LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Laila Lockhart Kraner first slipped on the headband and cat ears for “Gabby’s Dollhouse” at age 11, she couldn’t have predicted how her character’s mantras of positivity and resilience and “failing fantastically” without giving up would shape her own life.
Six years later, those lessons are so embedded in Kraner’s life that they’ve become core principles rather than just lines in a script. That voice of imagination and persistence — which has become familiar to millions of kids around the world — now moves from the series’ cozy living room to DreamWorks Animation’ s first ever live-action animation hybrid film, “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” opening in theaters Friday.
“I’ve said (those lines) so many times that they’ve become ingrained in me,” said Kraner, now 17, who has also appeared in “black-ish,” “Shots Fired” and the indie thriller “The Secret of Sinchanee.” The actor is heading into her senior year at a public high school outside Boston.
“I hear Gabby’s voice in my head, encouraging me to keep going and smile even when I don’t feel like it,” she said.
Kraner points to children’s shows like “Sesame Street” as being foundational to her own childhood, teaching her how to share and be kind. She says now it feels surreal to see “Gabby’s Dollhouse” having that same influence on young viewers.
“I feel really lucky to be that voice of positivity and great messages for a next generation of kids,” she said. “I remember all the shows I watched as a kid were so fundamental to who I am today … so it’s really cool that I get to be that for kids now.”
What’s the film about?
The big-screen debut of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” carries forward the series’ central message: creativity and problem-solving aren’t just for children, but vital at every age.
In the movie, Gabby sets out on a road trip with Grandma Gigi — voiced and portrayed by four-time Grammy winner Gloria Estefan — to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when her beloved dollhouse falls into the hands of Vera, an eccentric cat lady played by Oscar-nominated Kristen Wiig, Gabby ventures into the real world to reunite with her Gabby Cats friends and rescue her prized possession.
For Estefan, the story’s theme resonates well beyond animation.
“It’s a beautiful thing whenever you can create something that can be a shared experience in a family,” said the 68-year-old singer and actor. She added that her decades-long music career has shown her the value of imagination at any age.
“Our spirits have no age and you can’t lose the hope,” she said. “You can bring play into the world, so that you forget a little bit about what’s going on. Our kids are under a lot of stress, so I think this is really a beautiful balance.”
Learning from her idols
Kraner said sharing the screen with Estefan and Wiig felt like stepping into a master class. She grew up hearing Estefan’s music in her family’s home and called the singer “so smart and full of wisdom,” adding that she carried the same playfulness on set that she’s brought to her lauded career.
“She laughs, she jokes, she plays pranks,” Kraner said about Estefan. “She really embodies the power of play.”
Working alongside Wiig was equally surreal. Kraner recalled doing comedy exercises in acting class using Wiig’s “Saturday Night Live” sketches, then suddenly found herself trading lines with her in a major film.
“It really felt like a comedy master class,” Kraner said. “Watching how she transformed into Vera with the wig and nails and everything, and then just flowed with improv and new ideas. It lived up to every expectation.”
How “Gabby’s Dollhouse” grew into a global sensation
The series began as a 26-episode Netflix order in 2021. But it has since grown into more than 100 episodes, becoming the most watched kids & family title with 108 million views across seasons on the platform, according to the streamer’s engagement report covering January-June this year.
Along the way, “Gabby’s Dollhouse” has expanded beyond the small screen, transforming into a multiplatform franchise with toys, music, games and live events reaching children worldwide.
On YouTube, Gabby content has drawn more than 3.6 billion views across full episodes, toy play and music videos. The official app has been downloaded more than 50 million times. Music from the series has surpassed 500 million streams, with Republic Records releasing a new soundtrack tied to the movie featuring K-pop group aespa, MAX and Lu Kala.
For director Ryan Crego, who is a father of young children, the franchise’s sprawling success is rooted in something simple: imagination. He said the film was inspired by watching his children invent stories in their dollhouse, and his daughter even appears on screen as young Vera, a small but pivotal role that underscores the movie’s theme.
“Kids can turn on imagination instantly. Adults have to dust off the cobwebs,” Crego said. “I wanted parents to walk out realizing this wasn’t just for their kids. It was for them too.”
That message is being carried over into the live and physical space as well.
“Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!” premiered in Australia earlier this year and launched a U.S. tour last week, spanning 80 shows nationwide. Retail partners like CAMP are rolling out Gabby-themed immersive experiences in Los Angeles and Charlotte.
At Universal theme parks from Orlando to Beijing, Gabby merchandise is already a fixture, with Japan joining by year’s end. And in 2026, Gabby will take center stage at Universal Kids Resort, a new park in Frisco, Texas.
For Kraner, seeing Gabby’s world stretch into theaters and beyond feels like a full-circle moment.
“Being an actor is really just playing pretend,” she said. “You have to fully believe in that power of play, and I think that’s why Gabby connects with kids everywhere.”
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
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