Caitlin Sanchez, 14, has a voice any parent will recognize – “Dora the Explorer.” Caitlin has been giving Dora her voice for two years now, and, according to her lawyers, she hasn’t been fairly paid for her contribution to the immensely popular, and profitable, show.
Her lawsuit against Nickelodeon, MTV Networks and Viacom – the companies behind “Dora” – alleges that she and her parents were given 22 minutes to sign a convoluted and unfair contract under threat that, if they didn’t sign quickly, Caitlin would be passed on for the role. The family was given no time to find a lawyer to consult, and they felt they were unfairly pressured into signing.
“I’ve never seen as convoluted and inscrutable contract as I’ve seen here,” Caitlin’s lawyer, John Balestriere, told the New York Daily News on Wednesday night.
Because of that contract, according to the suit, Caitlin was not compensated for hundreds of hours of recording sessions, and was given only a $40 a day travel stipend when she was forced to travel around the country promoting the show. The “Dora the Explorer” franchise has generated an estimated 11 billion dollars in revenue for Nickelodeon. Caitlin was apparently promised percentage of residuals and merchandising for the show when she accepted the role, additional money that her attorney now claims she was cheated out of when Nickelodeon pressured her to accept an unfair and confusing contract.
Michael Fricklas, executive vice president and general counsel for Viacom, wasn’t worried about the lawsuit when questioned by the Daily News.
“We knew this was coming,” Fricklas said. “It is completely without merit.”
