Movies

‘Dora the Explorer’ turns 25 this year. Her legacy transcends generations.

BBG News

Can you say… Feliz Cumpleaños?

For a quarter of a century, Dora Marquez, one of Nickelodeon’s most iconic characters, has become cherished by people worldwide. It could be her distinctive bowl-cut hairstyle and pink t-shirt, or her musical backpack with a personality of its own, but Dora the Explorer has brought happiness to kids across generations.

And what transpires when the daring young lady finds herself bereft of possessions that have shaped and identified her for such a considerable time?

In the recently released live-action movie “Dora and the Quest for Sol Dorado” on Paramount+, Dora embarks on a new adventure that aims to uncover herself. This isn’t the first time we see Dora, who was previously known as the daring 7-year-old lead of the popular animated series “Dora the Explorer” (2000) and its brief sequel, “Dora and Friends: Into the City!” (2014). Here, she embarks on a fresh journey of self-discovery.

With her animal-loving cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) and friends, Dora (Samantha Lorraine) embarks on a journey through the Amazon jungle in search of Sol Dorado – an ancient treasure that grants a single magical wish. However, things don’t go as planned when she accidentally misplaces one of her essential items.

While Dora, a character typically not seen in the same league as tough action heroes like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, might not initially grab your attention, the movie offers thrilling, death-defying sequences that are worth revisiting due to its authentic use of flames and animal-infested caves deep within the Colombian rainforest.

For director Alberto Belli (“The Naughty Nine”), authenticity was paramount. He pitched the idea to studio executives that Dora should delve into her Andean roots, incorporating the indigenous language of Quechua, a tongue spoken by around 10 million people in South America.

As a devoted admirer, I’m thrilled to share that for the first time, Dora is heard speaking Quechua! To ensure authenticity, we went to extraordinary measures in getting her pronunciation spot-on. In addition, I collaborated with experts from the Incan culture to incorporate the “ayllu” principle of Andean kinship and the ancient recordkeeping device, the “quipu,” into the narrative. These elements enrich the storyline, adding an authentic touch to Dora’s journey.

According to Belli, characters such as Indiana Jones are well-known for delving into various cultures, yet it’s Dora who stands out by doing so within her very own culture. Moreover, she values and takes interest in the history and traditions over any potential treasures.

Dora’s natural inquisitiveness played a significant role in the show’s appeal to young viewers when Nickelodeon initially released the series. Who could forget that tiny, mischievous character who often interacted with the audience by asking riddles and dilemmas? Although its frequent phrase repetition might have occasionally annoyed parents, it was undeniably captivating for preschoolers! (And let’s be honest, saying “Swiper, no swiping!” three times in a row can be quite challenging!)

However, for creators Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner, the development of Dora, as we now know her, wasn’t a simple process. Initially, they envisioned a character who was not a little girl explorer, but rather a small boy bunny named Dory (originally Nina) accompanied by a red-haired girl named Nina and a tiny mouse called Boots. Their journey would follow a map to reach a destination.

Brown Johnson, an executive producer at Nickelodeon who created the preschool block Nick Jr., proposed a character with Latin heritage after realizing the lack of representation for Latinos in media during an industry conference. At that time, according to the 2000 U.S. census, Latino communities were the fastest-growing ethnic group in America, and approximately one fifth of kindergarteners across eight states such as California identified themselves as Latino.

1999 saw an intense demand for more Latino characters on television due to their underrepresentation, with Latinos accounting for less than 2% of TV characters while making up 11% of the population. This lack of representation sparked a weeklong boycott led by some advocacy groups as a form of protest. As Gifford puts it, “So we asked ourselves, what can be done?

According to Gifford, one key aspect that stood out right from the start was employing language as a tool to tackle challenges, almost like an extraordinary ability. I believe this played a significant role in the triumph of Dora.

Gifford describes Dora’s use of Spanish as a “key factor” and it indeed appears to be so – in the program, magical doors only open when the viewer occasionally says a Spanish phrase or word. At the conclusion of every successful quest, Dora sings her triumphant song: “We did it, we made it happen!

Back in the year 2000, on August 14th, I found myself captivated by the debut of “Dora the Explorer.” Amidst the surge of an English-only movement in California politics a few years earlier, Proposition 227 had been passed with a landslide vote in 1998. This proposition significantly limited bilingual education within the state. Yet, despite these political challenges, “Dora the Explorer” managed to make its mark and continue to entertain and educate us in English.

According to Gifford, it wasn’t typically when one might consider making Dora a bilingual character, but in reality, it turned out to be the perfect moment for that development.

The debut of “Dora the Explorer” couldn’t be more aptly timed. As political tension grew against teaching Spanish in schools, America was simultaneously immersed in a “Latin Wave,” a cultural phenomenon fueled by Hispanic music sensations such as Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, who gained widespread acclaim in the U.S. with their bilingual hit songs like “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and “Bailamos.” At the same time, actresses like Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek, and Jennifer Lopez were also making significant headway for Latinas in the film industry.

Walsh Valdes noted that the prominence of Latino talent within our nation was becoming increasingly apparent. It seemed that the cultural climate was ripe for us.

Instead, Dora’s charm wasn’t solely based on her being a Latina character. In fact, she was intentionally designed to have an ethnically unspecific identity for that very reason, as pointed out by Carlos Cortés, a professor emeritus in history at UC Riverside and a member of the creative team. As Walsh Valdes explains, the decision to portray Dora as pan-Latina was made to ensure that everyone could connect with her story.

The main subject of the program consistently revolved around missions, such as reuniting a lost penguin with the South Pole or guiding aliens back to their planet colored purple. In its inaugural year, “Dora the Explorer” attracted an average of 1.1 million viewers aged 2-5 and a total of 2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Co. The initial series continued for nearly two decades before concluding on August 9, 2019.

Gifford expresses that these young children felt energized when observing a girl capable of venturing into a city like the ‘city of misplaced toys.’ It made them feel as if they too were contributing, even though some of them are still learning to tie their own shoelaces.

The universe of Dora has grown with a sequel aimed at tweens called “Dora and Friends: Into the City!” and a spin-off named “Go, Diego, Go!”, where Dora’s cousin Diego takes center stage as an animal rescuer and environmentalist. Last year, Dora was revived on Paramount+, Nickelodeon’s parent company, marking a return for Kathleen Herles, who originally voiced Dora.

Currently, Herles assumes the nurturing persona of “Mami” within the 2024 animated series that can be streamed on Paramount+. During a recent video conversation, she expresses her excitement by saying, “It’s time for another exciting journey!

Back in 1998, Herles recalls feeling anxious following her audition. Gifford, who was present, requested a conversation with Herles’ mother, a Peruvian immigrant with limited knowledge about the entertainment industry at the time. “As a Latina,” says Herles, “I initially thought, ‘Oh my God, she’s going to think I’m in trouble.’

The chance not only transformed Herles’ financial situation, but it also granted her the ability to traverse the globe and rejoin the entertainment industry following a short stint in interior design. Interestingly, during our conversation, this 34-year-old voice actor was in the process of house hunting in Los Angeles, planning to relocate from New York City to seize additional career prospects.

As a passionate film aficionado, I can’t help but express how profoundly impactful Dora has been for me. You see, Dora is an explorer, and by providing this platform for exploration, she’s allowed me to embark on my own journey of discovery.

For 18-year-old actress Lorraine, playing Dora in “Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado,” this is her debut as a lead character in any movie. She’s taking over a significant role; Isabela Merced, currently starring in HBO’s “The Last of Us,” was cast in the initial live-action, standalone Dora film from 2019, “Dora and the Lost City of Gold.

According to Lorraine, Dora paved the way for better Latino representation. Having a Latina woman in a leading role is still something we need to see more of today.

The actress, hailing from Miami with Cuban roots, who recently featured in the 2023 Netflix film “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah,” listens to an incoming call moments after touching down in New York City, contemplating the prospect of a career on Broadway.

Similar to numerous young adults her age, Lorraine was captivated by Dora’s escapades; in fact, she even copied the same bob haircut. “She serves as my inspiration,” Lorraine notes. “Whenever we filmed a scene, I would often ponder, ‘What would young Samantha find entertaining?’

In every Dora series or movie, bravery serves as the common thread throughout her adventures. “Dora and the Quest for Sol Dorado” emphasizes that Dora’s inner strength has been guiding her journey all along.

25 years since I first encountered Dora the Explorer on screen, her vibrant spirit continues to captivate me as she returns with a brand-new third season of the 2024 reboot series and an hour-long special titled “Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues”. It’s evident that this iconic Latina explorer’s impact is not only lasting but also growing stronger.

According to Lorraine, she’ll forever embody the spirit of a woman who craves excitement, harbors a burning curiosity, and is insatiably curious.

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2025-07-10 16:31

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