America Ferrera wins hearts with meaningful speech at Critics Choice Awards

America Ferrera delivered a powerful speech about the importance of representation after accepting the SeeHer Award at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.

The Ugly Betty star received the notable accolade from her Barbie co-star Margot Robbie, who hailed Ferrera for changing the dynamics of the film and television industry by sharing stories as a Latina woman.

Ferrera took the stage, leaving the audience in tears with her powerful thoughts about equal representation of all.

She said, “I yearned to see people like myself on screen as full humans. When I started working over 20 years ago, that seems impossible, I know. It seemed impossible that anyone could make a career of portraying fully dimensional Latina characters.”

Ferrera added, “But because of writers, producers and directors… I and some of my fellow Latina colleagues have been supremely blessed to have brought to life some fierce and fantastic women.”

During her speech, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants actress also lauded Greta Gerwig, the director of the 2023 blockbuster film Barbie.

“Thank you for proving through your incredible mastery as a filmmaker that women’s stories have no difficulty achieving cinematic greatness and box office history at the same time,” Ferrera said to Greta.