Biography

Emmy-nominated Leslie Valdes served as the Co-Creator, EP and Head Writer of the Nick Jr. hit series "Santiago of the Seas."

He began his professional career as a staff writer for the worldwide-smash Nick Jr. TV series "Dora the Explorer." This was followed by a stint as the Head Writer and Producer of Disney Junior's mega-hit kids show "The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

As a freelance writer, Leslie has written for Nickelodeon's "The Backyardigans" (the title song from his episode "Castaways" recently became a TikTok viral sensation); Disney's "Handy Manny"; and PBS's "Rosie's Rules," among others. He also served as a consulting producer for DreamWorks Animation's "Noddy, Toyland Detective."

At Peach Blossom Media, he co-developed and served as Head Writer for the interactive TV series "Olive and the Rhyme Rescue Crew!" as well as co-developed and wrote the pilot for the animated series "Shapes."

He's developed TV pilots for Playhouse Disney, Nick Jr., Toca Boca/Minecraft, and Ricky Martin Entertainment.

Leslie also worked as a staff writer on ABC's hit drama series "Castle."

For the theater, Leslie co-wrote the adaptation of the live "Dora the Explorer" musical, "The City of Lost Toys," which broke box office records for an extended run at Radio City Music Hall and in subsequent national tours. He has also published 10 children's books for Simon & Schuster's Spotlight imprint.

Leslie splits his time between Los Angeles and New York City, writing and producing television, feature films and AI projects.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anon

Leslie Valdes is an accomplished voiceover actor whose warm, character-rich performances have animated some of kids' most beloved worlds. Young audiences know him as Abuelo in Nickelodeon's swashbuckling hit "Santiago of the Seas," where he appears across the series' run bringing heart, humor, and island wisdom to Santiago's crew.

Before setting sail with Santiago, Valdes became a familiar voice throughout the Dora universe. On the original "Dora the Explorer," he voiced a wide range of characters -- including the Moon itself in "Little Star," the mighty "Ten Wheeler" in "Stuck Truck," and recurring favorites like Señor Tucán -- showcasing his versatility across dozens of episodes and specials.

Valdes's Dora franchise work also includes feature-length and special episodes: He played the Dragon King in "Dora's Enchanted Forest Adventures" and Señor Tucán in "Dora the Explorer: It's a Party."

Expanding the universe even further, Valdes lent his voice to "Dora and Friends: Into the City!" -- for example, the frosty Snow Monster in "Shivers the Snowman" -- and popped up across sister series "Go, Diego, Go!" as character roles like Daddy Gorilla and others that rounded out the show's lively ensemble of creatures and townsfolk.

Across these projects, Valdes's calling card is range: He slips effortlessly between gentle mentors, booming beasts, musical creatures, and comedic one-offs -- often in the same episode -- while keeping performances grounded, kind, and culturally resonant for preschool and family audiences. His body of work reflects a rare combination of comedic timing, musicality, and bilingual sensitivity that has helped define the sound of several landmark preschool franchises.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anon