The original voice of Dora the Explorer

Kathleen Herles voiced Dora the Explorer for over 100 episodes starting in 2000 when she was just seven years old, helping create one of the first mainstream children's shows featuring a Latina protagonist teaching Spanish language and cultural exploration. The show became a global phenomenon, and in 2024, Herles returned to the franchise to voice Dora's mother, passing the torch to new voice actress Diana. Herles reflects on keeping her role secret during school, the importance of bilingual representation in children's programming, and the lasting impact of meeting fans from diverse cultures around the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.