America Ferrera's Outfits

Ferrera, the youngest of six siblings, was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents who emigrated to the United States from Honduras in the mid-1970s. Her mother is a hotel executive in charge of housecleaning staff. Later, her mother divorced her father and raised six children – five girls, one boy – while stressing the importance of higher education. Five have graduated from college and America is working on earning her degree.

She was raised by her mother in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. She started acting at age eight in school plays and community theater. She attended George Ellery Hale Middle School and El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills. From the time she was seven years old, when she landed a small role in a school production of Hamlet, Ferrera knew that she wanted to be a performer. She acted in school plays and community theater in Los Angeles throughout her youth, but with little help from her mother, who insisted that she pursue other interests because she was concerned whether or not her daughter would get a fair shake. Ferrera was forced to take the bus to auditions, though eventually her mother saw her daughter's dedication and began to drive her.

In interviews Ferrera has observed the contrast between the image of the “typical Latina” experience and her own childhood, noting that growing up in a mostly Jewish, non-Latino neighborhood, she attended 52 bar mitzvahs and not a single quinceañera. She was raised speaking English and is now learning to speak Spanish.

Ferrera's famous smile is insured by Aquafresh through Lloyd's of London for US$10 million/GB£5million to generate sales/donations for their Smile For Success campaign. The campaign is a program plans to cover part of the cost for dental care for women trying to get off welfare.