About this episode
Wilmer Valderrama discusses his journey from Venezuela to Hollywood and the impact of his role in That ’70s Show with Shawn Stockman.
Wilmer Valderrama joins Shawn Stockman to talk That ’70s Show, the mystery of where Fez is actually from, learning English through acting, and his journey from Venezuela to Hollywood. He also opens up about breaking out of Fez typecasting, building a decade-long run on NCIS, and the music and culture that shaped him. Wilmer Valderrama sits down with Shawn Stockman for a funny, thoughtful, and inspiring episode of On That Note. Wilmer looks back on growing up in Venezuela, where salsa and merengue filled the house every morning, and shares how moving back to the United States as a teenager without knowing English became one of the most challenging turning points of his life. He explains how performing arts, theater, and acting helped him learn the language, build confidence, and find a way forward. The conversation dives deep into That ’70s Show, from Wilmer’s emotional audition story to the mystery of where Fez is actually from. Wilmer reveals why the show never officially defined Fez’s country, the joke endings he imagined for the character, and how the role changed his life after his dad borrowed gas money to get him to the final audition. Wilmer also talks about the challenge…
People in this episode
Host: Shawn Stockman
Guest: Wilmer Valderrama
Topics covered
- acting
- language learning
- Hollywood journey
- typecasting
- Latino representation
- music and culture
Keywords
- Wilmer Valderrama
- That ’70s Show
- NCIS
- Venezuela
- typecasting
- Latino representation
- language learning
- acting
- Hollywood
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: My Cultura Podcast Network, Essential Voices
Books & works: That ’70s Show, NCIS, Encanto
Places: Venezuela, United States
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