Eva Longoria is big fan of Dora the Explorer, the 1st Latino superhero
While working with a totally Hispanic story and cast, Eva Longoria spoke with EFE about the adaptation to the movies of the series “Dora the Explorer,” and praised that character as the first Latino superhero and for becoming a global phenomenon thanks to her infinite optimism.
Longoria, born in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1975, plays the mom of the young adventurer of boundless enthusiasm in “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” a film directed by James Bobin that will premiere in the US on Aug. 9 with Isabela Moner as the shining star of a very Hispanic cast in which Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Danny Trejo and Benicio del Toro are also standouts.
Q.- You undoubtedly knew about Dora before making the film. Why do you think she became such an iconic character?
A.- I thought she was an iconic character just for the Latino community. But when it was announced that I was going to do the film, so many people called me from Spain, from England, from Germany. They were like, “I can’t believe you are going to do Dora. I love Dora, my daughter loves Dora...” And I said, “How do you know who Dora is?” And I found out she is a global icon. Kids everywhere grow up with her, know her and love her. I think it’s her endless positivity and optimism that make her unique in what she represents and how she teaches what she teaches all over the world.
Q.- In the movie you play Elena, Dora’s mother. And in real life you became a mother for the first time last year. Did being a mom help you in some way to play that character?
A.- It did. I mean, it was the first time I was playing a mom while being a mom. So all my instincts were upside down because I’ve never had the mom canvas to guide me in character. Throughout the movie Michael (Peña, who plays Dora’s dad) and I would be questioning a lot like “oh, no, that’s a little dangerous. Would we let our daughter do that, hold a snake?” And the director kept saying, “It’s Dora, it’s not your kid (laughter). Dora has to do these things in the movie.”
Q.- Why is Isabela Moner the perfect choice to play Dora?
A.- She is special, a special young lady. She is a lot like Dora - optimistic, smart, wise beyond her years. But at the same time she has this beautiful innocence, not only about how she looks but also in her heart. I can’t see anybody else playing this role. She just nailed it.
Q.-In Hollywood you hear a lot that the representation of diversity matters, it’s almost a cliche. But as a Latino woman who grew up in the US, why is it important for children to see a Latino girl as the star of a great movie like this?
A.- She is the first Latina superhero we have so there is a responsibility to portray Latinos in a positive way on the big screen. Nobody does that better than the character of Dora.
I do think that diversity has become this cool thing to follow, but what I loved about this movie is that it’s not just checking the box. It’s authentically Latino with Dora at the center.
It reflects the best of our culture, which is family, and I think that’s a universal theme that everybody can relate to, but at the same time it’s very specific to Hispanic cultures. And I think seeing this little girl who is brave, smart, intelligent, fun and fearless and daring...could be inspiring and aspirational for them.
Q.- In this movie we have a Latino story with a Latino background and an almost 100 percent Latino cast, but now Latinos are going through a very complicated time. What message can a film like “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” give to society?
A.- I think just a positive portrayal of Latinos on the big screen can really counteract what you see in the news, in the media right now, which are usually negative portrayals. I think is refreshing to see contributions of a global icon like Dora. She changed a lot of lives: she taught English in some countries, she taught Spanish in other countries... So I think especially in a time when Latinos are villanized is nice to see a beautiful story like Dora come out. EFE-EPA dvp/cd
