# Samantha Lorraine
**Samantha Lorraine** (full name Samantha Lorraine Luis; born 2007) is an American actress known for playing Lydia Rodriguez Katz in the Netflix comedy *You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah* (2023) and the title role in the [Nickelodeon](https://www.edgepedia.org/nickelodeon) live-action film *[Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado)* (2025).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/) • [2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) She performs under her middle name, Lorraine.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2007; sources describe her as born in Los Angeles and as growing up in Miami of Cuban heritage[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [3](https://apnews.com/article/d76a73a0dc04f34fd0f612de34f9485a) |
| Breakout role | Lydia Rodriguez Katz, best friend of Stacy Friedman, in *You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah* (Netflix, 2023)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/) |
| Lead role | Dora Márquez in *Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado*, premiering July 2, 2025 on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, directed by Alberto Belli[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/nickelodeon/shows/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado/releases/?view=111472-nickelodeon-and-paramount-announce-new-feature-length-live-action-movie-dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado) |
| Early credits | *Kid Stew* (2020) and young Hope Bennett on AMC's *The Walking Dead: World Beyond* (2020, 3 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/) |
| Award | Kidscreen Award, Best Acting, for *Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado* (2026)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/awards/) |
| Upcoming | *[Night Comes](https://www.edgepedia.org/night-comes)*, a survival thriller directed by Jay Hernandez, co-starring Dafne Keen[6](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine) |
## Background and training
Lorraine was born in 2007. One profile states she was born in Los Angeles and raised by Cuban-American parents in Miami; an Associated Press profile describes her as having grown up in Miami of Cuban heritage.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [3](https://apnews.com/article/d76a73a0dc04f34fd0f612de34f9485a) She trained in gymnastics and dance from an early age, and has said that acting began as an extension of that performance discipline rather than a separate ambition.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) She grew up in a bilingual household and watched *Dora the Explorer* as a child.[6](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine)
## Television beginnings
Her first professional work was *Kid Stew*, a children's variety series that launched in 2020, when she was twelve; Apple TV describes the show as designed to encourage art, music, reading, and laughter for kids.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [7](https://tv.apple.com/co/person/samantha-lorraine/umc.cpc.693wxtqz9inhg80f3pbxwiir7?l=en) The same year she appeared in three episodes of *The Walking Dead: World Beyond*, AMC's spinoff of *The Walking Dead*, playing the young version of Hope Bennett.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/) • [2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/)
## Breakout: You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
In 2023 Lorraine played Lydia Rodriguez Katz in *You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah*, a Netflix comedy directed by [Sammi Cohen](https://www.edgepedia.org/sammi-cohen) and built around the Sandler family, with [Adam Sandler](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-sandler) producing and appearing as Stacy's father and [Idina Menzel](https://www.edgepedia.org/idina-menzel) as her mother.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [8](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/you-are-so-not-invited-to-my-bat-mitzvah-cast) Lydia is the best friend, and quiet rival, of Stacy Friedman, played by Sunny Sandler; the two friends are driven apart by a squabble over a boy.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [9](https://apnews.com/article/c2041aa31db15862f02e52b72bd935a8) The film premiered on Netflix on August 25, 2023.[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXciH__hbTw)
## Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado
In May 2025 Nickelodeon announced that Lorraine would star as Dora in *Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado*, a feature-length live-action film debuting July 2, 2025 on [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) and Nickelodeon in the United States, with a worldwide rollout shortly after.[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/nickelodeon/shows/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado/releases/?view=111472-nickelodeon-and-paramount-announce-new-feature-length-live-action-movie-dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado) In the film, a 16-year-old Dora, her cousin Diego ([Jacob Rodriguez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacob-rodriguez)), and their friends trek through the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado to keep it out of enemy hands; the cast also includes [Daniella Pineda](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniella-pineda) as Camila the Crusader and Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias as the voice of Boots.[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/nickelodeon/shows/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado/releases/?view=111472-nickelodeon-and-paramount-announce-new-feature-length-live-action-movie-dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado) The film was directed by Alberto Belli and written by JT Billings, and it kicked off "The Great Dora Fiesta," an initiative marking the 25th anniversary of the *Dora the Explorer* franchise.[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/nickelodeon/shows/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado/releases/?view=111472-nickelodeon-and-paramount-announce-new-feature-length-live-action-movie-dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado) It was filmed in Colombia.[3](https://apnews.com/article/d76a73a0dc04f34fd0f612de34f9485a)
One profile counts Lorraine as the sixth actress to portray Dora Márquez on screen, following [Isabela Merced](https://www.edgepedia.org/isabela-merced), who starred in the 2019 live-action film *Dora and the Lost City of Gold*.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) For Lorraine, the Los Angeles Times reports, this was her first lead role in any film.[11](https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2025-07-10/dora-explorer-25-anniversary-movie-the-search-for-sol-dorado)
**Physical performance.** Lorraine's gymnastics background shaped her Dora. She performed her own gymnastics sequences and stunt work in the film, and in interviews described extensive stunt training for the movie's high-adrenaline sequences.[2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) • [6](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine) She has cited the tram chase, shot with hundreds of extras in hundred-degree heat, as her favorite action scene.[6](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine) She has also described the film's Dora as more introspective than the preschool animated original, with themes of loss and perseverance that she characterized as "symbolic grief."[12](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/samantha-lorraine-dora-the-explorer/)
The role brought recognition within children's media: IMDb lists her as a 2026 Kidscreen Award winner for Best Acting for the film.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/awards/)
## Upcoming work
Lorraine stars opposite [Dafne Keen](https://www.edgepedia.org/dafne-keen) in *Night Comes*, the feature directorial debut of actor [Jay Hernandez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jay-hernandez), a survival thriller about two sisters navigating a world in collapse; the project was announced in 2024 with filming scheduled for Vancouver in late summer 2024.[6](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine) • [2](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/) She also has credits in post-production or filming for *The Maneken* (as Pheobe) and *Debutantes* (as Brooke Boyle).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/)
## References
1. [Samantha Lorraine, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/)
2. [Samantha Lorraine, the gymnast who became Dora and is already aiming for the dark, Martin Cid Magazine](https://www.martincid.com/people/samantha-lorraine/)
3. [Pint-size pioneer 'Dora the Explorer' celebrates her 25th anniversary, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/d76a73a0dc04f34fd0f612de34f9485a)
4. [Nickelodeon and Paramount+ announce new feature-length live-action movie, Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/nickelodeon/shows/dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado/releases/?view=111472-nickelodeon-and-paramount-announce-new-feature-length-live-action-movie-dora-and-the-search-for-sol-dorado)
5. [Samantha Lorraine – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11253673/awards/)
6. [Samantha Lorraine on Bringing Dora to Life, Exploring New Roles, and What's Next, Stardust Magazine](https://thestardustmag.com/interviews/samantha-lorraine)
7. [Samantha Lorraine Films and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/co/person/samantha-lorraine/umc.cpc.693wxtqz9inhg80f3pbxwiir7?l=en)
8. ['You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah' Cast, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/you-are-so-not-invited-to-my-bat-mitzvah-cast)
9. [What to stream this weekend, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/c2041aa31db15862f02e52b72bd935a8)
10. [You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah | Official Trailer, Netflix (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXciH__hbTw)
11. ['Dora the Explorer' turns 25 this year, Los Angeles Times (De Los)](https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2025-07-10/dora-explorer-25-anniversary-movie-the-search-for-sol-dorado)
12. [Samantha Lorraine leads a grown-up "Dora" reboot for a new generation, CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/samantha-lorraine-dora-the-explorer/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Child and youth screen performers › Child performers born 2001 to 2010 › Performers born 2006 to 2010*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license