ICM Partners has signed Valerie Walsh Valdes and Leslie Valdes and will represent the couple, who co-created and executive produce Nickelodeon's latest hit preschool series Santiago of the Seas, in all areas.
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| Leslie Valdes and Valerie Walsh Valdes. ICM |
Valerie is most known for co-creating and executive producing Nickelodeon’s iconic children series Dora The Explorer. She has also served to co-create and executive produce spinoffs Go, Diego, Go and Dora And Friends. She is currently developing a reboot of Dora the Explorer.
As a showrunner, Valerie has produced more than 300 half hours of animated television, seen in over 150 countries, and translated into 30 languages. Additionally, she has won a Peabody Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming, multiple NAACP Image Awards, Imagen Awards and Parent’s Choice Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.
Leslie kicked off his television professional career as a staff writer for Dora the Explorer. He also served as the head writer and producer of Disney Junior’s The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He has also written for The Backyardigans, Handy Manny, and for Simon & Schuster’s Spotlight imprint, where he’s published 10 children’s books.
At Peach Blossom Media, Leslie co-developed and served as head writer for the interactive TV series Olive and the Rhyme Rescue Crew! He also co-developed and wrote the pilot for the animated series Shapes.
Additionally, Leslie co-wrote the adaptation of the live Dora the Explorer musical, The City of Lost Toys, which had extended run at Radio City Music Hall.
The premiere of Santiago of the Seas in October 2020 during National Hispanic Heritage Month garnered the biggest L+3 lift Nickelodeon has ever had for a preschool launch. The premiere posted a 96% increase with Kids 2-5, up from 2.6 (L+SD) to 5.1 (L+3). Ratings with Latinx viewers grew triple digits and accounted for over a third of the overall Kids 2-5 viewership. Additionally, 40% of the premiere’s audience were brand-new preschool viewers to Nickelodeon.
Co-created by Niki López and infused with a Spanish-language and Latino-Caribbean culture curriculum, Santiago of the Seas is an action-adventure series (20 episodes) that follows 8-year-old Santiago “Santi” Montes, a brave and kind-hearted pirate, as he embarks on daring rescues, searches for treasures and keeps the high seas safe in a fantastical Caribbean world.
Valerie and Leslie are represented by Fred Toczek at Felker Toczek Suddleson & Abramson LLP.
The news was first reported by Deadline.
Originally published: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at xx.xx GMT.
H/T: Special thanks to @kancsn01 for the news!
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