Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
Bringing Gabby’s Dollhouse to the Big Screen with Laila Lockhart Kraner
September 17, 2025 · 34 min
Why listen
The star of Gabby's Dollhouse explains what it took to bring a global kids' hit to the big screen.
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In this episode
- How a cat-filled audition at age ten led to leading a DreamWorks feature
- What it was like acting alongside Kristen Wiig and Gloria Estefan
- Why the film's sing-and-dance moments are built for a packed theater
- How a young actor's love of classic films shapes her approach to storytelling
About this episode
How do you take a show beloved in living rooms worldwide and turn it into a movie event? In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley sits down with Laila Lockhart Kraner, the star of Gabby’s Dollhouse, to talk about the leap from small screen to DreamWorks’ first live-action/animation hybrid feature.Laila shares the story of growing up alongside Gabby, from her cat-filled audition at age ten to leading a film that brings the dollhouse to theaters for the first time. She opens up about acting opposite comedy icon Kristen Wiig and music legend Gloria Estefan, and why the movie’s interactive, sing-and-dance moments demand to be experienced in a packed theater. We also hear about Laila’s cinephile side—from comfort rewatches like The Croods and Napoleon Dynamite to classics like Roman Holiday—and how those films have shaped her own love of storytelling.
About Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
A podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes. Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment. Each episode invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors and industry insiders.
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