An American Story: Everyone’s Invited

In this affable debut, That ’70s Show actor Valderrama details his family’s migration from Venezuela to the U.S. and the beginnings of his career. Born to immigrant parents in 1980 Miami—his mother was Colombian, his father Venezuelan—Valderrama decamped to Venezuela with his family when he was three. Soon after they arrived, Hugo Chavez rose to power, and the country began its economic decline: “Each night came another report about soaring inflation, about another murder in the capital, about drugs and guns and gangs and violence.” After the author turned 13, his parents returned to the U.S., landing in Southern California, where Valderrama worked as a busboy while harboring dreams of stardom. As a teenager, he auditioned for films and sitcoms, and grew frustrated that his accent kept him from booking roles, most of which were “kid[s] who spoke perfect English.” That very accent, however, landed him the role of exchange student Fez on That ’70s Show, which jump-started his career. In chatty prose, Valderrama recounts his family’s hardships (“That old clunker of a Mazda was the only thing keeping us afloat,” he laments when his father’s car is stolen in California), and offers flattering sketches of costars including Ashton Kutcher and Tom Hanks. It’s a winning self-portrait. Agent: Albert Lee, UTA. (Sept.)