Anyone with kids knows their tastes are fickle and attention spans short — what they love one week, they may have totally forgotten about the following. Which is precisely why you know a show is something special when it manages to maintain the fandom of children everywhere for years on end. Such is the case with Gabby’s Dollhouse, the megahit mixed-media series from DreamWorks Animation and Netflix that just premiered its milestone tenth season on Aug. 5.
It doesn’t hurt that the imaginative series is filled with mini-worlds, charismatic kitty characters, and super fun adventures. This is a show that encourages kids to explore their creativity without superimposed expectations, teaching them along the way that you can make something beautiful out of your mistakes. And they trust that they can because they have Gabby to show them the way.
That’s where the magic of Laila Lockhart Kraner comes into play. The teen, who voices the titular character, just so happens to be someone parents and kids alike tend to trust. And after spending some time chatting with her, I can say that — as a parent — she really does seem like someone I’d confidently leave my kids with in real life.
While Kraner’s babysitting days are behind her, she still takes her responsibility as a role model for young people very seriously. When we talk about Season 10 and the fact that a Gabby’s Dollhouse movie is headed to theaters next fall, she’s quick to share these big moments with her little fans.
“There’s a lot to be excited about this season, and I think the movie is going to be really, really big for the kids,” she tells me. “It’s really exciting that we’re going to finally see Gabby step outside of her room. It’s a big adventure for me and for Gabby, and I think that the kids are going to love it and go on this wild ride with me. I can’t wait for them, and all the parents, to see.”
Here’s what else the cat-tastic kids’ show star had to say.
Scary Mommy: Your role has led to a pretty meteoric rise for you, which includes your first lead role in a major motion picture this fall in Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie. What was your reaction when you first heard the news that you were headed to the big screen?
LLK: Oh my gosh, I couldn’t even believe it. The show’s creators and producers, Traci Paige Johnson and Jen Twomey, brought up the idea to me before it was even fully approved … I was like, ‘Whoa, oh my gosh.’ I can’t even process it. It still feels so surreal that I’m actually doing that.
SM: Do you feel Traci and Jen are like your fairy godmothers in this whole situation?
LLK: Oh, for sure. I always call them my little fairy godmothers — they are just the best and most kind, always looking out for me and teaching me stuff. I feel like I’ve learned so much from them, and I’m just so thankful that they put their trust in me to be their Gabby. And they treat me equally. They ask for my opinion and value it, and I think that’s just so amazing.
SM: What is it like to meet your young fans?
LLK: They’re always the cutest little things ever, and their parents are always so happy to meet me, too, and it’s really great. The questions the kids ask me are always so fun. They’re always asking me, ‘How do you shrink down? Do you actually shrink?’ And it’s fun for me because I get to respond and keep that magic alive for them.
SM: Love that! Kid magic is the best. Well, one thing we’ve heard from parents about Gabby’s Dollhouse is how grateful they are that their kids have someone who looks like them on screen. Representation is so important! As a young woman of color, what does it mean to you when you hear that from fans and their families?
LLK: It means the world to me. I’ve had some moms come up to me and tell me how now their kid is embracing their natural curls, and that they’re so happy they can see someone like them on screen. I remember when I was little, there were a few [people onscreen] that I looked up to, but there weren’t a lot. Growing up, I was one of two kids who looked like me, and it’s hard being a little kid when you don’t see familiarity in yourself and other people around you.
So, I think it’s really important that little girls can feel confident in that, knowing that Gabby has the same hair or whatever.
SM: Very cool that you get to be that person for kids now! OK, let’s talk about the new episodes coming up. What’s your favorite thing about Season 10?
LLK: I have to say Marty the Party Cat. He’s a new character joining us and is just a blast. It’s produced so many more fun adventures and activities for all the Gabby cats. He’s full of energy, and it’s so cool to have a new addition to the house.
SM: And Marty is voiced by a pretty big pop culture name, right?
LLK: Yeah, Darren Criss! That’s also really cool because I remember I first saw him in Glee with my friend a while ago, and then when I heard that he was going to be Marty, I was like, ‘Whoa. That’s crazy; I know him.’
SM: As a parent, I love that the show contains little lessons and teachable moments. What are some of the big messages to come out of Season 10?
LLK: There are always themes about mistakes and learning how to deal with them, and how it’s OK to make mistakes sometimes. So, there’s more of that this season, which is wonderful because it’s always good to hear how everyone makes mistakes and that it’s just really important that you grow from them and continue to try.
SM: You’re going through some formative years of your own as you grow along with Gabby. What’s something you’ve learned through the show that you think you’ll carry into the future, no matter where that future takes you?
LLK: Oh my gosh, so many things. All of Gabby’s famous lines, like ‘I don’t know yet,’ or just the power of positivity. I hear her voice, well, my voice, sometimes when I’m feeling down or when I’m just so focused on the situation that I can’t get my head out of it. I’m like, ‘OK, well, what can I do? How can I see this in a positive way? Or how can I try and do something differently?’
All those messages really stick with me because if you repeat something as many times as I have, it sticks with you forever, which I think is great.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
