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Between the family stuff, homework, classes, and friend drama, it’s not easy being in middle school. Take it from Elena Cañero-Reed, a 12-year-old Cuban-American who’s navigating life with the help of her family and her diary, gifted to her by her father. What is this new, Disney+ original series about? Here’s our look into Diary of a Future President, its cast, and its heartwarming story. 

Disney+ premiered its original series, ‘Diary of a Future President’

With the release of spin-off television shows like High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Lamp Life, and The Mandalorian, Disney had a few other original television shows up its sleeve. One of those is Diary of a Future President, an exclusive series that premiered on the platform during January 2020.

The main character, 12-year-old, Elena Cañero-Reed is portrayed by Tess Romero. The adult Elena, who grew up to be the President of the United States, is portrayed by Jane the Virgin’s Gina Rodriguez. The former Orange is the New Black cast member, Selenis Leyva portrays the role of Elena’s mother, Gabi Cañero-Reed.

“This is such a wonderful time for this show to come out,” Selenis Leyva said during an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“We truly haven’t seen a Latinx family in this way. What’s exciting about Diary of a Future President is how this will inspire young girls to be fearless,” she continued. “As a young girl, I didn’t have anyone I could relate to on-screen. Elena is going to speak to all young girls that are leaders, that see themselves making a difference and who are unapologetic for their strengths.”

Ilana Peña, Tess Romero, Charlie Bushnell, Selenis Leyva, and Michael Weaver of 'Diary Of A Future President'
Ilana Peña, Tess Romero, Charlie Bushnell, Selenis Leyva, and Michael Weaver of ‘Diary Of A Future President’ | Morgan Lieberman/Getty Images

‘Diary of a Future President’ tells the story of one girl, Elena Cañero-Reed, as she navigates middle school

From finding her reason for being to learning to accept her mom’s new boyfriend, Elena has plenty of curveballs thrown at her. She writes about them in her diary, a gift given to her by her father before he passed away. It’s those same curveballs that shape her into an adult and, eventually, the President of the United States. 

Diary of a Future President primarily follows Elena’s journey through middle school. She experiences milestones with her best friend Sasha, her brother Bobby, and her mother Gabi at her side. Each episode is about 25 minutes long and deals with a new aspect of Elena’s life that is equal parts catastrophic and totally manageable. (Elena’s also super practicing her vocabulary words.) 

New episodes of ‘Diary of a Future President’ premiere weekly

There’s no word regarding whether or not this series will return for its second season. But, don’t worry. New episodes featuring Elena, her family, and all of her friends premiere on a weekly basis on Disney’s streaming platform.

According to IMDB, there are 10 episodes in the first season of Diary of a Future President. Reportedly, the sixth episode premieres on Feb. 21, 2020. Until then, already released episodes of Diary of a Future President are available exclusively with a subscription to Disney+. 

To learn more about Disney’s streaming platform, visit their website.

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