “Alexandra Trese”, the lead character in the animated adaptation of Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s popular crime and horror comic series.
Filipino-Canadian actress Shay Mitchell, who starred in popular television shows such as Pretty Little Liars and Dollface, will portray the lead character in the English language version of the series.
“It’s an honor to be the voice of an iconic character such as Alexandra Trese,” Soberano said in a statement.
She also adds that she has been a “huge fan” of Tan and Baldisimo’s work, and she is very excited to portray her voice-acting role.
“I’m so excited to be a part of a unique and amazing project like Trese, and to voice a character as brilliant as Alexandra Trese,” Mitchell said in a statement
She also said that Filipino folklore is “rich and facinating”, and she is thrilled to be part of a team that will bring the popular comic book series to life.
“As a fan of the komiks, I knew that the title role of Alexandra Trese was going to be challenging to cast for the animated series,” Jay Oliva, executive producer of the upcoming animated series, explains. “It is important for the voice talent to embrace the layered character to fully become Alexandra Trese.”
He said that his concerns eased away when Mitchell stepped in the recording booth to portray the lead character, and delivered a powerful performance that exceeded his expectations.
Oliva also said that he was excited to learn that Soberano will be part of the team, because “she fit the character very well”.
Trese is an upcoming animated series based on the popular Filipino crime and horror comic book series, written by Budjette Tan and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo, which had been running since December 2005.
The story is focused on supernatural detective Alexandra Trese, a detective who deals with supernatural creatures in the underworld.
The upcoming series will be produced by American storyboard artist Jay Oliva, together with Shanty Harmayn and Tanya Yuson, at BASE Entertainment, an animation studio based in Jakarta and Singapore.
The comic book has won numerous awards and recognitions at the Philippine National Book Award, organized by the National Book Development Board.
Trese was previously revealed by the streaming platform in 2018 as one of several titles that will be given an animation adaptation.
The streaming platform announced during the “Netflix Anime Festival” virtual event last year that the upcoming series has been confirmed for release within 2021.
