Isabela Moner

Is a golden girl...

I’m very lucky to have this happen at 17, to take on this opportunity, and to be able to say that I did it,” says carbonated teenager Isabela Moner, who’s recently impressed in Sicario 2 and Instant Family. Now, the Peruvian-American singer-actor is going back to her roots and heading up a franchise with Dora And The Lost City Of Gold.

Dora is a teen in this version. How is she different from the child on the TV show?

I had this one way that I viewed Dora, as this Buddy-the-elf kind of character, where she hasn’t grown up yet. [She’s] super-smart, super-educated about the things she knows – different cultures and languages, which is badass. And also, she is an insanely optimistic person, with all this energy, and this unending love for creatures and humans. That was so wonderful to bring to life.

This is planned as a franchise. What would you like to see Dora do as she grows up?

Like, Dora getting her [driving] licence or something? Or Dora trying to handle liking somebody, whether it’s a guy or girl. That’d be pretty funny!

You’re doing romance in Let It Snow. What can we expect from that?

Something along the lines of a young adult version of Love Actually. It’s really great, with stories by John Green, who wrote the book. It was my first romantic kind of part ever. You don’t really know how awkward it is on set until you’re in it, and they’re doing weird shots of the kissing scene, all angles, and you’re doing it over and over again...

What else would you like to do?

A psycho-thriller, something where I play somebody with a mental illness, or maybe a mental advantage. You know, someone who’s got powers or gifts. It’d be really cool.

And will you still keep up the music career?

It’s a huge priority because it’s the one thing where I can truly express myself 100 per cent, without a studio telling you what to do.

ETA | 16 AUGUST / DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD OPENS THIS SUMMER.