FILIPINO actress Liza Soberano makes her Hollywood debut in the upcoming horror-comedy film Lisa Frankenstein from Focus Features and Universal Pictures International.
From the inventive, delightfully twisted minds of Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody and first-time feature director Zelda Williams comes the fiendishly clever genre-bending romp, Lisa Frankenstein. An addictively sardonic spin on Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic, the new film time travels to 1989 suburbia where high school senior Lisa Swallows spends her free time at the abandoned Bachelor’s Grove cemetery at the grave of a young man who died decades earlier—an unconventional pastime that promises to change the course of her life.
Starring Kathryn Newton whose previous works include Big Little Lies and Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, along with Cole Sprouse, who is best known for his starring roles on The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody and on CW’s Riverdale, the two are paired for the very first time as the movie’s leads.
With a screenplay by Diablo Cody who won an Academy and BAFTA Award for her work in 2007’s Juno, Lisa Frankenstein centers around Lisa Swallows (Newton), who accidentally reanimates a handsome corpse from the Victorian era, played by Sprouse, during a lightning storm. The narrative unfolds as the pair embark on a darkly humorous journey seeking love, happiness, and a few missing body parts. This a unique coming-of-rage love story that is set against the backdrop of the 1980s while blending the elements of comedy, romance, and fantasy. Here, Soberano plays Taffy – the stepsister of Lisa.
“I met Zelda in a trip to LA, and she brought up this project. I was instantly hooked,” Soberano recalls. “It’s amazing because the day I met her was the same day the studio greenlit the project. When she found out it was a go, ‘They’ve got their main leads lined-up. They were looking to fill other roles. How about auditioning for one?’ I was like, ‘Sure, let me check out the script. If it’s something that interests me, I’m in.’ And when I saw Diablo Cody was on board, I just had to audition for it.”
Soberano is very excited and grateful for the opportunity. “It’s set in the 80s, so the whole look—the hair, makeup—is totally 80s, which is new for me,” she says. “It’s the kind of movie I’ve always wanted to do. It has horror, comedy, and romance in one. I was looking for a role that would really push me. Sure, it’s a huge risk for my career, but that’s what’s exciting about it. I know I’ve learned a lot no matter how it turns out. That’s what counts.”
Soberano’s fans should expect to see a different side to her in this role. With an amazing cast, innovative script, and unique vision of Williams, Lisa Frankenstein promises to offer a fresh take on the classic Frankenstein narrative.
The film also features notable actors like Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), Henry Eikenberry (The Crowded Room), and Carla Gugino (San Andreas).
Brace yourself for a unique romance horror comedy in cinemas in time for Valentine’s Day when Lisa Frankenstein opens February 7 in cinemas nationwide.