America Ferrera claims she was told to ‘sound more Latina’ at her first audition

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‘This is what I sound like’: America Ferrera claims she was told to ‘sound more Latina’ by a casting director at her first audition when she was 16 years old

By Sean O’grady For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

America Ferrera has told how she was asked to ‘sound more Latina’ at her very first audition when she was 16 years old.

The actress, 36, recalled the incident in a pre-recorded segment for the 72nd annual Emmy Awards on Sunday.

The Ugly Better star recalled: ‘I was this little, brown, chubby, valley girl, who spoke like a valley girl.

Memory: America Ferrera, 36, has told how she was asked to ‘sound more Latina’ at her very first audition when she was 16 years old

‘I walked in, did my audition [and] the casting director looked at me and she was like: “That’s great. Can you do that again, but this time sound more Latina?” ‘

America admitted she was confused by the remark and said to the director: ‘Um, so do you want me to do this in Spanish?’

She said the director replied: ‘And she was like, “No no no … do it in English, but just, you know, sound more Latina,” ‘ to which she said: ‘I am Latina and this is what I sound like.’

America said the casting director then replied: ‘Okay, sweetie. Thank you. Bye.’ 

She said: 'I walked in, did my audition [and] the casting director looked at me and she was like: "That's great. Can you do that again, but this time sound more Latina?" ' (pictured in 2002)

She said: ‘I walked in, did my audition [and] the casting director looked at me and she was like: “That’s great. Can you do that again, but this time sound more Latina?” ‘ (pictured in 2002)

The actress went home to tell her family about the incident, recalling that they were not surprised by what she told them. 

Her family said: ‘They wanted you to speak in broken English. They wanted you to sound like a chola.’

“‘What did you think was going to happen? They were going to have you starring in the next role meant for Julia Roberts?” And I was like, “Yeah.” That is what I thought.’

She added: ‘That realisation for me has fueled me to create more opportunity for little brown girls to fulfill their talent and their dream.’

Family: The actress went home to tell her family about the incident, recalling that they were not surprised by what she told them (pictured on Ugly Betty)

Family: The actress went home to tell her family about the incident, recalling that they were not surprised by what she told them (pictured on Ugly Betty) 

During this year’s Emmy Awards, Alexis Bledel was the only Hispanic nominee in any of the major categories, nominated for her outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale.  

America made her feature film debut in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves before she landed her breakout role in Ugly Betty in 2006.

The actress is also known for roles in films including The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and End of Watch. 

America is married to fellow actor Ryan Piers Williams and the couple are parents to son Sebastian, 2, and daughter Lucia, four months.

America said: 'That realization for me has fueled me to create more opportunity for little brown girls to fulfill their talent and their dream' (pictured in February 2020)

America said: ‘That realization for me has fueled me to create more opportunity for little brown girls to fulfill their talent and their dream’ (pictured in February 2020)