Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Dora and the Lost City of Gold’s Nicholas Coombe

Nicholas Coombe is an exciting young actor from Down Under who’s quickly climbing his way to the top. His impressive resume includes credits in Spy Kids: Mission Critical, Midnight Sun, The Magicians, Cinema Town, Imaginary Mary, and dozens more. This summer, he stars as Randy, an awkward gamer who joins Dora and Diego (yes, that Dora and Diego) on an unforgettable adventure in Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with actor-musician Nicholas Coombe about the film, his love for music, and his band’s upcoming single.

PC: Tell us about Dora and the Lost City of Gold, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Nicholas: Dora and the Lost City of Gold is about one of the adventures Dora has when she’s all grown up. She’s sixteen in the movie, so it starts out with her tackling high school like most teenagers in the world and then it jumps into this fun, exciting adventure. She and some of the friends she’s made along the way end up in the jungle searching for the Lost City of Gold.

I play Randy, who’s exciting because he’s a brand-new character to the franchise. It was also exciting to work with James Bobin, our director. Randy is an awkward, uncomfortable gamer. He’s the loner-type at the start of the movie, but by the end, he finds his true self, which is one of the messages of the movie. Throughout the story, Randy grows more confident and becomes a hero. He’s a real fun character to play!

What drew me to this project was how funny the script was. The audition came through and I was like, “Oh, they’re making a Dora remake. That’s cool.” Then I read the script, and it was hilarious! I was so excited by it and I was like, “I need to send off an amazing audition.”

PC: Did you feel any pressure heading into this project given how beloved these characters and franchise are?
Nicholas: I don’t think I felt the pressure. I was definitely nervous to work alongside such talented filmmakers, actors, and actresses, though. With me playing a brand-new character, there wasn’t anything that I had to live up to. It was fun to bring something new to the table, but, yes, I was definitely nervous. It was a huge deal for me.

PC: How much of an advantage or disadvantage is that for you as an actor playing a new character?
Nicholas: It depends on how you look at it! There’s something exciting about telling a true story and jumping into somebody’s shoes knowing that this actually happened. Then, there’s also something exciting about creating a new character. They have their own challenges, but they’re equally as fun. The writers have given a real clear vision for Randy, so I found it easier to jump into that.

PC: Randy has this love for technology and pop culture. What kind of preparation did you do to get into character?
Nicholas: I went through the script and saw all the films that he mentions. There are a few mentions in the original script of him watching Indiana Jones and movies that had jungle adventures in them. Also, at the start of the film, he’s playing video games on his phone. Randy is a millennial who loves to game, but he also likes to watch old movies. I definitely watched a few films that he mentions. I’d already seen them before, but I re-watched them to prepare.



PC: How similar or different are you to Randy?
Nicholas: [laughs] I’d say that I’m not too similar to him. I share his awkwardness 100%, but there are other parts of Randy that are completely different. If Randy were a real-life human being, I would 100% be his friend, though. He’s great.

PC: You’ve built this impressive career, primarily in television. What has the transition been like for you moving from television to film? What’s surprised you the most?
Nicholas: It’s been really exciting. I’ve always dreamed of doing film, so it’s cool to start taking the steps to actually do it. In TV, we shoot really fast. You might only get a few takes per scene and then they have to move on because they’re on a tight schedule. In film, you can have three days to shoot one scene. You have every possibility to play it in different ways. It was a massive help working in TV because it taught me to think quickly on my feet.

PC: When you’re not acting, you’re also a member of The Beanie Kids, and you have a new single dropping in August. What can you tell us about that?


Nicholas: I’m very excited about it! We’ve been working really hard on the music and in the studio. The Beanie Kids is an alternative, indie pop-rock band. Our aim is for people to have fun. We want them boogying along.

PC: Can you tell us about the single and what inspired the song?
Nicholas: I don’t want to give away too much about it yet. There are actually two songs that we’re choosing between, so we’re going to see which one we vibe with more.

PC: As an actor and musician, is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Nicholas: I’ve always dreamed of being an actor and telling stories. Music has been a passion project. Growing up, in my spare time, I was always playing guitar and piano, but acting has always been my career goal. Music has always been for fun, but it turns out that I’ve met a lot of really great people and have had some cool opportunities. So, we decided to put something together and put it out there.

PC: Having been in the industry for a while now, what’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Nicholas: Wow. That’s a good question. The biggest thing that I’ve learned is to be true to yourself. There are so many different people you meet along the way. The ones that I’ve met that are highly successful got there by being themselves; they didn’t let the industry change them. This is who they are, this is what they love, and they’re going to continue doing that. They’ve stayed true to their roots.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Nicholas: [laughs] I just watched a show called Zumbo’s Just Desserts. I was up until 4 AM watching that.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Nicholas: Hot Rods



PC: Favorite book?
Nicholas: I just read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I really liked it.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Nicholas: There’s a band called Hallelujah Chicken Run Band. They do African jazz and they’re amazing.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Nicholas: Stranger Things season 3

PC: Hidden talent?
Nicholas: I can turn my tongue into a cloverleaf.

To keep up with Nicholas, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, and catch Dora and the Lost City of Gold in theaters today!

Photo Credit: Noah Asanias // Groomer: Marlayna Pincott