Is Wilmer Valderrama the Screech of the 2000's?

By Jo Piazza Posted Jun 22nd 2011 04:48PM

It's a valid question. Wilmer Valderrama has been largely out of the celebrity spotlight since his days as the kooky exchange student Fez on 'That '70s Show' came to an end in 2006 and we have even heard some of our colleagues refer to him as the Dustin Diamond of the 2000s.

But Wilmer himself shot those notions down when PopEater spoke to him on Tuesday afternoon, as he filled us in on exactly what he has been doing since Fez left our lives. While he may not have been marrying up or landing major studio flicks like some of his ''70s' compatriots, he certainly hasn't resorted to a life of sad, sad porn like Mr. Dustin Diamond. And in fact he has a small role in the upcoming Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts summer flick 'Larry Crowne' -- not too shabby.

A few years ago I contributed to a New York Daily News piece entitled, "What's Up With Wilmer Valderrama?" The question seems much more poignant today.

"The problem with doing a lot of behind the scenes work is your fans don't know exactly what you're doing because you're behind the scenes," Valderrama said while hosting an event in Herald Square in Manhattan for Stride, the ridiculously long lasting gum. "I launched a production company with scripted and non scripted development and I have been helping the company grow for the past couple of years. I have a number of projects in development with the Discovery networks and a couple of animated series for the Disney channel. I am telling you, it is an exciting time."

Does that mean he likes being an off-camera guy? Doesn't he miss the constant fan adoration and the chance to date starlets like Lindsay Lohan?

"I love [behind the scenes work] but once an actor always an actor. I took a nice break after eight years and 200 episodes. I did independent films over the past few years that have been festival darlings but that is stuff a lot of fans haven't heard about and this year I decided to return to the camera starting with 'Larry Crowne' and a couple episodes of 'Royal Pains' just for fun."

He also tells us that he's returning to television soon with a series called 'Awake,' which will begin shooting in the fall for NBC and is something unlike anything else on television and -- in his words -- groundbreaking and 'Twilight'-esque.

If you have reservations about whether Wilmer is a decent actor, then you're wrong, because multi-Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, star of 'Crowne,' apparently thinks he's awesome.

"I had my meeting with him and he tossed the script aside and said 'I know you're hilarious,'" Valderrama told us.

Sometimes it just takes time for a quirky character to die -- five years to be exact.

"I loved Fez and I loved 'That '70s Show.' It's the character that introduced me to America but yeah as an actor it took a little while for me to mature and strategically understand what my lane was and challenge myself," Wilmer said. "I think people won't necessarily see me as my character from [the show] anymore. This year people will see me do things they wouldn't expect me to do."

And unlike Dustin Diamond, none of those things include straight to DVD porn. That's what's up with Wilmer Valderrama.

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Tags: that 70s show, Wilmer Valderrama

Comments

(13)

Wednesday 22 June

By raidrmik67

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The one character on the 70's show I couldn't stand and if he was never on the show I don't think it would have hurt it.

By mick0776

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He is also the voice of Handy Manny. My son has a Handy Manny doll that talks and everytime he hears it, my husband cracks up thinking it is Fez!!

Thursday 23 June

By yqq990

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I thought Mario Lopez was "Handy Manny".

By bill

I don't think he is the same as the loser from saved by the bell. When interviewed he always puts a smile and seems happy, I saw screech on that weight lose show on VH1 and he was obnoxious. One thing Wilmer has going for him is that he is still a hot looking young man. Dustin had to resort to porn and his big wanker. That is just sad.

By stu

Noth'n sad bout a big wanker/porno.

By Ashley

he was also the host of Yo Mama on MTV for 4 years!

Yeah, I wonder how that horrible show lasted 4 years. He must've had a great contract to get almost half a decade off of a concept he stole from the Insane Clown Posse. (They called it Snap Fight, and did it a decade prior, and no, I am not a fan of ICP)

He'll never not be fez and if he thinks otherwise he's delusional. Ten years from now people won't remember his real name. They'll just call him Fez when they see him on the street.

As for his new show which is "unlike anything on tv". Uhhhh, it's twilight-esque? True Blood, Teen Wolf, Vampire Chronicles, etc. etc. Won't last a season. Maybe it will eek 2 out based on people feeling bad for him. I hate Twilight, I hate the vampire craze, and I hate the fact that when we finally start getting back to scripted programs instead of "unscripted" reality garbage, it's to make way for television shows that rip off bad movies.

GARBAGE

By thoththebuilder

Stu I agree with you that ISP(Great Group)popularized the concept but it goes way further than that. Hip Hop was started by "playing the dozens" (as my Pops called it). I also agree that the show lasted way too long! I had no clue it went four seasons! I saw two episodes and had enough.

By the yapper

Fez was sooo funny and cute in a weird kinda way. Haven't seen him in anything else.

By Maria1963

I like Wilmer and I liked him on That 70's show. What I don't get is how a no talent like Ashton Kutcher gets movie roles, he aint that hot! I think Wilmer will do just fine, I don't look at him and think "Fez" immediately, well, not all the time!

By Katie

'Awake' looks like an interesting show. I've no clue why he said it was like 'Twilight'. It has nothing to do with vampires. It's a show about dreaming and alternate realities. I guess he just wanted to hop on the 'Twilight' popularity train.

By chris

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I think he ment "Twilight Zone"-esque.. at least i hope. i hate vampire shows

By Gunsmoke

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He's an Ugly bastard And a Liability to the Hispanic Actor's Guild, why can't these Casting Clubs Picks a decent Looking Actor that Will Make a Girl Drop her panties in a Heartbeat, There's Eddie Cibrian, Emilio estevez, Mario Lopez, Even Eduardo Verástegui makes good candidate.

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