The 'Ugly Betty' alum explains why winning Emmy for her TV role in 2007 and becoming the first Latin woman to take the prestigious prize didn't make her feel good.
- May 13, 2020
AceShowbiz - America Ferrera wasn't able to "really enjoy" her "Ugly Betty" Emmy win in 2007 because "no one in the room thought I deserved it."
The 36-year-old actress became the first Latina woman to take home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Betty Suarez in the hit U.S. TV show.
However, reflecting on the historic moment during an interview on the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard, America admitted she can't watch her win back because of the feelings she was having at the time.
"When I won the Emmy, I can't bring myself to watch that because the only thing I remember about being on that stage, accepting that Emmy, was the feeling that no one in the room thought I deserved it," she said. "And that's a shame.â€
The star continued, "(I was thinking) 'She doesn't really deserve that. What is she really doing in that role? That role is not interesting enough, it's not dark enough, it's not edgy enough.' You know, all of the bulls**t. Which doesn't enter your mind on its own."
"There were people in my life perpetuating those narratives and making me feel like I hadn't earned this moment. When I look back at that time, my heart aches for that 22-year-old girl, who didn't get to really enjoy those moments."
However, despite her feelings surrounding her Emmy win, America added that she "loved" playing Betty in the programme - which ran for four seasons between 2006 and 2010.
"I just have a gut instinct that's it's going to speak so strongly to so many people, myself included, and to see that happen? That's the best win ever," she smiled. "It was maybe the hardest work I'll ever do in my life but I loved it. The hoopla and the whirlwind that happened around it was challenging and exhausting. My whole life changed."
