When I heard there was a live-action Dora movie, I was excited as Dora is a bit nostalgic to me with memories of watching both Diego and Dora the Explorer with my son when he was a toddler. I was intrigued to see how they were going to translate the cartoon to a live-action movie and how they would develop the story of Dora as a teenager.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold opens in theaters Friday, August 9th. Fans of Dora the Explorer cartoon will enjoy this movie. Having spent most of her life growing up in the jungle, Dora’s newest adventure is attending high school in Los Angeles. Dora and her friends find themselves in an adventure in the jungle on a quest to save her adventurer parents and solve the mystery of the Lost City of Gold.
Exclusive interview with Dora and the Lost City of Gold star Eugenio Derbez
“Well, it’s amazing to have a cast that is 90% Latino and it’s naturally Latino,” says Eugenio Derbez. “It’s not just, you know, to check the box because nowadays it’s like, oh, we’re doing a movie, so we need to have a… So, so they, it’s like just to, you know, check the box. But this one is, it’s natural, it’s organic. She’s Latina. Dora is Latina and so her world has to be Latino. So I like that. I’m really proud of having finally a movie in Hollywood with a superhero that is Latino. It’s probably our first Latina Superhero in a Hollywood movie … she’s inspiring for many, many kids around the world because not just because she’s Latina, but because she’s a superhero….all her powers are, she’s smart, she studies a lot, so she knows a lot. So her power that she knows because she studies and, and she’s brave and she’s a great daughter and she is authentic and any kid can be related to her”
Myself along with a small group of local bloggers had the opportunity to interview Eugenio Derbez during his Scottsdale press trip. I attended a movie screening a few days prior to my interview. Derbez plays the ‘bad guy’ in the movie.
When asked why it is important to make this movie now, Derbez replied “Dora is such an icon for Latinos all around the world that I think it’s great, especially now that we are so, uh, harassed, judged in this country just for being Latinos. That I think that especially for kids, all these kids that are afraid of getting, um, separated from their families, all these kids that are bullied just because they speak Spanish or they’re Latinos to to see, to go to the movies and see that it’s okay to speak Spanish, that it’s okay to be Latino. I think it’s going to be like so good for them. So, so good. So I think it’s perfect timing, especially now for, especially for Latino kids”
Derbez’s first role as a villain.
Eugenio Derbez is best known for his work as a comedic actor and his role as a villain was a first for him “It was hard for me because it’s the first time I play a villain the first time. So I was like, oh my God, I need to be believable. And I think that I went probably too far. I was watching movies. I was watching great actors …When I came with it, man. I mean, when I prepared my scene and they went to the director, he said, ah, that’s great. But it’s Dora the Explorer. Yeah. It’s for kids. I mean, you’re not able to, to kicks anyone’s ass, to hit anyone, to kill anyone. You’re, you’re not able to curse nothing. So you have to be a light villain. So it was hard to find the balance and between being a villain, but at the same time, no, not that bad. …. So in the end, it’s a light villain”
Jungle adventures
Quicksand!
One of the most scenes in the movie for kids in the audience is the quicksand scene. Derbez explained all the challenges involved with this scene including cork (used for the sand) which had to be shipped in and the hours to create this scene. Which is the end was worth it after seeing the reaction of the audience.
How does Derbez’s youngest daughter, a Dora the Explorer fan, feel about her daddy’s role?
“Well, it’s funny because I’m always traveling. She’s more attached to her mom than me. So I was always waiting for her to be a daddy’s girl. Always. When is this gonna happen? And just happened a week ago she was asking me, can you drive me to school? I was like, really? And then I, I took her to school. I couldn’t, but I moved everything, I went because I wanted to meet with her. I was like, finally, I think she’s going to be that his girl. Then I discovered that it was because her friends were asking [because they heard her daddy was in the Dora movie]… she was just trying to show off her daddy.”
Isabela Moner and Eugenio Derbez star in Paramount Pictures’ “Dora and the Lost City of Gold.”
Dora and the Lost City of Gold in theaters August 9th
Dora the Explorer (and Diego) is very nostalgic to me. When my son was young there were only a few shows he watched. He was taking Spanish at preschool so we loved that the shows extended his practice of learning a second language. When I heard there was a live-action Dora movie coming out, I intrigued to see what it was all about.
The movie is about Dora’s adventures in high school after growing up in the jungle. Teens and tweens who grew up watching Dora as a child (and their parents who watched it with them) will enjoy this movie. They did an excellent job of weaving in the cartoon with the real-life teenage Dora.
As an Eva Longoria fan, I was also excited for this movie to see Longoria play the role of Dora’s mom along with Michael Pena as Dora’s dad. Both were excellent, and Pena provided a lot of laughs. Who wouldn’t want Longoria and Pena as their parents?
Of course, Swiper makes an appearance and you’ll hear the famous “Swiper, no swiping” classic line which will then be running through your head for days.
I recommend the movie for younger teens, tweens, kids who watch Dora now and anyone who has feelings of nostalgia for Dora. Opens in theaters August 9th.
