5 Reasons Isabela Merced's Forgotten Kingdom Hearts Role Is Crucial To Her 2025 Superstar Status

Dec 19, 2025 • minute read

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Isabela Merced, one of Hollywood's most rapidly ascending stars, is currently dominating headlines with major roles in the DC Universe's Superman and HBO's highly anticipated The Last of Us Season Two. Yet, as of December 22, 2025, a critical, often-overlooked stepping stone in her career—a voice acting role in one of gaming's most complex franchises—is resurfacing. This role, as the enigmatic and pivotal Foreteller Ava in Kingdom Hearts $\chi$ Back Cover, provides a fascinating look at the early versatility of the actress who is now slated to play Hawkgirl and Dina.

The 2017 computer-animated cinematic feature, part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue compilation, featured Merced (then credited as Isabela Moner) bringing life to a character central to the entire Kingdom Hearts mythology. Understanding her performance as Master Ava is essential to appreciating the full scope of her acting journey, from a young voice artist to a global superhero and dramatic television lead.

Isabela Merced: Full Biography and 2025 Career Explosion

Isabela Merced, born Isabela Yolanda Moner on July 10, 2001, in Cleveland, Ohio, is a Peruvian-American actress, singer, and voiceover artist. As of 2025, she is 24 years old and has been active in the entertainment industry since childhood, making her Broadway debut in Evita at the age of 10.

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She first gained widespread recognition with the Nickelodeon series 100 Things to Do Before High School and later starred in films like Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) and as the titular character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019).

In 2019, she officially changed her professional name to Isabela Merced, honoring her Peruvian mother's maiden name. This period marked a significant shift toward more mature and high-profile roles.

Key Filmography Highlights (2017–2025)

Voice Role (2017): Foreteller Ava in Kingdom Hearts $\chi$ Back Cover.
Major Film (2019): Dora in Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
Superhero Role (2024): Anya Corazon / Araña in Sony's Madame Web.
Sci-Fi/Horror (Upcoming): Alien: Romulus.
Major TV Role (Upcoming): Dina in HBO's The Last of Us Season Two.
DCU Role (Upcoming): Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) in James Gunn's Superman (2025).

The Enigmatic Role: Isabela Merced as Foreteller Ava

Isabela Merced's involvement in the Kingdom Hearts universe is a deep-cut piece of trivia that highlights her early work in voice acting. She provided the English voice for Foreteller Ava, one of the five Keyblade Masters who are apprentices to the mysterious Master of Masters.

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The character Ava is not just a minor figure; she is a foundational pillar of the entire series' sprawling mythology. Her story is chronicled in Kingdom Hearts $\chi$ Back Cover, a cinematic feature that explains the events leading up to the devastating Keyblade War.

The Foretellers—Ava, Ira, Aced, Invi, and Gula—are each tasked with leading a Union (Vulpes, Unicornis, Ursus, Anguis, and Leopardos, respectively) and collecting 'Lux' to strengthen the light. Ava, as the leader of the Vulpes Union, is characterized by the virtue of 'Charity' and is arguably the most compassionate of the group.

Ava’s most critical mission, given to her by the Master of Masters, was to gather a select group of Keyblade wielders—known as the Dandelions—and send them to another worldline to prevent them from participating in the impending Keyblade War. This act of preservation was crucial to ensuring the survival of light and the future of the worlds.

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Connecting Foreteller Ava to Hawkgirl and Dina

While the role of a secretive, hooded Keyblade Master might seem distant from a DC superhero or a post-apocalyptic survivor, the experience gained from voicing Ava is directly relevant to Isabela Merced’s current superstar status. The connection lies in the complexity and foundational nature of the characters she is now portraying.

1. Mastering Complex Lore and Emotional Depth

The Kingdom Hearts series is famous for its intricate, often confusing, lore. Voicing a character like Ava, who carries the weight of prophecy, the impending destruction of the world, and the burden of selecting the Dandelions, requires a nuanced understanding of deep, dense mythology. This skill directly translates to navigating the established, yet highly scrutinized, canons of the DC Universe (as Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders) and the narrative-heavy world of The Last of Us (as Dina).

2. The Power of a Mysterious Introduction

Ava's entire presence is shrouded in mystery and prophecy, a recurring theme in Merced's recent work. In Madame Web, her character Anya Corazon is a young woman grappling with a sudden transformation. As Hawkgirl in Superman, she steps into a role with a complex, often immortal, backstory. The experience of portraying a character whose true intentions and ultimate fate are unknown—as is the case with the Foretellers—prepared her for these high-stakes, enigmatic roles.

3. Voice Acting Versatility and Emotional Range

Voice work is a unique acting challenge, relying solely on vocal delivery to convey emotion. Merced's performance as Ava had to capture leadership, compassion, and underlying anxiety over the Keyblade War without the benefit of on-screen body language. This vocal control is crucial for translating a video game character like Dina from The Last of Us Part II into a live-action performance, ensuring the emotional intensity of the character is preserved.

4. Stepping into Beloved, Established Roles

Foreteller Ava is a revered figure among the Kingdom Hearts fandom. Taking on such a beloved, established character—even in a voice role—is a test of an actor's ability to meet fan expectations. This experience is invaluable now that Merced is tackling two of the most anticipated roles in modern media: the fan-favorite bisexual character Dina and the iconic DC hero Hawkgirl.

5. The Legacy of the Keyblade Master

Ava is a Keyblade Master, one of the most powerful titles in the Kingdom Hearts universe. This early experience in portraying a character of immense power and responsibility—a leader tasked with saving the light—foreshadowed her future as a superhero. Her path from Master Ava to Hawkgirl is a compelling narrative of a young actress consistently taking on roles that are foundational, powerful, and central to the future of their respective franchises.

In summary, Isabela Merced's work on Kingdom Hearts $\chi$ Back Cover was more than a side project; it was a foundational exercise in handling deep lore, high emotional stakes, and fan expectations. As she flies into the DCU as Hawkgirl and dives into the emotional depth of The Last of Us as Dina, her brief but significant tenure as Foreteller Ava remains a fascinating chapter in the evolution of a true Hollywood superstar.

5 Reasons Isabela Merced's Forgotten Kingdom Hearts Role is Crucial to Her 2025 Superstar Status

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