America Ferrera is an acclaimed actress, producer and director whose groundbreaking work has reshaped the landscape of representation in Hollywood. She rose to prominence with her iconic portrayal of Betty Suarez on ABC’s Ugly Betty, a role that earned her an Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, along with ALMA and Imagen honors. Her authentic, fearless performance positioned her as a cultural trailblazer and a powerful voice for inclusion in entertainment.
Ferrera went on to star in, produce and direct NBC’s hit comedy Superstore, helping the series earn award nominations from GLAAD, Imagen and the Gracie Awards. Behind the camera, she has become a sought-after creative force, executive producing culturally resonant projects such as Gentefied—a Spanglish dramedy exploring family, identity and the pursuit of the American Dream in the face of displacement.
Her acting career spans acclaimed film and television work, including her role as Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Astrid in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and her appearance in the TV mini-series WeCrashed. She also joins the ensemble cast of the highly anticipated Barbie movie.
America Ferrera is perhaps best known for her fearless portrayal of “Betty Suarez” on ABC’s hit comedy Ugly Betty and “Carmen” in the popular film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Ferrera’s Ugly Betty role earned her an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as ALMA and Imagen Awards.
America Ferrera is an award-winning actress and producer known for her breakthrough role as “Betty Suarez” on ABC’s hit comedy, Ugly Betty. For her performance, Ferrera was recognized with a Golden Globe®, Emmy® and Screen Actors Guild Award®, as well as ALMA and Imagen Awards.
America Ferrera was the producer and star of the long-running NBC workplace comedy, Superstore. Additionally, she directed several episodes such as 218 “Mateo’s Last Day” and episode 313 “Video Game Release” for the series. Superstore received nominations for the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards, the 2017 Imagen Awards, and the 2017 Gracie Awards. Ferrera is an executive producer of Gentefied, described as a badass Spanglish series about family, community, brown love, and the displacement that disrupts it all. Gentefied follows three Mexican-American cousins and their struggle to chase the American Dream, even while that same dream threatens the things they hold most dear.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, America Ferrera is the youngest of six children. As a graduate of the University of Southern California, Ferrera studied International Relations while pursuing her career in film and television.
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In this powerful TED Talk, America Ferrera reveals how embracing identity—not resisting it—fuels confidence, agency and cultural change, urging audiences to challenge limiting systems and lead authentically.
America Ferrera opens by recalling her childhood dream of becoming an actress, inspired by movie musicals and fueled by the American belief that anything is possible. Despite having no industry connections and rarely seeing anyone who looked like her onscreen, she trusted that her aspirations were achievable. Her first professional audition at age fifteen, however, exposed her to the stereotypes governing Hollywood. A casting director asked her to “sound more Latina,” meaning broken English—a request that made her question why her authentic identity wasn’t considered “Latina enough.”
Ferrera describes the early roles available to her: gang members’ girlfriends, shoplifters, and other one-dimensional stereotypes that bore no resemblance to her life or ambitions. When she expressed interest in complex, central characters, she was told her expectations were unrealistic, and she repeatedly heard excuses like “we’re not casting diversely” or “we already have one Latino in this film.” These messages reinforced the belief that her identity was an obstacle to overcome rather than a strength.
In response, she tried to conform—lightening her skin tone, straightening her hair, trying to slim down and look more “acceptable”—hoping that erasing herself would open doors. Ironically, her breakout role came when she stopped resisting who she was. Playing Ana in Real Women Have Curves proved that audiences wanted authentic stories, and viewers around the world connected deeply with the character. Despite its success, however, the industry did not shift, and Ferrera noticed a continued scarcity of Latina-led stories.
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