Dora The Explorer Voice Actor Kathleen Herles Hid She Was Dora for Years
May 14, 2026 · 50 min
Why listen
The original voice of Dora hid that secret for years and finally explains why.
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In this episode
- Why she kept her most famous role a secret for so long
- How returning to Dora as an adult helped her heal childhood wounds
- What it actually feels like to grow up performing under constant pressure
- How queer audiobook storytelling gave her a new sense of confidence
About this episode
Original Dora the Explorer voice actor Kathleen Herles joins Tawny Platis to make friendship bracelets while talking about growing up in the entertainment industry, childhood pressure, and reconnecting with the role that shaped an entire generation.
Kathleen talks about:
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Growing up in pageants and child acting before becoming Dora at just 7 years old
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Hiding the fact that she was Dora for years and why she struggled to embrace it
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How revisiting Dora as an adult helped heal parts of her childhood
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The pressure of growing up performing and always feeling like she had to be perfect
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Breaking into audiobooks and finding confidence through queer storytelling
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Why voice acting can feel isolating, weirdly anonymous, and deeply personal all at once
The two also talk about Real Housewives, rave culture, Lord of the Rings, horror movies, and Bluetooth voices.
Plus, Kathleen shares the emotional story of meeting the Lord of the Rings cast, why Frodo was her childhood crush, and how hearing “Dora” from fans now feels completely different than it used to.
Every bracelet made during this episode is available for purchase, with 100% of proceeds going to Save the Children.
Remember, every bracelet has a story, and every story helps a cause.
Follow Kathleen Herles:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenherles/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kathleenherles
Follow Tawny:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tawnyplatis/
About String and Tell with Tawny and Kristen
Voice actors Tawny Platis and Kristen DiMercurio challenge each other to voice act in deliberately miscast performances every Thursday! After the games, they chat about voice acting, art, and entertainment while they make friendship bracelets based on what they just performed.
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