America Ferrera

America Ferrera won an Emmy, a Golden Globe award. and a Screen Actors Guild award this year for best performance of an actress in a television series, for her performance as awkward assistant Betty Suarez in "Ugly Betty."

The ABC series is based on the Colombian telenovela "Betty La Fea," where her co-workers think she is pretty repulsive but there is just something special about her character that lights up the room.

Salma Hayek, actress and executive producer of the ABC comedy, was rooting for Ferrera and convinced her to accept the part.

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Photos: America Ferrera

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The 23-year-old actress has starred in "Real Women Have Curves," "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Lords of Dogtown."

Ferrera appeared in her first movie, "Gotta Kick It Up!" in 2002. She also appeared in the TV show, "Touched By An Angel." In 2005, Ferrera received a Movieline Breakthrough Award, and in December 2005, she appeared in the off-Broadway play "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead," directed by Trip Cullman.

Ferrera was born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents. The U.S. House of Representatives recognized Ferrera as a positive role model for Latinas.

Ferrera has been dating longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams. Rumors have been flying around that Williams has popped the question, but that has not been confirmed by Ferrera's representative.