Wilmer Valderrama, star of “That ’70s Show” and “NCIS,” credits his high school teacher, Mr. Tucker, for believing in him at a crucial moment in his life. In his new memoir, “An American Story: Everyone’s Invited,” Valderrama reflects on how Mr. Tucker stood by him when other teachers questioned whether he could balance school and his acting career.
Valderrama, who immigrated from Venezuela to the United States as a child, landed his role on That ’70s Show during his junior year of high school. At the time, many teachers doubted he could juggle both filming and school.
“Some teachers were like, ‘He’s not here often; we should not let him graduate,'” Valderrama recalled during an interview on “CBS Mornings.” But Valderrama said Mr. Tucker defended him and made the opportunity possible.
During the interview, Mr. Tucker appeared on “CBS Mornings” in a video message to Valderrama.
“Wilmer was a great student, talented, good-looking, and obviously really, really smart,” Tucker said. “Good luck, Wilmer, with your book. Good luck in your career. Always on my mind. I’m thinking about you, I’m so proud of you.”
Valderrama, visibly moved, struggled to hold back his emotions as he watched the message.
“Just to see his face… all you need sometimes is one person to believe in you,” Valderrama said. “You know you come to this country with the thought that anything is possible, and then it is. But, you know, it is individuals like him that say, ‘Hey you can do it,’ and then all of a sudden you start thinking, ‘Oh, maybe I can do it.'”
Valderrama’s memoir doesn’t just focus on his Hollywood career. It also dives into his early years, growing up in Venezuela, and the sacrifices his family made after moving to the U.S. Valderrama shared that he wasn’t compelled to write about his early years at first.
“I wasn’t set out to talk about my childhood at all when I was thinking about writing a book,” he said. Initially, he had planned to focus on his work with the USO, where he’s served as a global ambassador for 20 years.
But as he began reflecting, he realized that his childhood played a role in shaping his understanding of service and unity.
“When you wear that uniform and look at the American flag, you say, ‘Hey, we’re fighting for the same thing,'” he said. “Can I write something that inspires us all to kind of say, maybe we’re not so different, and maybe we should focus on the things that we should really tackle on together?”