Wilmer Valderrama

Intro

Wilmer Valderrama is an American actor whose work includes sitcoms, crime drama, animation and producing. Born January 30, 1980, in Miami, he grew up in Venezuela before returning to the United States. Many viewers first knew him as Fez in That '70s Show; another audience met him as Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS. Those roles provide two very different entry points into a career that also reaches younger viewers through voice acting.

Career snapshot

Valderrama played Fez throughout That '70s Show's 1998–2006 run. He later hosted and produced MTV's Yo Momma and portrayed Carlos Madrigal in From Dusk till Dawn: The Series. Film credits include Party Monster, Beauty Shop, Fast Food Nation and Larry Crowne. The movement among comedy, genre television and features is more revealing than any single label. His work can be followed across both leading ensemble roles and smaller parts within larger casts.

The entry point

Valderrama joined NCIS in 2016 as Nick Torres, during the show's fourteenth season. This page uses that year for his career milestone; the series itself began in 2003. The difference matters when revisiting early episodes or interpreting production artwork. Torres belongs to a later chapter of an established team. Compare his interactions within the investigative ensemble with the group comedy of Fez, paying attention to how pace, physical bearing and reactions change with the format.

Screen identity and style

Voice performances form another substantial strand. Valderrama supplied Manny's voice in Handy Manny and Agustín Madrigal's in Encanto. Disney dates Encanto's theatrical release to November 24, 2021 and identifies a cast including Stephanie Beatriz, Angie Cepeda and John Leguizamo. These productions invite a different kind of viewing: listen for the character's place in a family or community rather than looking for the actor's face. The artwork represents the animated work, not an on-camera appearance.

Collaborations and patterns

The USO describes Valderrama as a Global Ambassador who participates in shows for military communities around the world. It also records his founding of WV Entertainment in 2006 and his involvement with Harness and Voto Latino. Those activities extend beyond an acting credit, so they are presented separately from his screen roles. His fluency in English and Spanish is part of the background that connects his work across audiences and professional settings.

Era reflection

In a 2024 Associated Press interview about An American Story: Everyone's Invited, Valderrama connected his early career ambitions with responsibility to his family. He also described how reflecting on service helped lead to the memoir. The book adds his own perspective to a filmography that otherwise appears as titles and dates. For a career retrospective, that distinction is useful: a performer's account offers context, while production credits establish which roles reached the screen.

Legacy and rediscovery

Valderrama's career is best explored across formats. Begin with the ensemble timing of That '70s Show, listen to Handy Manny, and then contrast the investigative world of NCIS with the family animation of Encanto. These selected milestones are not an exhaustive list. The portrait by Eva Rinaldi records a 2012 public appearance, between the sitcom years and his NCIS debut. Local gallery images help identify the works while keeping the reading and image-viewing experience within Daily Time Capsule.

A career in pictures

Selected career milestones. Years identify the production or labeled milestone; recurring actors may join a series later. Artwork represents the production and may show other cast members. Select an image for a larger view.

Rewatch notes

• Valderrama joined NCIS in 2016, although the series began in 2003.
• He voices Manny in Handy Manny and Agustín in Encanto.
• He founded WV Entertainment in 2006.

Career highlights

That '70s Show (1998) as Fez
Sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2006.

Handy Manny (2006) as Manny (voice)
Animated children's series.

NCIS (2016) as Nick Torres
His joining year; series began in 2003. General production artwork.

Encanto (2021) as Agustín Madrigal (voice)
Disney animated feature released in November 2021.