Since Netflix announced the spinoff's existence, That ‘90s Show has made That ‘70s Show fans nostalgic for seeing the original cast back in their original roles. Right now, we know a new cast of teenagers will be around and stirring up trouble for Kurtwood Smith's Red Forman and Debra Jo Rupp's Kitty, but outside of those two original stars, it is unknown if other original cast members will come back for the spinoff series. One particular character viewers would love to see return is everybody’s favorite horny foreign exchange student Fez, who has presumably turned some of that horniness down as a full-grown man. Of course, Wilmer Valderrama has been getting pegged with questions about his return, and the NCIS actor finally responded to the notion of possibly reprising his That ‘70s Show role on the upcoming Netflix offshoot.
Despite some questionable humor along the way, Wilmer Valderrama's Fez grew to become an essential member of the Point Place crew, with his frequent faux pas and inappropriate jokes clouding up his lovable nature. But while it would be nice to see the character this many years after his time in the '70s, it might not be entirely up to the actor's whims and desires, as he is currently committed to both CBS’s NCIS as special agent Nick Torres and Disney’s Zorro revival. Valderrama revealed to TV Insider what his full scorecard means for Fez potentially popping up on the streaming continuation series.
I’m a little busy now, but I support them so much. I’m rooting for them. I wish them nothing but the best. If the timing is right, I’d never say no.
So, you say there might be a chance? If he's leaving the door open for the foreign exchange student to return at some point, should his schedule permit it, let's make sure and prop that door open for as long as possible. The That ‘70s Show alum’s stance is a reasonable one given how full his plate is both professionally and personally, including being a father to his one-year-old daughter. As much as he'd seemingly love to play Fez again under the most ideal circumstances, that's just not how things work in Hollywood.
To that end, it might be a while before the misunderstood character surfaces in the 1990s and on our TV screens. For now, we will have to imagine how living in the U.S. for over a decade may have changed Fez. But while still keeping our fingers crossed that we may see the Encanto actor making a surprise appearance in the new series (or maybe in a second season if Netflix is so inclined to keep it going).
Since the original show ended, Valderrama has come to more fully understand the character’s importance to viewers outside of being a comedic force. The actor admitted he didn’t realize the magnitude of Fez’s presence in the Latino community until he started speaking more about his own Latin roots. After which, he saw the character and himself as equals to his castmates while filming the classic sitcom.
The actor isn’t the only former star to throw doubt on their involvement in the Netflix reboot. Topher Grace (a.k.a. Eric Forman himself) also played coy about his potential return for the spinoff, saying the production is “top secret.” Much like his former co-star, Grace is busy on his own broadcast series, starring as struggling author Tom on the ABC sitcom Home Economics.
That '90s Show will focus on Forman and Donna Piinciotti's daughter Leia Forman spending the summer with her grandparents, so it's entirely possible that Grace and Laura Prepon might make cameos at some point. Prepon, Mila Kunis, and Ashton Kutcher have remained equally mum about the new series. Unfortunately for this project, if not their careers in general, it seems the original '70s Show cast is just that busy with their film and television careers, keeping the spinoff series at bay for now. Hopefully, Fez, Eric, Donna Jackie, and Kelso will take some time to return to Point Place, Wisconsin. Go see ya momma 'n 'em.
In the meantime, viewers can watch the Handy Manny actor Wilmer Valderrama on NCIS every Monday night on CBS at 9 pm EST. As the series heads toward its season finale, you can check out which returning and new shows will be popping up throughout 2022.
