America Ferrera has seen plenty of success during her long career in Hollywood, but one could argue that she’s never experienced quite as much buzz as she has over the past few months. The Ugly Betty star was part of the cast of Barbie, which absolutely crushed at the box office during the summer of 2023. Ferrera has since received high praise for her performance as strong-willed Mattel employee Gloria, with her work even earning her a 2024 Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Now, she’s following up all of that success by directing her first movie, which just underwent a major change behind the scenes.
The Emmy winner is set to make her feature film directorial debut with I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. It’s a book-to-movie adaptation that’s based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Erika Sánchez. As for the change that’s been made, the production was originally set up at Netflix, though it’s now being developed by Orion Pictures, which is under Amazon MGM Studios. Deadline didn’t give a reason for the shift in studios, though such shifts aren’t uncommon when a production is in the development process.
This endeavor will also mark a reunion for America Ferrera, as she’ll be reteaming with a former collaborator. Veteran screenwriter Linda Yvette Chávez is attached to pen the script for the film, and she previously worked with Ferrera on the dramedy series Gentefied (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). Chávez co-created the show with Marvin Lemus, and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alum not only served as an EP and appeared on an episode but also directed episodes. I had actually had the opportunity to speak to the actress about her work on the program and, at the time, Ferrera told me she loved the authenticity that the two creators brought to it.
Additionally, the Real Women Have Curves star also directed episodes of her popular NBC sitcom, Superstore. So, with her past experience in mind, it’s fair to say that she’s definitely no novice when it comes to being behind the camera. I’d honestly say that I’m a bit surprised that she’s only just now directing a feature film. Regardless of that though, I’m excited that she’s getting the opportunity to do so – and with interesting source material.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter of teenaged aspiring writer Julia Reyes, whose aspirations clash with the expectations that her Mexican immigrant parents have for her. Held to the standard set by her late older sister, Julia seeks to learn more about her deceased sibling’s personal life and in the process, gain a better understanding of her family. This sounds like a lovely coming-of-age story – and one that’s sure to generate some tears from those who check it out.
America Ferrera – a child of Honduran immigrants – has long made it her mission to tell stories of underrepresented communities and wants people to feel seen. That’s the sentiment she conveyed when she accepted the SeeHer Award at this year’s Critics’ Choice Awards. (Her address was so good that it may have even topped her speech from Barbie.) So her directorial debut definitely aligns with the lane that Ferrera has carved out for herself and the creative spirit she has.
I’m hopeful that this will be the first of many feature films that the star takes on as a director. She has the skills for the job and in time, could end up directing some large-scale productions. I probably shouldn’t get too ahead of myself, though. For now, I’m just eager to see what she does with her first flick and hope that the change in studios was to the benefit of the project.
Regardless of whether it receives a theatrical release or not, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter will likely be available to Prime Video subscribers at some point in the future. At present, you can grab a Max subscription and stream America Ferrera’s highly praised work in Barbie.
