America Ferrera biography
America Georgine Ferrera (born April 18, 1984) is an United States actress.
Biography
Ferrera, the youngest of six siblings, was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents who emigrated to the United States from Honduras in the mid-1970s. Her mother is a hotel executive in charge of housecleaning staff. Later, her mother divorced her father and raised six children – five girls, one boy – while stressing the importance of higher education. Five have graduated from college and America is working on earning her degree.
She was raised by her mother in the Woodland Hills, California section of Los Angeles. She started acting at age eight in school plays and community theater. She attended George Ellery Hale Middle School and El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills. From the time she was seven years old, when she landed a small role in a school production of
Hamlet, Ferrera knew that she wanted to be a performer. She acted in school plays and community theater in Los Angeles throughout her youth, but with little help from her mother, who insisted that she pursue other interests because she was concerned whether or not her daughter would get a fair shake. Ferrera was forced to take the bus to auditions, though eventually her mother saw her daughter’s dedication and began to drive her. She was raised speaking English and is now learning to speak Spanish.
Ferrera’s famous smile is insured by Aquafresh through Lloyd's of London for US$10 million/GB£5million to generate sales/donations for their
Smile For Success campaign. The campaign is a program plans to cover part of the cost for dental care for women trying to get off welfare. Aquafresh claims they will donate $1 to Smiles for Success for each box of Aquafresh White Trays that was purchased through August 31, 2007.
Personal
Ferrera is the youngest of six siblings which include one brother and four sisters. Her long-term boyfriend since college is Ryan Piers Williams. Williams is from Texas and is an aspiring film director. In 2007 he was an assistant to director Steven Soderbergh. They first met while working on his student film at University of Southern California. Ferrera has repeatedly denied rumors that they are engaged. Rumors that they had split up in January 2008 were not denied but Ferrera and Williams attended the NAACP Awards together in February 2008. The two have been seen together throughout Spring 2008 in California. In April 2008 they purchased a home together. They have two dogs — Buddy the Golden Retriever and a lady Great Dane.
Ferrera attends the University of Southern California, where she is majoring in International Relations; as of January 2007, she lacked only one semester’s coursework to earn her degree. and also attended New York University as a part of their Spring in New York program in the spring of 2006 while she was performing in
Dog Sees God.
In January 2008, Ferrera announced her endorsement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's run for president and joined the senator and her daughter Chelsea Clinton during several campaign events in Nevada and Pennsylvania. She has been quoted as saying that the United States should take responsibility for illegal immigration and provide more help to immigrants.
At the 2007 Independent Spirit Awards, Ferrera said that America won't be free until 2009 when George W. Bush leaves office.
Career
In July 2002, she made her first TV movie,
Gotta Kick It Up! for The Disney Channel. That same year, she made her feature film debut in the indie sleeper hit
Real Women Have Curves. Ferrera followed this with roles in both television (Touched by an Angel) and film (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film) and
Lords of Dogtown). Ferrera received a 2005 Movieline Breakthrough Award. In December 2005, she appeared in the off-Broadway play
Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, directed by Trip Cullman.
She landed the lead role in
Ugly Betty in 2006. Ugly Betty is an adaptation of the Colombian hit telenovela
Betty La Fea, in which she portrays a girl whom her peers find extremely unattractive, thus the series title. As Betty Suarez, Ferrera wears braces, has bushy eyebrows and a disheveled wig, and make-up and clothing intended to downplay her own looks. It’s in contrast to the rest of the show, where everybody else is "glammed up"; Ferrera herself coined the term “Bettification” to describe the process of creating her onscreen persona.
For her role in
Ugly Betty, Ferrera won the 2007 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical, beating out fellow nominees Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mary-Louise Parker. As a result of the award, she was congratulated by the U.S. House of Representatives as being a role model for young Hispanics. On 28 January 2007 Ferrera won the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series. She also starred in and executive produced the poignant short film
Muertas.
In 2007,
Time Magazine chose Ferrera as one of the top artists and entertainers in their “Time 100: The Most Influential People In The World” issue. In July 2007, America Ferrera also won Imagen Foundation’s Creative Achievement Award.
On September 16, 2007, Ferrera won a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series for her role of Betty Suarez on ABC’s Ugly Betty. In the summer of 2007, she wrapped filming on
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, the sequel to the 2005 in film
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film).
America Ferrera in the news
Ugly Betty star America Ferrera puts LA home up for sale and heads ...
Daily MailUgly Betty star America Ferrera puts LA home up for sale and heads ...Daily Mail, UK - 3 hours agoBy Daily Mail Reporter America Ferrera has put her Hollywood Hills home up for sale just 8 months after buying it. The Ugly Betty actress has reportedly put ...
read moreThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - the Sunday Times review -...
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - the Sunday Times reviewTimes Online, UK - Jan 3, 2009The sequel to the 2005 girly teen flick reassembles the original sisterhood, including America Ferrera, now the group’s biggest star thanks to Ugly Betty. ...The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants 2 Sunday MercuryThe Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants 2 (12A) Coventry Telegraphall 11 news articles
read moreTuesday's Talk Shows - Los Angeles Times
Tuesday's Talk ShowsLos Angeles Times, CA - 14 hours ago(N) 9 am KABC 65780 The View America Ferrera and Ana Ortiz; nutritionist Joy Bauer. (N) 10 am KABC 80490 The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet Lisa Rinna; ...
read moreWhat's On Tonight: 'Nip/Tuck,' 'Scr...
What's On Tonight: 'Nip/Tuck,' 'Scrubs' Both ReturnHartford Courant, United States - 8 hours agoThe View: America Ferrera, Ana Otiz, Joy Bauer. Mike and Juliet: Lisa Rinna, Teri Gault. Bonnie Hunt: Brian Williams, Christine Lahti, Rocco DeLuca, ...
read moreInterview : America Ferrera & Blake Lively - Movies.ie
Interview : America Ferrera & Blake LivelyMovies.ie, Ireland - Dec 28, 2008The original Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants was a moderate success back in 2005 but in the three years that followed two of its stars America Ferrera and ...Dec. 29: Blake Lively: The HD Hottie TVPredictions.com (press release)all 3 news articles
read moreLauren Joins America - Radar Online
TV GuideLauren Joins AmericaRadar Online, NY - Dec 26, 2008She will be especially close to Betty (America Ferrera). Though details of the storyline are closely guarded, rumor is her arrival coincides with the death ..."Dexter" co-star lands "Betty" sideline Reuters'Dexter' Actress Joins 'Ugly Betty' Zap2it.comUgly Betty: New Love Interest for Betty? BuddyTVDigital Spyall 30 news articles
read moreOn the tube -- Jan. 6 - The Olympian
On the tube -- Jan. 6The Olympian, WA - 4 hours ago"The View," 10 am, ABC: America Ferrera and Ana Ortiz; nutritionist Joy Bauer. • "The Bonnie Hunt Show," 2 pm, NBC: Brian Williams; Christine Lahti. ...
read moreToday's TV talk - Louisville Courier-Journal
Today's TV talkLouisville Courier-Journal, KY - 4 hours ago(N) 11:00 (ABC) The View: Actresses America Ferrera and Ana Ortiz. (N) Noon (MY) The Steve Wilkos Show: A woman hopes to regain custody of her children ...
read moreThe Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 - Times Online
The SunThe Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2Times Online, UK - Dec 31, 2008America Ferrera is forceful as Carmen, who makes her debut as a Shakespearean actress. I'm a little concerned, however, by the message that underpins ...The Sneak reviews Pants film The SunDVD Review: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 The Tradesall 11 news articles
read moreClinton fundraiser aims to erase debt - Washington Times
AhlanLive.comClinton fundraiser aims to erase debtWashington Times, DC - Dec 16, 2008"Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera served as a moderator for the 90-minute fundraiser, asking Mrs. Clinton questions that were submitted by supporters ahead ...The “Save The Hillary” foundation AhlanLive.comall 8 news articles
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