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Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Dora the Explorer' turns 25 this year. Her legacy transcends generations
LOS ANGELES - Can you say … Feliz Cumpleaños? Over the past 25 years, the world has grown to love one of Nickelodeon's most recognizable characters, Dora Márquez. Whether for her conspicuous bowl cut and pink tee, or her singing anthropomorphic backpack, Dora the Explorer has sparked joy in children for generations. But what happens when that adventurous girl loses the items that have guided and defined her for so long? Self-discovery is the end goal of Dora's latest quest in the new live-action film, "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," which debuted July 2 on Paramount+. The film marks the start of a new journey for a girl who has long existed in the minds of viewers as the adventurous 7-year-old protagonist of the original 2000 animated series "Dora the Explorer" - and later in the short-lived 2014 sequel, "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" Along with her animal-loving cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) and friends, Dora (Samantha Lorraine) must rediscover who she is while trekking through the treacherous Amazonian jungle in search of Sol Dorado: an ancient treasure that grants one magical wish to whoever locates it. Yet her plans go awry when she finds herself losing one of her most valuable tools. Although most adults would not rank Dora in the same company as the gritty lead adventurers of "Indiana Jones" or "Tomb Raider," the film features death-defying scenes that deserve a second look - thanks to the use of real fire and critter-riddled caves in the middle of the Colombian jungle. Authenticity was key for director Alberto Belli ("The Naughty Nine"), who proposed to studio executives that Dora explore her Andean heritage, including the use of the indigenous language of Quechua, which is spoken by approximately 10 million people in South America. "This is the first time that we hear Dora speaking Quechua, and we went through great lengths to make sure that the pronunciation was right," says Belli, who also consulted with Incan culture experts on the Andean kinship principle of "ayllu," along with the use of "quipu," a recordkeeping device of knotted cords - both elements which are included in the storyline. "We've seen figures like 'Indiana Jones' exploring other cultures, but Dora is the only mainstream [adventurer] exploring her own culture," says Belli. "And she's celebrating and interested in the history more than the treasure." Dora's innate curiosity is part of what cultivated her popularity among young children since Nickelodeon launched the series. Who can forget the pip-squeak who broke the fourth wall to reel in preschool audiences with problem-solving questions? Even if its repetitive verbiage drove parents a little mad? (You try saying "Swiper, no swiping!" three times fast!) But for creators Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes, the idea of Dora, as the world has come to love, was not so straightforward. Their early brainstorm sessions, along with Eric Weiner, first sprung up concepts of a little boy bunny who would follow a map toward a final destination - tagging along with him was a red-haired girl named Nina and a pocket-sized mouse named Boots. Nickelodeon's executive producer Brown Johnson - creator of the network's preschool block, Nick Jr. - pitched the idea of the main character being Latina after attending an industry conference that underscored the dearth representation of Latinos in the media. According to the 2000 U.S. census, Latino communities were the nation's fastest growing ethnic group at the time - and 20% of the kindergarten population across eight states, including California, identified as Latino. The call for Latino characters was so resounding at the time that it caused some advocacy organizations to launch a weeklong boycott in 1999 to protest the dearth of Latino representation - Latinos made up fewer than 2% of TV characters at that time, despite making up 11% of the population in 1999. " So we said, OK, how do we do it?" says Gifford. "One thing that we picked up on very early was using the language in a way to solve problems, almost as a superpower," says Gifford. "I think that was a huge part of the success of Dora." Gifford calls Dora's use of Spanish a "game changer," and that certainly seems to be the case - in the show, magical passageways remain locked unless the viewer utters the occasional Spanish phrase or word. At the end of every successful mission, Dora belts out her victorious tune: "We did it, lo hicimos!" Released on Aug. 14, 2000, the first episode of "Dora the Explorer" moved forward in spite of an English-only movement bubbling up in California politics a few years prior; Proposition 227 passed in 1998 by a large margin, effectively curtailing bilingual education in the state. "It was not the time that [someone] would think to [make Dora a bilingual character], but of course it was exactly the right time for it to happen," says Gifford. The release of "Dora the Explorer" could not be more timely. While political angst pushed against the use of Spanish in the classroom, the country was simultaneously experiencing a "Latin Boom," a pop culture movement propelled by Hispanic musical acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, who broke ground in the U.S. mainstream with bilingual hit singles like the famed "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "Bailamos," respectively. At the same time, actors like Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek and Jennifer Lopez were also making great strides for Latinas in film. "There was this awareness [that] the Latino talent we have in this country [was] all coming to the forefront," said Walsh Valdes. "The zeitgeist was there for us." But Dora's appeal did not entirely hinge on her being a Latina character. In fact, she was designed to be ethnically ambiguous for that reason, suggested Carlos Cortés, professor emeritus in history at UC Riverside, who consulted the creative team. "Let's let everybody be a part of this," says Walsh Valdes on the choice to write Dora as pan-Latina. Instead, the focus of the show remained on the missions; whether it was returning a lost baby penguin to the South Pole, or leading aliens back to their purple planet. In its first year, "Dora the Explorer" averaged 1.1 million viewers ages 2 to 5 and 2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Co. The original show stretched on for almost two decades before closing out on Aug. 9, 2019. "We saw such excitement from [little kids feeling] empowered by this girl who can go to a place like the city of lost toys... and little kids who can't tie their own shoes can feel like they're helping her," says Gifford. The Dora world has also expanded into a tween-coded sequel, "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" and the spinoff "Go, Diego, Go!" - the environmental protection and animal rescue show starring Dora's cousin Diego. Last year, Dora got a reboot on Nickelodeon's parent company Paramount+, which was a full circle move for Kathleen Herles, who voiced Dora in the original series. Now, Herles takes on the motherly role of "Mami" in the 2024 animated series, now available to stream on Paramount+. "Talk about going on another adventure," says Herles in a video call. Herles still remembers panicking after her audition back in 1998. Gifford, who was in the room, asked to speak to Herles' mother, a Peruvian immigrant with slim knowledge of the entertainment biz at the time. "Being Latina, at first I [was] like, 'Oh my God. She's going to think I got in trouble,'" says Herles. The opportunity not only changed the course of Herles' life financially, but it also opened the door for her to travel the world and reenter the realm of entertainment after a brief career in interior design. Coincidentally, at the time of our call, the 34-year-old voice actor was house hunting in Los Angeles, preparing to move from her native New York City so that she can pursue more career opportunities. "To me that's really a testament to [the power of] Dora... because Dora's an explorer, and she gave me the opportunity to explore," says Herles. For 18-year old actress Lorraine, who stars as Dora in "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," this marks her first lead role in any film. She fills big shoes; Isabela Merced, who now stars in HBO's "The Last of Us," was cast in the first live-action, stand-alone 2019 film for the franchise, "Dora and the Lost City of Gold." "When it comes to Latino representation, [Dora] was a trailblazer for that," says Lorraine. "Being able to see a Latina woman in charge and taking the lead? We need more of that to this day." The Miami-born actor of Cuban descent, who previously starred in the 2023 Netflix movie "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah," answers the audio call after having just arrived in New York City, where she entertains the possibility of a Broadway career. Like many young adults her age, Lorraine grew up enchanted by Dora's adventures - so much that she admittedly got the same bob haircut. "She's my role model," says Lorraine. "Every time we would shoot a scene, I would think to myself, 'What would little Samantha want to watch?'" Throughout every Dora series and film, courage is the connective tissue in her story. "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado" reminds audiences that the true navigational force behind the pint-size girl was always within her. And with a full rollout of fresh Dora content - including the new third season of the rebooted 2024 series "Dora," and an hour-long special called "Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues" - even 25 years after the Latina explorer first appeared on screen, it's clear that her legacy is enduring. "She will always be that girl," says Lorraine. "[She's] that girl who yearns for adventure and has that curiosity spark in her, and that thirst for knowledge." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Dora the Explorer' turns 25 this year. Her legacy transcends generations.
Can you say… Feliz Cumpleaños? Over the past 25 years, the world has grown to love one of Nickelodeon's most recognizable characters, Dora Márquez. Whether for her conspicuous bowl cut and pink tee, or her singing anthropomorphic backpack, Dora the Explorer has sparked joy in children for generations. But what happens when that adventurous girl loses the items that have guided and defined her for so long? Self-discovery is the end goal of Dora's latest quest in the new live-action film, "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," which debuted July 2 on Paramount+. The film marks the start of a new journey for a girl who has long existed in the minds of viewers as the adventurous 7-year-old protagonist of the original 2000 animated series "Dora the Explorer" — and later in the short-lived 2014 sequel, "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" Along with her animal-loving cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) and friends, Dora (Samantha Lorraine) must rediscover who she is while trekking through the treacherous Amazonian jungle in search of Sol Dorado: an ancient treasure that grants one magical wish to whoever locates it. Yet her plans go awry when she finds herself losing one of her most valuable tools. Although most adults would not rank Dora in the same company as the gritty lead adventurers of "Indiana Jones" or "Tomb Raider," the film features death-defying scenes that deserve a second look — thanks to the use of real fire and critter-riddled caves in the middle of the Colombian jungle. Authenticity was key for director Alberto Belli ("The Naughty Nine"), who proposed to studio executives that Dora explore her Andean heritage, including the use of the indigenous language of Quechua, which is spoken by approximately 10 million people in South America. "This is the first time that we hear Dora speaking Quechua, and we went through great lengths to make sure that the pronunciation was right," says Belli, who also consulted with Incan culture experts on the Andean kinship principle of "ayllu," along with the use of "quipu," a recordkeeping device of knotted cords — both elements which are included in the storyline. "We've seen figures like 'Indiana Jones' exploring other cultures, but Dora is the only mainstream [adventurer] exploring her own culture," says Belli. "And she's celebrating and interested in the history more than the treasure." Dora's innate curiosity is part of what cultivated her popularity among young children since Nickelodeon launched the series. Who can forget the pip-squeak who broke the fourth wall to reel in preschool audiences with problem-solving questions? Even if its repetitive verbiage drove parents a little mad? (You try saying "Swiper, no swiping!" three times fast!) But for creators Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes, the idea of Dora, as the world has come to love, was not so straightforward. Their early brainstorm sessions, along with Eric Weiner, first sprung up concepts of a little boy bunny who would follow a map toward a final destination — tagging along with him was a red-haired girl named Nina and a pocket-sized mouse named Boots. Nickelodeon's executive producer Brown Johnson— creator of the network's preschool block, Nick Jr. — pitched the idea of the main character being Latina after attending an industry conference that underscored the dearth representation of Latinos in the media. According to the 2000 U.S. census, Latino communities were the nation's fastest growing ethnic group at the time — and 20% of the kindergarten population across eight states, including California, identified as Latino. The call for Latino characters was so resounding at the time that it caused some advocacy organizations to launch a weeklong boycott in 1999 to protest the dearth of Latino representation — Latinos made up fewer than 2% of TV characters at that time, despite making up 11% of the population in 1999. " So we said, okay, how do we do it?" says Gifford. "One thing that we picked up on very early was using the language in a way to solve problems, almost as a superpower," says Gifford. "I think that was a huge part of the success of Dora." Gifford calls Dora's use of Spanish a "game changer," and that certainly seems to be the case — in the show, magical passageways remain locked unless the viewer utters the occasional Spanish phrase or word. At the end of every successful mission, Dora belts out her victorious tune: "We did it, lo hicimos!" Released on August 14, 2000, the first episode of "Dora the Explorer" moved forward in spite of an English-only movement bubbling up in California politics a few years prior; Proposition 227 passed in 1998 by a large margin, effectively curtailing bilingual education in the state. "It was not the time that [someone] would think to [make Dora a bilingual character], but of course it was exactly the right time for it to happen," says Gifford. The release of "Dora the Explorer" could not be more timely. While political angst pushed against the use of Spanish in the classroom, the country was simultaneously experiencing a "Latin Boom," a pop culture movement propelled by Hispanic musical acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, who broke ground in the U.S. mainstream with bilingual hit singles like the famed "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "Bailamos," respectively. At the same time, actors like Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek and Jennifer Lopez were also making great strides for Latinas in film. "There was this awareness [that] the Latino talent we have in this country [was] all coming to the forefront," said Walsh Valdes. "The zeitgeist was there for us." But Dora's appeal did not entirely hinge on her being a Latina character. In fact, she was designed to be ethnically ambiguous for that reason, suggested Carlos Cortés, professor emeritus in history at UC Riverside, who consulted the creative team. "Let's let everybody be a part of this," says Walsh Valdes on the choice to write Dora as pan-Latina. Instead, the focus of the show remained on the missions; whether it was returning a lost baby penguin to the South Pole, or leading aliens back to their purple planet. In its first year, "Dora the Explorer" averaged 1.1 million viewers ages 2 to 5 and 2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Co. The original show stretched on for almost two decades before closing out on Aug. 9, 2019. "We saw such excitement from [little kids feeling] empowered by this girl who can go to a place like the city of lost toys... and little kids who can't tie their own shoes can feel like they're helping her," says Gifford. The Dora world has also expanded into a tween-coded sequel, "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" and the spin-off "Go, Diego, Go!" — the environmental protection and animal rescue show starring Dora's cousin Diego. Last year, Dora got a reboot on Nickelodeon's parent company Paramount+, which was a full circle move for Kathleen Herles, who voiced Dora in the original series. Now, Herles takes on the motherly role of "Mami" in the 2024 animated series, now available to stream on Paramount+. "Talk about going on another adventure," says Herles in a video call. Herles still remembers panicking after her audition back in 1998. Gifford, who was in the room, asked to speak to Herles' mother, a Peruvian immigrant with slim knowledge of the entertainment biz at the time. "Being Latina, at first I [was] like, 'Oh my God. She's going to think I got in trouble,'" says Herles. The opportunity not only changed the course of Herles' life financially, but it also opened the door for her to travel the world and reenter the realm of entertainment after a brief career in interior design. Coincidentally, at the time of our call, the 34-year-old voice actor was house hunting in Los Angeles, preparing to move from her native New York City so that she can pursue more career opportunities. "To me that's really a testament to [the power of] Dora... because Dora's an explorer, and she gave me the opportunity to explore," says Herles. For 18-year old actress Lorraine, who stars as Dora in "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," this marks her first lead role in any film. She fills big shoes; Isabela Merced, who now stars in HBO's "The Last of Us," was cast in the first live-action, standalone 2019 film for the franchise, "Dora and the Lost City of Gold." "When it comes to Latino representation, [Dora] was a trailblazer for that," says Lorraine. "Being able to see a Latina woman in charge and taking the lead? We need more of that to this day." The Miami-born actor of Cuban descent, who previously starred in the 2023 Netflix movie "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah," answers the audio call after having just arrived in New York City, where she entertains the possibility of a Broadway career. Like many young adults her age, Lorraine grew up enchanted by Dora's adventures — so much that she admittedly got the same bob haircut. "She's my role model," says Lorraine. "Every time we would shoot a scene, I would think to myself, 'What would little Samantha want to watch?'" Throughout every Dora series and film, courage is the connective tissue in her story. "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado" reminds audiences that the true navigational force behind the pint-size girl was always within her. And with a full rollout of fresh Dora content — including the new third season of the rebooted 2024 series "Dora," and an hour-long special called "Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues" — even 25 years after the Latina explorer first appeared on screen, it's clear that her legacy is enduring. "She will always be that girl," says Lorraine. "[She's] that girl who yearns for adventure and has that curiosity spark in her, and that thirst for knowledge." Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Dora the Explorer' turns 25 this year. Her legacy transcends generations.
Can you say… Feliz Cumpleaños? Over the past 25 years, the world has grown to love one of Nickelodeon's most recognizable characters, Dora Márquez. Whether for her conspicuous bowl cut and pink tee, or her singing anthropomorphic backpack, Dora the Explorer has sparked joy in children for generations. But what happens when that adventurous girl loses the items that have guided and defined her for so long? Self-discovery is the end goal of Dora's latest quest in the new live-action film, 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado,' which debuted July 2 on Paramount+. The film marks the start of a new journey for a girl who has long existed in the minds of viewers as the adventurous 7-year-old protagonist of the original 2000 animated series 'Dora the Explorer' — and later in the short-lived 2014 sequel, 'Dora and Friends: Into the City!' Along with her animal-loving cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) and friends, Dora (Samantha Lorraine) must rediscover who she is while trekking through the treacherous Amazonian jungle in search of Sol Dorado: an ancient treasure that grants one magical wish to whoever locates it. Yet her plans go awry when she finds herself losing one of her most valuable tools. Although most adults would not rank Dora in the same company as the gritty lead adventurers of 'Indiana Jones' or 'Tomb Raider,' the film features death-defying scenes that deserve a second look — thanks to the use of real fire and critter-riddled caves in the middle of the Colombian jungle. Authenticity was key for director Alberto Belli ('The Naughty Nine'), who proposed to studio executives that Dora explore her Andean heritage, including the use of the indigenous language of Quechua, which is spoken by approximately 10 million people in South America. 'This is the first time that we hear Dora speaking Quechua, and we went through great lengths to make sure that the pronunciation was right,' says Belli, who also consulted with Incan culture experts on the Andean kinship principle of 'ayllu,' along with the use of 'quipu,' a recordkeeping device of knotted cords — both elements which are included in the storyline. 'We've seen figures like 'Indiana Jones' exploring other cultures, but Dora is the only mainstream [adventurer] exploring her own culture,' says Belli. 'And she's celebrating and interested in the history more than the treasure.' Dora's innate curiosity is part of what cultivated her popularity among young children since Nickelodeon launched the series. Who can forget the pip-squeak who broke the fourth wall to reel in preschool audiences with problem-solving questions? Even if its repetitive verbiage drove parents a little mad? (You try saying 'Swiper, no swiping!' three times fast!) But for creators Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes, the idea of Dora, as the world has come to love, was not so straightforward. Their early brainstorm sessions, along with Eric Weiner, first sprung up concepts of a little boy bunny who would follow a map toward a final destination — tagging along with him was a red-haired girl named Nina and a pocket-sized mouse named Boots. Nickelodeon's executive producer Brown Johnson— creator of the network's preschool block, Nick Jr. — pitched the idea of the main character being Latina after attending an industry conference that underscored the dearth representation of Latinos in the media. According to the 2000 U.S. census, Latino communities were the nation's fastest growing ethnic group at the time — and 20% of the kindergarten population across eight states, including California, identified as Latino. The call for Latino characters was so resounding at the time that it caused some advocacy organizations to launch a weeklong boycott in 1999 to protest the dearth of Latino representation — Latinos made up fewer than 2% of TV characters at that time, despite making up 11% of the population in 1999. ' So we said, okay, how do we do it?' says Gifford. 'One thing that we picked up on very early was using the language in a way to solve problems, almost as a superpower,' says Gifford. 'I think that was a huge part of the success of Dora.' Gifford calls Dora's use of Spanish a 'game changer,' and that certainly seems to be the case — in the show, magical passageways remain locked unless the viewer utters the occasional Spanish phrase or word. At the end of every successful mission, Dora belts out her victorious tune: 'We did it, lo hicimos!' Released on August 14, 2000, the first episode of 'Dora the Explorer' moved forward in spite of an English-only movement bubbling up in California politics a few years prior; Proposition 227 passed in 1998 by a large margin, effectively curtailing bilingual education in the state. 'It was not the time that [someone] would think to [make Dora a bilingual character], but of course it was exactly the right time for it to happen,' says Gifford. The release of 'Dora the Explorer' could not be more timely. While political angst pushed against the use of Spanish in the classroom, the country was simultaneously experiencing a 'Latin Boom,' a pop culture movement propelled by Hispanic musical acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, who broke ground in the U.S. mainstream with bilingual hit singles like the famed 'Livin' la Vida Loca' and 'Bailamos,' respectively. At the same time, actors like Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek and Jennifer Lopez were also making great strides for Latinas in film. 'There was this awareness [that] the Latino talent we have in this country [was] all coming to the forefront,' said Walsh Valdes. 'The zeitgeist was there for us.' But Dora's appeal did not entirely hinge on her being a Latina character. In fact, she was designed to be ethnically ambiguous for that reason, suggested Carlos Cortés, professor emeritus in history at UC Riverside, who consulted the creative team. 'Let's let everybody be a part of this,' says Walsh Valdes on the choice to write Dora as pan-Latina. Instead, the focus of the show remained on the missions; whether it was returning a lost baby penguin to the South Pole, or leading aliens back to their purple planet. In its first year, 'Dora the Explorer' averaged 1.1 million viewers ages 2 to 5 and 2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Co. The original show stretched on for almost two decades before closing out on Aug. 9, 2019. 'We saw such excitement from [little kids feeling] empowered by this girl who can go to a place like the city of lost toys... and little kids who can't tie their own shoes can feel like they're helping her,' says Gifford. The Dora world has also expanded into a tween-coded sequel, 'Dora and Friends: Into the City!' and the spin-off 'Go, Diego, Go!' — the environmental protection and animal rescue show starring Dora's cousin Diego. Last year, Dora got a reboot on Nickelodeon's parent company Paramount+, which was a full circle move for Kathleen Herles, who voiced Dora in the original series. Now, Herles takes on the motherly role of 'Mami' in the 2024 animated series, now available to stream on Paramount+. 'Talk about going on another adventure,' says Herles in a video call. Herles still remembers panicking after her audition back in 1998. Gifford, who was in the room, asked to speak to Herles' mother, a Peruvian immigrant with slim knowledge of the entertainment biz at the time. 'Being Latina, at first I [was] like, 'Oh my God. She's going to think I got in trouble,'' says Herles. The opportunity not only changed the course of Herles' life financially, but it also opened the door for her to travel the world and reenter the realm of entertainment after a brief career in interior design. Coincidentally, at the time of our call, the 34-year-old voice actor was house hunting in Los Angeles, preparing to move from her native New York City so that she can pursue more career opportunities. 'To me that's really a testament to [the power of] Dora... because Dora's an explorer, and she gave me the opportunity to explore,' says Herles. For 18-year old actress Lorraine, who stars as Dora in 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado,' this marks her first lead role in any film. She fills big shoes; Isabela Merced, who now stars in HBO's 'The Last of Us,' was cast in the first live-action, standalone 2019 film for the franchise, 'Dora and the Lost City of Gold.' 'When it comes to Latino representation, [Dora] was a trailblazer for that,' says Lorraine. 'Being able to see a Latina woman in charge and taking the lead? We need more of that to this day.' The Miami-born actor of Cuban descent, who previously starred in the 2023 Netflix movie 'You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah,' answers the audio call after having just arrived in New York City, where she entertains the possibility of a Broadway career. Like many young adults her age, Lorraine grew up enchanted by Dora's adventures — so much that she admittedly got the same bob haircut. 'She's my role model,' says Lorraine. 'Every time we would shoot a scene, I would think to myself, 'What would little Samantha want to watch?'' Throughout every Dora series and film, courage is the connective tissue in her story. 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado' reminds audiences that the true navigational force behind the pint-size girl was always within her. And with a full rollout of fresh Dora content — including the new third season of the rebooted 2024 series 'Dora,' and an hour-long special called 'Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues' — even 25 years after the Latina explorer first appeared on screen, it's clear that her legacy is enduring. 'She will always be that girl,' says Lorraine. '[She's] that girl who yearns for adventure and has that curiosity spark in her, and that thirst for knowledge.'
NBC News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
'Dora the Explorer' live-action movie celebrates 25th anniversary of beloved series
Millions of children in more than 150 countries have watched a 7-year-old Latina with her trademark purple backpack take friends on fun television adventures. Now, Nickelodeon's animated series 'Dora the Explorer' is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a live-action movie, premiering on Nickelodeon and Paramount+ on Wednesday, ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend. 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado' tells the story of 16-year-old Dora (played by Samantha Lorraine) who is budding into a skilled treasure hunter. The movie follows Dora and her friend Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) as they trek through a jungle to find an ancient treasure that could grant a magical wish. This teenage version of Dora, Mexican director Alberto Belli says, is like Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, but with a spunky 'lo hicimos' ('We did it') attitude that makes her uniquely Latina. But according to Belli, Dora is more interested in the adventure because it can help her figure out who she is and what other people are like. Developing this larger sense of finding her place became a guiding theme for the movie. 'When you're taking a cartoon character into a live action, you need to go a little bit deeper. So we tried to create some more problems,' Belli said in an interview, accompanied by actress Samantha Lorraine. 'She (Dora) loses her bag, which is a spoiler, but it's also in the trailer. So now she needs to find who she really is. And I think right now, more than ever, people feel a little lost.' Dora's backpack typically contains specific items, including a map, which she will need on her adventures. And Belli says that when 'you don't know exactly where you need to go,' you have to look inside yourself to figure it out. Lorraine says that 'Sol Dorado' ('Golden Sun') is more about finding an internal space — 'who you are as a person.' 'When she (Dora) finds Sol Dorado, to me, it was this full circle moment that we had finally finished this character arc,' the young actress said. Many iconic action-adventure characters "usually go and explore someone else's culture. They never explore their own culture,' Belli said. 'What's really exciting about Dora is she loves history. She's exploring her own culture.' The movie incorporates Indigenous Latino traditions that influence Dora's identity. One such tradition was based on 'ayllu,' which is the Andean way of organizing communities to support each other through shared land, resources and responsibilities. 'When it comes to ayllu, friendship and connection is so important, and I think Dora is the epitome of that. She's the connection through most cultures of the world,' Lorraine said, adding that 'Dora the Explorer' has been translated into more than 30 languages. Belli said that they had an expert on set to guide them through different Indigenous traditions, including quipus, which are knotted cords that were used by the Incas to record information. They also had two consultants to work on pronunciation for when Dora had to speak in Quechua, which is an Indigenous language spoken by people in parts of Perú, Bolivia and Ecuador. Lorraine, who identifies as Cuban American, says that playing Dora was a privilege because she offers many Latino children visibility. 'I kept thinking to myself, what do I want my little cousins to see when they watch this movie?,' she said. Lorraine wants 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado' to help viewers — regardless of their age — keep their sense of adventure and curiosity alive. Dora has "always been part of pop culture," Belli said, adding that he has a 5-year-old who's a big fan. "When I got the job, he got more excited than I did," the director said with a laugh. "What I love about Dora is she's a positive influence in people; she teaches you how to be positive, energetic and adventurous — and at the same time she teaches Spanish in a fun way, which I think is very cool."
GMA Network
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Filmmaker Alberto Belli talks of his journey from 'Delikadesa' to 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado'
At the blue carpet at the special screening for the cast and crew of the reboot of "Dora The Explorer," entitled "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," the star at the moment was filmmaker Alberto Belli, the tall and charming director of the new live-action family film being produced for Nickelodeon and Paramount+ by Nickelodeon Studios. Getting kudos from everyone and being photographed with the cast outside the Sherry Lansing Theatre at the Paramount Pictures Studios, Belli was obviously thrilled and excited. Present at the event were his wife Maria Brasero, former entertainment reporter and their two sons – Rafa, 5, and Leo, 1. It was also like a reunion of sorts for former USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA schoolmates Belli and long-time film school friend Lea Dizon Breault, who directed the thesis film, "Delikadesa," of which Belli was one of the producers. "Yeah, it was so fun," Belli commented when we interviewed him virtually. "Lea was my first friend from film school. We were both at the health center, and then we connected after that. And so, when it was time for her to do the thesis, she wanted to make a very authentic Filipino story ('Delikadesa'). And I was very excited about that." Contributed photo Breault, in fact, got emotional after watching the Belli-helmed film, "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado." "He used to sleep on my couch, and I used to feed him chicken adobo," she confided to me. She added, "Alberto was my very first friend and one of my truly closest friends in LA. We were both incoming foreign students at USC at the time, and so we met at the health center because all foreign students were required to do a TB test before the first day of school. So, we met before class even began. Then we became fast friends because, like I said, we were both foreign, we lived close to each other, and we generally just got along. He grew up in Mexico, so there were many similarities in our culture. We were both driven and resourceful. We always supported and advocated for each other on our film projects throughout film school. He was my actor on my very first project in school, and I was commended by my professor for that project. "By the time we hit our last year for our MFA, we decided to produce each other's thesis films. He was a producer for 'Delikadesa' and I was his producer for his thesis, 'The Case of the Missing Garden Gnome.' One particular memory I had in making 'Delikadesa' was how challenging it was to cast an all-Filipino cast who can speak Tagalog. Alberto had the idea to put fliers up in a Filipino community, and I thought it was, in fact, a great idea! So, there we were, the two of us going door to door in West Covina to all the businesses, asking if we could put up our announcement for a casting call. And the plan worked! We were able to complete casting because of that. "We would always hang out outside of school. We would accompany each other on errands. We were thick as thieves and confidantes. He knew my love interests and my heartaches, and vice versa. He understood my particular brand of drama. HA! And let me tell you if you want someone who would always be on your corner, you want Alberto. Kakampihan ka talaga! (He will really be by your side.) Alberto is the godfather to one of my children. "Since we lived close to each other, he always came over, especially during our first year. He always made tambay (hangout) on my couch, and, of course, as a Filipino, if someone is in my house, you better believe you will be fed. So, I would always make food for him. Sandwiches, pasta, and, of course, rice and chicken adobo. He ate everything I fed him with gusto! I tried teaching him to eat rice meals with a fork and spoon (Filipino style), but I was not very successful. But all in all, Alberto is like an honorary Filipino. He eats the food, relates to the culture, and understands our quirks." "When I watched 'Dora,' I felt incredibly proud. I felt like 'Tambay lang ito sa apartment ko dati (He used to just hang out in my apartment), and now he directed a multi-million-dollar Hollywood studio film!' I felt quite emotional when we were both tearing up when we talked after the screening. To witness someone's journey in life is such a privilege. And this film is so Alberto. It is so representative of his visual style and his storytelling. Something that everyone who knew him in film school recognized even back then." This writer, in fact, was chosen by Belli and Breault to portray Donya Claudia in the short film, 'Delikadesa.' Belli recalled, "So we couldn't find actors in LA who were Filipino. It was like a challenge. Somehow, we found you, Janet. Lea was hoping you would say yes because you were so perfect for the character. So, when you said yes, it was like you were having so much fun. You were meant to play that character. Even though you were different in real life. Obviously, in real life, you're so nice. She was a little bit tougher. In the story, she didn't want her daughter to marry someone who was not from her class. So that was really fun in that you were wonderful. I think you're watching all these movies, and that helped you manage that perfect performance." Belli, a computer science engineer whose love for storytelling turned him into a director, moved from Mexico to Los Angeles to get his MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he received the prestigious John Huston directing merit scholarship. So, how did being a computer engineer help him become a better storyteller, we asked. "It's the collaboration because when you are in computer science, many programmers are doing a little bit of coding that has to come together for the program to be able to function. And it's the same thing with filmmaking. You have the DP (Director of Photography), the costume designer, the actress, and everyone is doing their version of the movie. So, you have to make sure that everyone is making the same movie that you wish to make. And I think that taught me a lot because in programming, even a comma can screw everything up." Contributed photo Based on a screenplay by JT Billings, "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado" was filmed for four months in Bogota, Colombia. Belli shared the challenges of filming in Colombia. "We try to make it as real as possible. So, we went to the jungle in the middle of nowhere. And the chances are, obviously, besides the heat and the animals, we had a snake wrangler who would find snakes every day, like gigantic snakes. Someone would be there with a scorpion in there. What makes it magical? Once you're there, and then you see this beautiful jungle, it makes you respect nature and makes it like an experience for everyone. You can feel that in the movie, besides the challenge of it all." Working with JT Billings was also amazing, Belli said. "He was great when I came on board. When I was researching to get the job, I found this concept called IOU, which means working together, and that every individual is important. When we met, I pitched that concept to him. And he's like, how do we bring that concept into the script and make it part of, hopefully, pop culture. And he was super open to it, and he adjusted all the scenes to make sure that we have that ingrained in all the scenes. So, I love working with him." Belli, who also worked before in the Disney movie "The Naughty Nine," is not new to working with child actors. So, when he worked with Samantha Lorraine, who portrayed Dora Marquez, and Jacob Rodriguez, who was Dora's cousin Diego Marquez in the movie, he was able to work with them without any problem. "It was a dream," he said. "They're so easy. They're so good. You know that Sam is Dora. She is very positive and energetic and always willing to do everything. And then she's also very physical. She used to be a gymnast and a dancer, so she was able to do a lot of her stunts on her own. And the same thing with Jacob. He loved doing the swinging. And then you see in the movie, in the final, it was so easy for me. Ninety percent of directing is in the casting. Once you find the perfect actors, you just have to guide them a little bit. But you don't have to completely steer to 180 degrees to get the performance that you need." Belli, whose feature debut was the fantasy/comedy "Gatlopp," used animation and special effects in the "Dora" live film. He admitted it was challenging in the beginning, especially when they were working with little Dora, who opened the movie. "I think for her it was a little hard because she was supposed to be excited and everything, and she was just looking at like a puppet who was not even speaking back at her. So, it took a little while and a bit more practice. But by the second or third day, she would get it. We had someone acting as the voices so she could imagine it beforehand." But the most difficult scene for him to do was "probably the big set piece at the end, which I cannot reveal a lot of it, but it had a lot of completely mechanical stuff. So, there are a lot of moving parts that have to come in and out and up and down, and like, all these things are resetting to be able to put the stuff. That was a challenging one for me because it was also very, very technical to be able to pull it off." As for the weather in Bogota, Belli said," We got really lucky about the weather because usually in Bogota it rains a lot. And we went to the rainforest. We only got rain once. I don't know how you know the gods of nature or whatever. It was happening. Like they allowed us to shoot very smoothly, except for one day for a couple of hours. But besides that, it was great." When not working on the set of commercials, movies, or television, Belli enjoys hiking, cooking, and singing on repeat "You're Welcome" by Dwayne Johnson from "Moana" to his two sons. Contributed photo He explained the challenge when he is away from his family. He said, "The hardest part was when my kid was a baby. He was like six months old when I left. They called and asked me if I was interested in doing 'Dora'? It's like new kids bring you new jobs. That's the same in Mexico. So, it was a lot of FaceTime. And my wife was amazing. She took care of the whole family here. So, she stayed here. I was also sending a lot of photos." Belli shared that the best reward was seeing his son watch "Dora." "He loved it," he revealed with pride. "And he has seen it every step. I showed him the rough cut. And he was still reacting to it very positively. So that's the reason I knew that the movie was going to be special. And then he saw the final cut during the screening. He saw everything, and he was blown away. He just had fun." Influenced by Steven Spielberg and Billy Wilder, Belli said, "I like movies that have humor but could also be dramatic." As for what's next for him, he said, "The hope is we're focusing on making bigger and better adventures for the world. That's the hope right now. So, we'll see what happens. I'm working on new stuff, but I cannot say what it is yet. But the hope is to keep on growing." —MGP, GMA Integrated News
