Lisa Frankenstein, the latest film from Diablo Cody and Zelda Williams, has been making waves in the entertainment industry. One standout performance in the movie is that of Liza Soberano, a Filipino-American actor who has been receiving rave reviews for her portrayal of Taffy, the outgoing stepsister of the eponymous Lisa.
Soberano's journey to Hollywood began when she moved from Visalia, Calif. to Manila, Philippines at the age of 10. She found success in the Philippines at the age of 16 with her romantic drama series, Forevermore. Despite her success in the Philippines, Soberano always had a desire to try her hand at acting in the United States, where she still had family.
In the summer of 2022, Soberano took the plunge and auditioned for a key supporting role in Lisa Frankenstein. Within a week, she was on set in New Orleans, filming her first American movie. Soberano's performance as Taffy has been widely praised, with critics and audiences alike describing her as a scene-stealer and breakout star.
In Lisa Frankenstein, Taffy is the stepsister of Lisa, played by Kathryn Newton. Taffy is an outgoing pageant girl and popular cheerleader with a dash of duplicity. She does her best to welcome Lisa into her new home, school, and town, but a bad experience at a high school party leads to a series of events involving a reanimated corpse and a twistedly comedic climax.
Soberano's portrayal of Taffy has impressed both the audience and industry professionals. Even Newton herself has praised Soberano, stating that she steals every scene she's in. Soberano is flattered by the positive reception and feels inspired to continue acting in the future.
The audition process for the role of Taffy was relatively quick for Soberano. She sent in a self-tape and received a call two days later, leading to her swift departure for New Orleans to begin filming. Soberano drew inspiration from '80s female characters and worked closely with Cody and Williams to develop Taffy's tone and character.
Taffy is a quintessential Type A personality, and while Soberano didn't personally know anyone like her, she drew inspiration from teen movies and her own experiences to bring the character to life. She aimed to strike a balance between Taffy's popular cheerleader persona and her genuine kindness, portraying her as tactless but not intentionally harmful.
Soberano's performance in Lisa Frankenstein has marked her successful transition to Hollywood. With her talent and the positive reception she has received, it's clear that we can expect to see a lot more of Liza Soberano in the years to come.
