America Ferrera: The 'Insane' Label of Being 'Hollywood's Imperfect Version'
America Ferrera reflects on her early career, expressing disbelief at being dubbed 'Hollywood's Version of Imperfect' due to her portrayal of a curvy character in 'Ugly Betty' Discover her thoughts on this label and the impact it had on her journey
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America Ferrera shared some reflections on the way she was described early in her career.
During an Elle interview released on November 30, the 39-year-old Barbie actress shared her experience navigating the entertainment industry and how her body became a frequent topic of discussion. Ferrera revealed that many of her early acting roles focused on her appearance, particularly her so-called "curvy" figure.
"It's crazy when you look back and realize that I actually had a very average-sized body," Ferrera told Elle. "The fact that people considered that 'curvy' is ridiculous. It doesn't bother me, but it's just insane to think that this was seen as groundbreaking at the time."
She continued, "I was portrayed as Hollywood's idea of imperfection, which is so absurd. I know I'm not alone in feeling that way. There are many women who have been called courageous just because they exist in their bodies."
In "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," released in 2005, Elle observes that Ferrera's character, Carmen, was the only one in her friend group concerned about whether the magical jeans would fit. Then, from 2006 to 2010, Ferrera played the starring role in ABC's "Ugly Betty," a performance that earned her an Emmy Award. The show revolved around the comparison of Ferrera's character, Betty Suarez, an unassuming assistant at a fashion magazine, with her slim, glamorous colleagues.
America Ferrera at the 2006 NCLR ALMA Awards John Shearer/WireImage
Looking back, Ferrera said she now believes she was unfairly limited to a specific type of role. Moving forward, she is committed to breaking free from this pattern.
"What I hope for my career, as well as the career of other women and people of color, is the freedom to break out of these constraints and expectations - to not be forced to represent only what culture wants us to be," she explained. "My goal is to fully express who I am as a person and create art that defies categorization and challenges the stereotypical expectations placed on women in Hollywood."
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Ferrera received acclaim for her role as Gloria in Barbie earlier this year, playing a character who enters Barbie's world and delivers a powerful speech about the challenges women face in society. Her upcoming venture involves directing her debut feature film, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, adapted from the book by Erika L. Sánchez.
America Ferrera was present at the ‘Barbie’ VIP Photocall at The London Eye on July 12, 2023 according to Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images. She expressed her feelings about the film to Elle, stating, “This does not feel like a movie that could have been made 22 years ago. It’s a version of the coming-of-age story that I’ve never seen a young Latina get to inhabit. It’s deeper, more complicated, messy.”
