Eva Longoria Joins Live-Action ‘Dora The Explorer’ Movie As Dora’s Mom, Elena
Eva Longoria is doing double duty as a mom. The 43-year-old actress, recently gave birth to her first child, a son she named Santiago, in June. Now she has been cast as a mother in Paramount’s upcoming live-action Dora the Explorer movie. Longoria will play Dora’s mom, Elena, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The movie, based on the popular Nickelodeon TV series, is currently in production in Queensland, Australia and stars Isabela Moner (100 Things to Do Before High School) as the title character. Co-stars include Eugenio Derbez (Overboard), Temuera Morrison (Aquaman), Madeleine Madden (Tidelands), and Nicholas Coombe (Spy Kids: Mission Critical).
The Dora the Explorer movie will follow the beloved preschool character into her high school years with her pal, Boots the monkey, and her childhood friend, Diego, as they try to solve the mystery behind a lost Incan civilization.
Longoria, who is best known for her starring role as Gabrielle Solis on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, most recently appeared in the film Dog Days. Longoria teased to Entertainment Tonight that she is back to work after being with her son “day and night” for the “best seven weeks of my life.”
“As I start returning back to work slowly, [I’m asking], ‘How do you balance it all?’ ” Longoria admitted. “Everybody used to [ask] me, ‘How do you do it all? You do so many things.’ And I was just like, ‘Because I don’t have kids.’ Every project was my baby and now I actually have a baby.”
Eva Longoria is joining the live-action "Dora the Explorer" movie as Dora's mom (Swiper, no swiping!) https://t.co/KBVPqHPRPw pic.twitter.com/2MA4S5kBZ3
— Variety (@Variety) August 20, 2018
Little is known about how Longoria’s character will play into the Dora the Explorer movie, but longtime fans of the show may recall that Dora’s “Mami” was featured regularly on the Nickelodeon cartoon.
In the cartoon series, Elena “Mami” Márquez is a baker,and mother of Dora and her twin siblings, Guillermo and Isabella. The character, married to Dora’s “Papi,” was voiced by Eileen Galindo from Season 1 through Season 3, and by Socorro Santiago starting in season 4.
As for the Dora character, Isabela Moner said she is thrilled to bring TV’s beloved explorer to life on the big screen.
“I’m honored and excited to bring Dora to life,” Moner said in a statement, per Entertainment Weekly. “I grew up watching the show, and for me, especially as a Latina, Dora was an amazing role model — she is a strong, adventurous, and fun-loving girl. I can’t wait to put on the backpack and begin her next adventure!”
Dora the Explorer is slated to open in theaters on August 2, 2019.
