Gloria Estefan talks about playing a grandma in 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' and 'unboxing' music memories

The music legend, who celebrates 50 years in the business this year, is delighted to play Grandma Gigi in the new film, which mixes live action and animation.

She's widely known as the Queen of Latin Pop. And now, music legend Gloria Estefan wants to win over a new generation of fans as the loving grandmother in the much-anticipated “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” based on the popular Netflix kids show.

“I love the element of the magic in the relationship between Gabby and her grandmother. I’m a grandma, and my grandson is the joy of my life,” Estefan said in an interview with NBC News. “You can’t forget about the magic that is created when you play.”

Gloria Estefan and Laila Lockhart Kraner Talk ‘Gabby's Dollhouse’05:34The movie, which was released Friday, mixes live action and animation and follows Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner) and Grandma Gigi (Estefan), who go on a road trip that turns into an adventure to get Gabby’s dollhouse back, after it's taken by an eccentric cat lady named Vera (Kristen Wiig).

The DreamWorks Animation series, which premiered on Netflix in 2021, drew 108 million views across all seasons in the first half of 2025. It was inspired by the success of trending cat videos and YouTube unboxings with children opening toys.

Estefan says that “Gabby’s Dollhouse” can remind viewers how life is full of “unboxing experiences” that can reveal hidden stories.