Why America Ferrera Wants Her Daughter to See Ugly Betty

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America Ferrera is ready for a rewatch.

The actress from Gotta Kick It Up shared her excitement about letting her 5-year-old daughter, Lucia Marisol Williams, and husband, Ryan Piers Williams, see her award-winning role in the fashion-world series Ugly Betty.

America recently shared with TopMob News’ Erin Lim Rhodes that her daughter is very interested in fashion. She’s looking forward to when her daughter is old enough to appreciate the iconic style of Betty, believing she’ll absolutely love it.

The 41-year-old mom is confident her daughter will love the show, even though Lucia is a bit picky and has only seen a few images of the main character, Betty.

Lucia isn’t the only young person thriving creatively. America and Ryan’s son, Sebastian Piers Williams, age 7, is also being encouraged to explore his interests.

Margot Robbie shared that her son, who was three at the time, loved playing with her makeup. She explained that they would go into the bathroom together, get out all the makeup, and she’d let him put makeup on both of their faces. They didn’t really focus on making it look good—they just had fun drawing and making silly designs all over themselves.

She added, “He did ask to cut my hair, and I said, ‘Absolutely not.'” 

Although there were no negative consequences, the United States stressed the value of letting children have fun and discover enjoyable ways to express themselves.

She explained that she simply wants her children to feel comfortable expressing themselves freely and joyfully. She doesn’t want them to feel pressured to live up to anyone’s expectations or perform for others.

She advised people to only use things that help them express themselves and feel good, or to skip them altogether.

Read on to look back through America’s nearly 25-year career. 

When Ferrera was a teenager, she had her first professional audition for a commercial.

During an interview for the 72nd Emmys, America Ferrera described herself as a young, small, and somewhat chubby girl from the Los Angeles area, who spoke with a typical ‘valley girl’ accent. She recalled auditioning for a role and the casting director asking her to repeat the lines, but this time with a more pronounced Latina accent. Ferrera’s parents are Honduran immigrants, and she is proud of her heritage.

America Ferrera remembered the casting director asking her to perform the audition in a way that emphasized her Latina identity. “The director wanted me to deliver the lines in English, but with a ‘more Latina’ sound,” Ferrera explained. “I told her I am Latina, and that’s simply how I naturally speak.”

After being dismissed, Ferrera shared the audition experience with her family. They were shocked to learn the casting directors wanted her to use broken English and imitate a ‘chola’ accent. As she recalled, they asked, ‘Did you really think they were going to cast you as the next Julia Roberts?’ She admitted she had hoped for that outcome.

This experience didn’t discourage Ferrera; instead, it motivated her to create more chances for young girls of color to achieve their potential and pursue their dreams.

In 2002, Ferrera played Ana Garcia in Real Women Have Curves.

During her TED Talk, America Ferrera shared how traveling with her film showed her something powerful: people of all ages, backgrounds, and body types connected with the character of Ana, a 17-year-old Mexican American girl who challenges expectations to pursue her dream. Ferrera realized that what she’d been told – that stories about people like her weren’t wanted – wasn’t true. She discovered that many others also longed to see themselves authentically reflected in media, proving her ‘unrealistic expectations’ were actually shared desires.

Even though the film was a big hit, she was disappointed that it didn’t lead to broader changes. She explained, “I didn’t see much progress. It didn’t open doors for other similar stories, and no one in the industry seemed eager to create content for that audience, even though they clearly wanted to see it.”

And she knew there was more work to do.

Audiences continued to enjoy America Ferrera’s acting in both movies and television. She appeared in films such as Gotta Kick It Up! and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and also starred in the TV shows Ugly Betty and Superstore.

Oh my god, she said it! In Porter magazine, she just perfectly explained everything. She was like, ‘I am who I am,’ and it hit me so hard! She doesn’t play by anyone else’s rules, she doesn’t fit into those tired old Hollywood boxes for women. Honestly, just her being an actress was a total game-changer. She wasn’t supposed to even be allowed in this industry, and she just completely broke the mold. It’s just
 everything. I’m obsessed!

America Ferrera achieved a historic milestone in 2007 by becoming the first Latina actress to win an Emmy Award in a leading role. She won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Ugly Betty. That same year, she also received a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for playing Betty Suarez. Throughout its four seasons, Ugly Betty was nominated for a total of 19 Emmy Awards.

Ferrera explained to W magazine that the role resonated with anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in, offering a sense of representation. She added that almost everyone experiences that feeling of not belonging at some point in their lives.

America Ferrera is a talent both in front of and behind the camera. Besides acting in and producing the NBC comedy Superstore, she also produced and directed Gentefied, a Netflix series that premiered last year. The show follows three Mexican American cousins as they pursue their dreams, work to keep their family’s taco shop afloat, and experience the changes happening in their Los Angeles neighborhood.

After receiving the Outstanding Series Producer award at the 2020 Impact Awards, she explained that her greatest motivation as a producer is creating opportunities for the Latino community. She wants to help share their stories, celebrate their culture, and give talented individuals a platform to succeed – because she believes there’s incredible talent within the community.

America Ferrera is dedicated to supporting communities and has created organizations to help them thrive. In 2016, she co-founded Harness with Wilmer Valderrama and her husband, Ryan Piers Williams. Harness focuses on using storytelling to build a more just and equitable world by empowering a network of community organizers. More recently, Ferrera launched the online community Poderistas with Eva Longoria, Latina magazine founder Christy Haubegger, and other Latina activists.

America Ferrera shared on The View that they’re celebrating and hoping to empower Latina women to recognize their own strength. She emphasized that everyone possesses power and that the contributions Latina women make within their families, communities, and homes are already significant. Ferrera believes it’s crucial to share these stories both widely and within the community, as seeing positive representation shapes self-belief. By highlighting the power Latina women already have and demonstrate, they can inspire one another and build confidence.

America Ferrera is more than just an actress and producer; she’s also a dedicated activist. She’s used her platform to advocate for important causes, including speaking at the first Women’s March, lobbying for immigration reform on Capitol Hill, and encouraging people to vote.

America Ferrera explained that she embraced the label of ‘activist’ after others started using it to describe her. However, she emphasized that at her core, she’s simply someone who cares deeply about the world and wants to use her voice to make a difference on issues she believes in. She’s managed to combine her passion for creative work and storytelling with her desire to be an active and engaged citizen, and these interests have come together in unexpected ways. Ferrera sees herself as more than just an actor or an activist; she’s a multifaceted person, and embracing all her passions is key to living a fulfilling life.

America Ferrera is a mother to two children, Sebastian and Lucia, and she wants to share the valuable life lessons she’s picked up along the way.

In a 2022 interview on CBS Mornings, she explained that her biggest hope for her children is that they learn to love and accept themselves completely, and that this self-love, along with their love for others, will guide them throughout their lives.

She also has advice for her younger self. Speaking at a TED Talk, she said if she could talk to that little girl, dancing and dreaming, she’d tell her, “Who you are isn’t something holding you back – it’s your greatest strength.” She explained that we all reflect the world around us, and that systems shouldn’t try to change reality, but simply accept the reality that already exists.

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2025-10-25 05:17