EXHILARATING’’

SILVA
CARDENAS
OLIVAS
“Elena of Avalor” (Disney), July 22;
age 45
Telling diverse, entertaining
stories has always been a
part of Olivas’ life. A shy
child, she learned at an
early age the value of listen-
ing and observing in order
to tell the richest tales.
Growing up, “I really
started to pay attention to
the way people spoke, their
The Princess Scribe
Silvia Cardenas Olivas, left, and
creator Craig Gerber collaborate
on Disney’s “Elena of Avalor.”
mannerisms, dialogue,”
she says. “I come from a big,
loud, funny Latino family,
so at all the gatherings,
I was really soaking in all
the colorful personalities.”
This should serve her
well as the story editor of
Disney Channel’s upcoming
“Elena of Avalor,” which
tells the tale Disney’s newest
princess, the teenage
ruler of a magic kingdom
inspired by Latin cultures
and folklore. Olivas leads
the writing staff and works
on production alongside
creator, Craig Gerber, who
also created “Sofia the First.”
Animation takes time,
and the pair have been
working on “Elena” since
2014. The show will debut
July 22.
Olivas’ TV writing career
started on “Moesha.” She
moved to animation in
2001 when she followed
her mentor to Disney Channel’s
“The Proud Family.”
It was a bit of a shock for
her “until I realized it’s
just storytelling,” she says.
“Whether it’s wacky or
more grounded, at the end
of the day you’re telling
stories.”
Diversity on television
is important to Olivas, and
that extends to the writers’
room. “When I hear the
word ‘diversity,’ I hear positivity,
progress, strength,”
she says. “It was so important
that our writers have
different backgrounds,
ethnicities, sensibilities,
points of view and upbringing.
I knew it would make
for more compelling storytelling,
and it has.”
— Terry Flores
Representation
Gotham Group
85
OLIVAS: RICK ROWELL/DISNEY CHANNEL
JUNE 14, 2016 VARIETY.COM