When we think of Wilmer Valderrama, most of us immediately hear that high-pitched, vaguely-accented "I said good day!" ringing in our ears. It’s a classic piece of TV history. For eight years, Valderrama played Fez on That 70s Show, the candy-obsessed, girl-crazy foreign exchange student who lived in the Forman's basement and somehow became the heart of the gang.
But if you look back at it now, the way he got the job and what he actually did with the character is way more complex than just a guy in tight pants. Honestly, it’s a miracle the character worked at all.
The Mystery of Fez on That 70s Show
Everyone asks the same thing: where was Fez actually from?
The writers made it a running gag, but Valderrama was the one who had to sell the mystery. He actually created that famous accent himself. Because he didn’t want to pigeonhole the character into a specific country, he blended various inflections to make sure nobody could quite pin him down. It was a smart move for an eighteen-year-old kid.
What was his real name?
We never find out. The name "Fez" is just an acronym for Foreign Exchange Student. There's a famous scene where he finally tells the gang his real name, but it’s completely drowned out by a school bell. If you watch his lips during that scene, he isn't saying a foreign name. He’s actually just listing the first names of his castmates.
- Topher (Grace)
- Laura (Prepon)
- Ashton (Kutcher)
- Mila (Kunis)
- Danny (Masterson)
It was a total "meta" moment that most fans missed because they were too busy laughing at Hyde’s reaction.
Why Wilmer Valderrama was petrified at the start
Imagine being a teenager who just moved to America a few years prior, landing a lead role on a Fox sitcom. Valderrama has recently opened up on his podcast, Dos Amigos, about how terrified he was during that first table read in 1998. He felt like an outsider because, well, he kind of was. He had only been in the country for a few years, having lived in Venezuela from age three to thirteen.
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He didn't know what a "mark" was on a set. He didn't know the rhythm of American multi-cam sitcoms.
The chemistry you see on screen between Fez and Eric wasn't just acting. Topher Grace and Wilmer became best friends almost instantly. Grace has even mentioned in interviews that Wilmer used to sleep over at his house in his childhood bunk bed because they were just kids trying to figure out how to be famous. They were the "outcasts" of Hollywood at the time.
The Fez evolution
Early on, Fez was the innocent one. He didn't understand the slang, he was amazed by American culture, and he just wanted to fit in. By the time we get to the later seasons, the character changed. He became more of a "ladies' man" (at least in his own head) and his jokes became a bit sharper.
Some fans think the character stayed stagnant, but if you rewatch the transition from Season 1 to Season 8, Valderrama’s physical comedy skills grew massively. He became the show's secret weapon for physical gags.
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The career pivot no one saw coming
Most sitcom stars get stuck. They play one character for a decade and then vanish into "where are they now" listicles. For a long time, people thought that would happen to Wilmer. How do you go from a caricature like Fez to anything serious?
He did it by basically reinventing himself as a tough guy.
- NCIS: He’s spent years now playing Nick Torres, a gritty, deep-cover federal agent. If you show a picture of Nick Torres to someone who only knows Fez, they might not even recognize him.
- Handy Manny: He voiced the lead in this massive Disney Junior show, proving he could lead a franchise for a completely different demographic.
- Encanto: He played Agustín Madrigal, further cementing his place in the Disney family.
It's a wild range. He went from a character whose primary trait was "being foreign" to being one of the most prominent Latino voices in Hollywood.
That 90s Show and the return of the perm
When the reboot, That 90s Show, was announced for Netflix, there was a lot of talk about whether the old gang would come back. Valderrama was actually one of the most enthusiastic. Seeing Fez as a successful salon owner (Chez Fez) in the 90s felt like the perfect natural progression.
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He told Jennifer Hudson in an interview that hearing himself speak in the Fez voice again during the script read was "emotional." It wasn't just a job; it was the character that gave his family a life in America.
Actionable insights for fans and creators
If you’re looking back at the legacy of the show or trying to understand how Valderrama navigated such a tricky role, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don't ignore the physical acting. Watch Valderrama’s posture and hand movements in the early seasons. He used his body to convey the "otherness" of Fez more than the dialogue did.
- The power of the pivot. If you're a creator or performer worried about being typecast, look at how Valderrama used production. He started hosting Yo Momma on MTV and producing his own content early on to ensure he wasn't just "the guy from the 70s show."
- The "Vague Origin" Rule. If you're writing a character with a mystery background, never reveal it. The fact that we still don't know where Fez is from is exactly why we're still talking about him 20 years later.
If you want to see the real bond between the cast, check out Valderrama's recent podcast episodes where he reunites with Topher Grace. It’s a rare look at child stars who actually stayed friends and kept their heads on straight.
Start by rewatching the Season 1 finale of That 70s Show. Pay attention to how Fez reacts to the "big" moments compared to the others. You'll see a young actor who was working twice as hard to make sure his character felt human, not just like a punchline.
Stop thinking of him as just the "foreign kid" and start looking at him as the anchor of the group’s dynamic. Without Fez, the basement just doesn't feel the same.