For 25 years, “Dora the Explorer” has been taking children on educational adventures, teaching them problem-solving skills and words from new languages.
Known for her pink shirt, purple backpack, interactive map and sidekick monkey Boots, the fearless little girl has become an icon in the world of children’s storytelling.
“Dora the Explorer” premiered on Aug. 14, 2000, running for eight seasons and quickly became one of the most-watched preschool shows. For over two decades, Dora has crossed social, racial and language barriers, seen in more than 150 countries and territories and translated in 32 languages on Nickelodeon channels and Paramount+ around the globe and through syndication, according to Nickelodeon.
Not only beloved by many kids and families, the show is also critically acclaimed. Over the years, it’s received countless accolades, including an Emmy, Peabody, ALMA, NAACP awards and Television Critics Association awards, among others. She also became the first Latina character to be featured as a giant balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2005.
Dora’s impact has exceeded creators’ Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes’ expectations, they tell TODAY.com. And for the actors who’ve been able to embody the dynamic bilingual Dora, they add that it’s been an honor and a source of pride.
Dora’s Origin Story
The creators say they worked with little kids in an attempt to figure out who Dora was.
“There were a couple of iterations before Dora was Dora. She was Tess. She was almost a motion capture. She had a little mouse that was Boots that lived in her pocket,” Walsh Valdes tells TODAY.com. “But there were some things that stayed the same throughout, like the essence of her character. We tried to hold on to that.”
Gifford adds that originally Dora was not Latina. They had first toyed with the idea of the lead character being a cat, a bunny or a little red-headed girl.
“And when Nickelodeon came to us with this idea of like, ‘Could you make (the character) Latina?’ Our first reaction was, ‘Oh, boy, what a great idea!’” he says, noting the growing Latino population in the U.S. “And the representation is not there on air.”
The two and their teams recall bringing in Latino writers, cultural content supervisors like Carlos Cortés, experts in language, in music and dance, as well as traveling to Latin America to immerse themselves in the culture.
They noted that when they connected with “seasoned writer” Eric Weiner, he brought on a whole new perspective.
“And in doing that, I think that’s when the character came to be who she was,” Gifford says. “Because it was about using a second language to make friends, to solve problems, to build bridges.”
When the pilot came out, Walsh Valdes and Gifford shared it with a group of children to get their reactions.
“They went bonkers,” Walsh Valdes recalls. “When the executives saw kids screaming and shouting and playing backpack and stuff, all resistance melted away.”
The Many Iterations of Dora the Explorer
Over the years, a number of talented stars have been given the opportunity to voice and bring the character to life in live-action film adaptations.
At just 7 years old, Kathleen Herles became the first Dora as she voiced the character from 2000 to 2007. She returned to the franchise in the new 2024 iteration “Dora,” this time as the little girl’s mom, Mami.
As she told TODAY in 2024, returning to the franchise — and this time as Dora’s mom — was “a full-circle moment.”
“Dora was such a big part of my childhood,” she said. “It’s emotional to even have the opportunity to do this. I feel so blessed and it’s amazing to see Diana (Zermeño) take on such an iconic role.”
The new voice of Dora, Diana Zermeño, also told TODAY that she grew up watching “Dora the Explorer” because when she was younger, she didn’t speak a lot of English.
“So it was really nice to have a show where the main character also spoke Spanish and I didn’t have to put the dubbing on,” the young actor said.
There’s also been a slew of spin-offs, including “Go, Diego! Go!” which follows Dora’s cousin, Diego, and his friend, Jaguar, as well as “Dora and Friends: Into the City!”
Dora has even taken over the big screen in the 2019 live-action “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” starring Isabela Merced as 16-year-old Dora. Eva Longoria, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña and Danny Trejo co-starred.
“Dora, to me, is iconic. She represents all of Latin America. I’m really proud of my work in the movie because,” Merced tells TODAY.com about her experience. “I remember what headspace I was in, I was just having fun. And that, to me, is what Dora is.”
The 24-year-old actor adds that Dora reminds “people to be young and have curiosity. She’s an explorer, she has curiosity. That’s what Dora taught me: to ask questions, and always be on the lookout to make the most out of every situation.”
Most recently, the Latina heroine was brought to life by Samantha Lorrain in the new live-action film, “Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado,” which debuted July 2 on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.
The film, now streaming, once again sees 16-year-old Dora, her older cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez), and friends trek through the dangerous Amazonian jungle, searching for the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado and preventing it from falling into enemy hands.
Lorrain tells TODAY.com that she grew up watching “Dora the Explorer,” “which is such a fantastic thing to say out loud and realize where we are in this moment.”
She remembers “having my Dora shirt on” and watching the show.
“I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t watch it because it’s so significant,” Lorrain says. “It’s such a huge part of my life, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Breaking Barriers With Representation and Dora’s Lasting Message
“There was never a moment that I didn’t know Dora in some way, shape or form,” actor Jacob Rodriguez, who portrays Diego in the “Search for Sol Dorado,” says.
And for many newer generations that is true. With 25 years of Dora, kids who grew up watching “Dora the Explorer” are now sharing the show with their children.
“This is maybe the third generation of ‘Dora’ fans. There’s been so many kids who’ve gone through this, and now young adults are having their own kids, and they’re becoming ‘Dora’ fans,” says Walsh Valdes. “That’s something that we learned in research this time around. It’s like being a proud parent. I’m so happy that this gets to continue and spread.”
In the U.S., as a Latina, Spanish is seen as her “superpower,” Gifford says.
“It’s seen as a way to problem solve, as a way to make friends, as a way to build bridges and achieve your goals,” he says. “It’s really important and I think it sends a really good message.”
While Dora’s Spanish lessons are known in the U.S., Doras around the world teach English. Still, the message of adventure, friendship and authenticity stays the same.
“Somehow that little girl resonated in a really strong way, and continues to in all the different iterations that Dora takes. There’s something timeless about that,” says Gifford. “I think it has to do with being open to all people. There’s an acceptance that Dora shows. She’s always true to who she is.”
The creators add that there are so many universals to Dora, “certainly bilingualism in other parts of the world is very accepted.”
“Seeing a character move between two languages isn’t so unusual for them,” Walsh Valdes notes. “But having that magic backpack… was a game changer.”
The love for Dora may be universal and for the creators and stars, they have felt it deeply.
“I don’t think I understood the impact and the importance of the show as a kid as much as I do now,” Herles told TODAY. “To hear everyone’s stories of their memories of the show, with tears in their eyes and telling me how much they loved the show, how much the show meant, it really brings a new perspective to what I did and what I brought to life.”
Dora will always be needed, the creators say, explaining, “She is so loving and accepting and she really connects with the viewer and listens to the viewer.”
Adding, “With all the noise out there, she is a break from that, and it makes a little kid feel like they’re heard, they’re special.”
