Fatima Ptacek Biography
Fátima Ptacek is an American film and television actress and model. She also is a human rights activist working with UN Women’s.
A #HeForShe campaign for gender equality. She is best known as the lead actress in the 2012 Academy Award winning film Curfew and its 2014 full-length feature film version Before I Disappear.
She has lent her voice as the lead role of “Dora” in Nickelodeon’s animated television series Dora the Explorer since 2010 and Dora and Friends: Into the City since 2014.
Fatima Ptacek Education
She is a gymnast, competing at United States of America Gymnastics Level 7 and takes part in English equestrian riding; as of 2010, she noted that she was hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games.
In 2010, she noted that she was aiming for a scholarship to Harvard or Yale and was enrolled in an academy for intellectually gifted children; that year, she suggested she may be too old to act by that point.
In 2013, she was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. She has expressed interest in transitioning from acting to a career in law someday.
Her childhood dream was to be elected President of the United States; and her remarks led to her being invited to view the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate debate in person.
She was acknowledged by Assemblyman Francisco Moya on the floor of the Assembly and recognized for her contributions to the arts.
In 2013, Ptacek was recognized for her academic, professional and philanthropic success by the New York City Council with a Proclamation from then Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Daniel Dromm. In addition to being fluent in English and Spanish, Ptacek has been studying Mandarin Chinese since childhood.
Fatima Ptacek Career
Ptacek appeared in more than 70 television commercials and on the covers of numerous national magazines as a child actress. She was also one of the few child models who has had the privilege of walking the runway at Bryant Park during the annual Fall Fashion Week in New York City.
Discovered by Wilhelmina Models, then represented by New York’s Abrams Artists Agency during her child acting and modeling career. The critical acclaim she received for her role in the Oscar winning film Curfew led to efforts by the “Big Four” talent agencies.
The Creative Artist Agency (CAA), United Talent Agency (UTA), William Morris Endeavor (WME) and International Creative Management (ICM). They recruited her and ultimately, she chose to work with ICM. Ptacek was one of the highest-paid child models in the world.
She earned approximately $250,000 annually as of 2010, when she had appeared as the “face of” Ralph Lauren and worked in major campaigns for high end designers. They include Bonnie Young, Miss Sixty, Monna Lisa and Siviglia and fashion houses like Guess, The Gap, H&M and Benetton.
One of her most notable campaigns was for Macy’s in 2009. She revived Natalie Wood’s childhood role of “Virginia” in Macy’s Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus -themed campaign for the holiday season, which saw Ptacek’s appearance in a series of full page advertisements in each of New York’s major newspapers, TV commercials with celebrities, such as Queen Latifah, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and Carlos Ponce.
As well as public appearances on behalf of Macy’s that sought to raise support for the literacy organization, Reading is Fundamental (RIF).
She also appeared on the cover of Newsweek. In 2009, she was cast in the comedy film The Rebound with Catherine Zeta-Jones. She was cast in major roles in several feature films released in 2013 and 2014. They include A Little Game, Anything’s Possible, Tio Papi and A Miracle in Spanish Harlem.
She also has appeared in TV shows including Saturday Night Live, A Gifted Man, Royal Pains, The Beautiful Life, Body of Proof and appeared with First Lady Michelle Obama on Sesame Street.
Ptacek in November 2010 was given a three-year contract as Dora in Dora the Explorer. The first new TV episodes had her voice in January 2012. Previous voices Kathleen Herles and Caitlin Sanchez were replaced. She notes she was a fan of the character before being cast, amongst 200 girls auditioning.
The role earned her a “Best Young Actress Television” at the 2012 Imagen Awards, which she attended. She is nominated in the 2014 awards for “Outstanding Performance in a Children’s TV Series”.
Her voiced Specials include Dora Rocks!, Dora in Mermaid Kingdom, Dora’s Butterfly Ball, Dora’s Royal Rescue, Dora’s Easter Adventure and Dora’s Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure of 2012.
In 2012, Ptacek starred in the Shawn Christensen short film Curfew. as well as Before I Disappear of 2014, about a depressed man asked to take care of his niece. The producer had auditioned a handful of actresses for the role, however chose Ptacek on a morning show appearance.
He admits that he hoped she would nail the audition and describes her as “phenomenal”. Receiving extensive critical acclaim, Ptacek’s performance was deemed “a breakthrough”, “memorable”, “charming”, an “eerie, mature confidence for someone so young” and “delightfully annoying”.
The film was nominated for “Best Live Action Short Film” at the 85th Academy Awards, the first time the category was open to all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting.
The film won, with Ptacek in attendance. She attended the Vanity Fair Oscar party with Christensen. Ptacek has personally won Best Young Actress at the 2012 Sapporo Short Fest, A feature film of the story has been announced, with Ptacek announced to return.
Best Actress at the 2013 Rincon International Film Festival.Also Best Actress at the 2013 Vaughan Film Festival.
Joey Dedio, screenwriter and top star of the film Tio Papi, commented in an interview that they hit the jackpot with that one. She’s a class act, as are her parents.” Ptacek was nominated for a “Best Actress/Supporting Actress – Feature Film” Imagen Award, alongside nominees including Elizabeth Rodriguez from the same film; Míriam Colón (Bless Me, Ultima) won the category.
Dora and Friends: Into the City from 2014–present, also has Ptacek as the voice of Dora. The new series will allow her a more natural voice, as the character is 10 to Ptacek’s real life age at the start of production, 12. Production continues on the original series.
Producers have her modify lines, when she feels she can provide a more accurate version of how youth speak. She won an Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s TV Series at the 2015 NAACP Image Awards.
Fatima Ptacek Age
Ptacek was born on August 20, 2000, in the United States. She is 23 years as of 2023.
Fatima Ptacek Height
Ptacek stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches tall.
Fatima Ptacek Family
Ptacek was born in New York City. She lives with her parents. Her mother is Ecuadorian. Her father roots are Colombian, Czech, Irish and Norwegian.
Fatima Ptacek Dating
Ptacek is private about her personal life, she has not yet revealed if she is dating anyone at the moment.
Fatima Ptacek Net Worth
Ptacek has an estimated net worth of $1 million dollars.
Fatima Ptacek Charity Work
Fátima volunteers as a “Celebrity Ambassador” for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and has done work for the Make A Wish Foundation in conjunction with the Macy’s Believe Campaign, and the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.
Given her joy of reading, Ptacek has done work with SAG Foundation’s BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) and Reading Is Fundamental. Ptacek was named by Latino Commission on AIDS as their 2013 Youth Ambassador at its Cielo Latino benefit gala.
Fatima Ptacek Awards
In 2014, Ptacek won the Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film as a Supporting Young Actress.