If you have young children, you’re no doubt aware of Disney Channel’s newest hit animated series, Elena of Avalor. Not only is the show unavoidable if you spend any time watching Disney Channel, but the merchandising is everywhere: dolls, costumes, clothes, etc.
Kids don’t care much about who provides the voices for their favorite cartoon characters, but it can be a fun way for parents to take an added interest in their young ones’ shows. At any rate, it makes for a fun bit of trivia to toss out on those awkward playdates.
There’s often a surprising number of familiar faces behind-the-scenes of your kids’ favorite cartoons, and Elena of Avalor is no exception. So let’s take a look at the famous folks that bring this new show to life:
Elena of Avalor – Aimee Carrero
Image Credit: Freeform
The star of Elena of Avalor might not be too recognizable, unless you pay close attention to some of your kids’ other favorite shows.
28-year-old Aimee Carrero spent two years playing Angie in the live-action Cartoon Network series, Level Up. She currently stars on the Freeform sitcom Young & Hungry along with another Disney Channel vet, Hannah Montana‘s Emily Osment.
Princess Isabel – Jenna Ortega
If you’ve spent any time watching The CW series Jane the Virgin, you may have spotted 13-year-old Jenna Ortega as the younger version of the titular Jane. She also had a starring role as one of the leads on the recent Netflix original series Richie Rich.
Ortega currently stars as Harley in another Disney Channel hit, Stuck in the Middle.
Migs – Chris Parnell
Migs, Lunda, and Skylar are Elena’s three magical friends, the jaquins (think leopards with wings). The most composed of the three is Migs, but the man behind his voice is best known for losing his composure on live television every Saturday night.
Chris Parnell spent eight years on Saturday Night Live and had a recurring role on 30 Rock as Dr. Leo Spaceman. He’s had guest appearances in a number of other television comedies, as well as countless big screen roles.
Luna – Yvette Nicole Brown
You might remember Yvette Nicole Brown from her recurring role as Helen on Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh. Or if you’re one of the three people currently watching the new Odd Couple reboot on CBS, you’ll know her for her role as Dani.
For everyone else, though, Brown is most widely known for her role on NBC’s Community, which ran from 2009-2014 and was then picked up for an addition season by Yahoo! (Brown only appeared briefly in two episodes of the final season).
Skylar – Carlos Alazraqui
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve never heard of Carlos Alazraqui. But you’d also be wrong.
Alazraqui is best known for starring as Deputy James Garcia on Comedy Central’s Reno 911!, but he has provided voice work for literally dozens and dozens of films and television shows. (Fun fact: Alazraqui also provided the voice for the Taco Bell chihuahua in the ubiquitous 90’s commercials).
There are many other actors who provide voices for Elena of Avalor, but these are the most recognizable faces. It just goes to show: if a voice sounds familiar, there’s probably a reason.
