For kids that grew up in the late ’80s and ’90s, the question Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? brings back a lot of memories. Back then, Carmen Sandiego was the character numerous books, computer games, and television shows were based on. No matter what platform you came across, Carmen Sandiego’s challenge for kids was always the same — to help authorities find the mysteriously anonymous woman that continued to slip through the hands of justice on her way to pilfering various famous landmarks.
Alas, we all grew up, and as far as we know, these days Carmen Sandiego could be anywhere, stealing anything. But, we gave up trying to unmask her true identity long ago.
One man didn’t.
Todd Van Luling, a Senior Staff Writer at The Huffington Post found the real life Carmen Sandiego, and he spoke to her. The internet finally caught up to you, Carmen!
Van Luling tells of his year-long journey that involved countless calls, emails, and costume shopping on Amazon. At one point he even considered asking random people on the street if they remembered the filming of Where In Time is Carmen Sandiego?, the only instance in which a real-life person played the role of Sandiego. Thanks to a response to one of his desperate emails, Van Luling found a woman named Janine LaManna, who confirmed she indeed played the role of the elusive, and secretive, Carmen Sandiego.
In speaking to LaManna, Van Luling found that she was as confused as anyone as to who Carmen Sandiego actually was, but he sort of winged it off of her interpretation of the character.
“It seemed to me that she was a bit of a dive.” LaManna said of trying to emulate Carmen from what she knew about her. “So, I kind of gave her a little bit of that.” The actress was nervous to get Carmen right. “Once you embody a character that hasn’t been embodied yet, that’s a big responsibility.”
LaManna explains that a big reason why the identity of her character was never revealed on the show is because she played over a dozen other characters that provided help to the viewers in their attempt to catch Carmen. Yes, our 10-year-old minds are totally blown right now.
Producers thought it would be better to utilize her acting skills through a variety of characters, rather than reveal her as Carmen Sandiego and pigeonhole her into just that one role.
“Because of the mysterious aspect of her, I don’t think they ever wanted an actor to be [associated with Carmen]. They didn’t ever want to reveal my face probably. Then you would reveal Carmen. But don’t forget, the internet was not [as useful back then]. It wasn’t that easy to find stuff. Everything had to go through the press.”
So why, after all this time keeping her role a mysterious secret, did she give up her identity to a curious blogger? LaManna told Van Luling it was his persistence that finally broke her.
“Sorry it took you so long, but you’re pretty tenacious about it. I thought, ‘My God, I owe it to him. He tried so hard to get me.’”
(Via Huffington Post)
