Gina Rodriguez confirmed she has her fedora and is ready to take on the voice work for Netflix’s reboot of the kids’ adventure show, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego . Rodriguez, who is known for her Golden Globe-winning role on Jane the Virgin , had fun interacting with fans on Twitter yesterday when the rumors of her lending her voice to Carmen Sandiego began to surface.
I already have the fedora and coat. So it’s definitely true.???????????????? https://t.co/Fg2T6yw8W3
— Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) April 15, 2017
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego was a geography-based children’s game show that ran for five seasons on PBS in the 1990s. According to the Huffington Post , Netflix has ordered 20 episodes of Carmen Sandiego and if it is successful, there could be more.
Carmen Sandiego was also a highly successful computer game series. The game consisted of players trying to solve clues and locate Carmen, which helped children brush up on their geography skills.
Gina Rodriguez will be providing the voice for Carmen. Sadly, one of the more distinctive voices from the original series won’t be around this time. Lynne Thigpen who provided the voice for The Chief passed away in 2003. Thigpen, whose unmistakable deep, rich-toned voice was also the DJ for the 1970s gang film The Warriors , made her a Carmen Sandiego staple and she will undoubtedly be difficult to replace. There is no word yet as to whether or not Rockapella will be joining in the reboot.
Gina Rodriguez is branching out with her portrayal of Carmen Sandiego. Gina has limited voice over work on her resume although, as previously reported by the Inquisitr , Rodriguez will be joining John Cena, Kate McKinnon, and Gabriel Iglesias for the upcoming animated feature film Ferdinand .
Following the 2015 win of her Golden Globe for her work on Jane the Virgin , Gina Rodriguez has become a hot Hollywood commodity. Originally offered a part in the now-cancelled series Devious Maids , Gina took a leap of faith in accepting the role of Jane instead. The unique concept and endearing character made Rodriguez’ gamble pay off. Jane the Virgin is just wrapping up its third season and Gina has garnered a Golden Globe nomination every year for her portrayal.
Rodriguez will have her hands full keeping up with Carmen Sandiego and Jane the Virgin because she is also branching out into films. Gina co-starred with Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell in last year’s critically acclaimed Deepwater Horizon and is co-starring with Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac in the sci-fi thriller Annihilation slated for a September 2017 release.
Despite the hectic schedule, however, Gina Rodriguez is thankful for opportunities like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego because it helps her promote her mission of providing more acting opportunities for the Latino community.
In a 2015 interview with the Washington Post , Rodriguez described her identity crisis as a young child due to the lack of Puerto Rican actresses in television and film.
“When I watched Full House , I never existed. I was never portrayed. And when I did see us, we always had a very inferior position in life. That lack of visibility, that lack of relatability, really made me feel kind of alone in this world,” Rodriguez recounted .
Gina Rodriguez’s concerns about the lack of representation were perfectly highlighted by a Golden Globes snafu in 2015. Actress America Ferrera was on hand to announce the nominees but when the awards show sent out a tweet, they erroneously identified her as Gina Rodriguez according to Deadline . Of course, that’s not nearly as bad as announcing the wrong winner for Best Picture, but it did bring home the lack of visibility of Latino actors and actresses Rodriguez discussed in her Golden Globe acceptance speech.
While no release date has been announced for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego , Netflix’s willingness to take on a nostalgic material is sure to pay off. Netflix previously announced that it would also be remaking The Magic School Bus . Both Carmen Sandiego and The Magic School Bus were favorites of children who are now in the parenting stage of adulthood. And the inclusion of Gina Rodriguez who so aptly plays a struggling single mom on Jane the Virgin is a mastermind move that will boost ratings.
[Featured Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TNT.]