<p>-
- USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.The star of 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado' says 'I can't believe this is my life'</p>
<p>Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAYJuly 7, 2025 at 8:01 PM</p>
<p>NEW YORK – Samantha Lorraine gets emotional as she thinks about her journey from childhood fan of "Dora the Explorer" to the actress who plays her on screen. Lorraine takes on the title character in the live-action movie "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado" (streaming now on Paramount+).</p>
<p>"Everybody in Miami grew up with (Dora)," Lorraine, 18, recalls of her upbringing, saying her diverse group of friends loved the animated series. "Getting to see my little cousins watch the trailer and hearing them say, 'Oh, like Sammy (is) Dora!' I can't believe this is my life."</p>
<p>As Lorraine talks about filming the movie in Colombia, trying on Dora's trademark pink shirt and orange shorts outfit and seeing the movie's billboard in Times Square, the actress exudes the same positive, can-do energy of the character she portrays. But that doesn't mean she replicates Dora's personality exactly. In one scene where Dora is trying to cheer up her cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez), the explorer tells him "a change in latitude can help that attitude."</p>
<p>"I would try to think that in my brain," Lorraine says with a laugh, admitting she probably wouldn't use that exact quote in an unfortunate situation. But she enjoyed the opportunity to embody Dora's go-getter attitude. "Hopefully in a few years to come, people look back and think it's a classic movie for families."</p>
<p>What happens in the new 'Dora' movie?</p>
<p>In "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," the bilingual explorer is 16 and attempts to find the treasures of Sol Dorado before an enemy group discovers it first. Diego joins his younger cousin on the journey, although his mind is in other places, namely New York City where he's hoping to continue his career. Gabriel Iglesias voices Boots, who returns as Dora's pet monkey and unlike the 2019 live-action film is actually wearing his boots.</p>
<p>As seen in the movie's trailer, Dora's explorations take a detour when she loses her beloved map.</p>
<p>Samantha Lorraine is proud to play Dora in the latest "Dora the Explorer" live-action movie. "That's so inspiring to see a Latin woman in charge and taking the lead," she says. "It's so important for representation."</p>
<p>"It's a sort of a symbolic message for grief in a way," Lorraine says of the plot twist. "'Who am I without those things because they're so important to me?' No matter what external things happen around you, you are who you are. And if you know who you are, you're good. You're set for life."</p>
<p>The live-action reboot is a part of a celebration marking the 25th anniversary of "Dora the Explorer." The franchise launched on August 14, 2000 and received 15 Daytime Emmy nominations, winning for best title design in 2011. The series also earned a Peabody Award in 2004 and two NAACP Awards.</p>
<p>"I would do anything to come back to the 'Dora-verse,'" Lorraine responds when asked about her future with the character. "I don't want to change how it turned out because it's so epic, but I always think about the memories that we created and I think, 'How can we recreate that? How can I do that again?'"</p>
<p>(From left) Sonny (Acston Lucas Porto), Diego (Jacob Rodriguez), Dora (Samantha Lorraine) and Naiya (Mariana Garzón Toro) seek out a lost treasure in "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado."Who is Samantha Lorraine?</p>
<p>Born Samantha Lorraine Luis, the actress was was previously seen in 2020's limited series "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" and the 2023 Netflix movie, "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah." Lorraine's career began when she was 8 after she heard a radio ad for a workshop that offered kids the chance to be the "next Nickelodeon/Disney star." Her parents took her to the workshop where she landed an agent and began her journey to Dora.</p>
<p>Lorraine attended school in Miami, and would head to dance practice and casting calls in the evenings. Lorraine's parents kept her in South Florida, as opposed to moving to Los Angeles or New York. The actress is grateful, calling her parents "my rocks."</p>
<p>"Kids don't tell their parents often that they love them or appreciate them," she says. "I try to make it a point because they are the reason why I do what I do. And I would not be in this position were it not for them."</p>
<p>This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet Samantha Lorraine, star of 'Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado'</p>
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