BANGKOK: Nene Royal, the 16-year-old Thai rocker who won America’s Got Talent in 2026, will make her acting debut as the Thai voice of Billie Doe, the lead character in Disney’s animated film Hexed.
The singer and guitarist, whose full name is Rattikarn “Praew” Amloy, has been cast in the Thai-language version of the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature, which is scheduled to open in Thai cinemas on November 26th. Hailee Steinfeld voices Billie in the original English-language version; Rashida Jones voices her mother, Alice.
Hexed follows Billie, a teenager who discovers she has magical abilities and accidentally unleashes them, carrying her from ordinary suburban life into Hexe, a realm of witches. There she joins forces with Alice, and the pair uncover a family secret with consequences for the magical world. The film is directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand, with Josie Trinidad as co-director.
Speaking to TNN, Nene said she was pleased and excited to take her first voice-acting role in a major Disney animation. She said Billie’s age was part of the connection: both are 16.
“I was both pleased and very excited. Hexed is a huge Disney animation and getting to be the Thai voice of Billie, one of the main characters, is a new experience,” she said. “Because Billie is the same age as me, 16, I feel I can relate to her very well.”
The casting comes weeks after Nene became the first Thai contestant to win America’s Got Talent. She took the title of the show’s 21st season in September, earning the $1 million prize after a run that included a Golden Buzzer from judge Mel B and a finals performance of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul congratulated her at the time, saying she had brought honour to Thailand.
Hexed is a fantasy adventure from the studio behind Frozen and Zootopia.