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SignalHub-Wilmer Valderrama needs his sweatshirts, early morning runs and 'The Golden Bachelor'
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Date:2025-04-07 16:21:33
In a weekly series USA TODAY’s The SignalHubEssentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives whether it's at home, on the set or on the road.
Nearly three decades into his career, Wilmer Valderrama is far from finished reinventing himself.
The Venezuelan-Colombian actor, who's starred in shows such as teen sitcom "That '70s Show," crime drama "NCIS" and animated children's series "Handy Manny," is getting candid about his life and career in his debut memoir "An American Story: Everyone's Invited" (out now).
"When you see that there's multiple age groups that are growing up with multiple things you’ve done in your career, it's not just humbling, it's a major responsibility to turn it up a notch," Valderrama says.
Valderrama broke into acting at age 18 as the flamboyant Fez on "That '70s Show." "Everything that I'm working on is going to feel like you're seeing me for the first time," he says. "I want to dedicate my life to continuing to take them (fans) to fun, healing, exciting and hopefully inspiring journeys."
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Between hectic shoot days on TV and film sets, running multiple companies and being a dad to 3-year-old daughter Nakano, here are Valderrama's essentials for navigating his jam-packed life.
Wilmer Valderrama's 'effortless' style staple
When it comes to fashion and style for Valderrama, less is more.
If he's not donning crisp business suits for work, you can find the actor kicking it back in some fitness apparel. The E.P.U. activewear founder's go-to? A crewneck sweatshirt.
"There's something really effortless about that," Valderrama says. "You put jeans on that, it looks like you're still trying."
In the hair department, the actor keeps things simple with his handy wax paste from Baxter of California.
"I have so much hair, and it's so thick. It's the only thing that will tell it to do something. Otherwise, it's Erik Estrada hair," Valderrama says, jokingly referring to the "CHiPs" actor's poofy locks.
Wilmer Valderrama workout routine: 'Therapeutic' morning runs (and 'ceremonial' coffee)
The early bird catches the worm — and stays fit, at least in Valderrama's book.
The actor kicks off each day with a workout at 4:30 a.m.: "I'm running out of hours in the day between being on set and running all the production companies," he says.
While Valderrama does a mix of circuit training, weight training and mixed martial arts, outdoor runs are a favorite in his exercise regimen.
"Everything's dark — no cars, serenity. The air is still crisp and clean; you see the stars. You're listening to your favorite music. … There's something very therapeutic about that, too."
And once he's put in his sweat shift for the day, Valderrama treats himself to "the perfect espresso shot."
"You've got to get the beans; you've got to grind them. It's like my ceremonial thing," Valderrama says. "I have to make the coffee, and I have to sit there and watch it pour slowly into the cup. And then one small cube of coconut brown sugar at the bottom."
Wilmer Valderrama can't get enough of this 'fire' album
Lately, Valderrama's musical cravings have him throwing it back to the '90s.
The "Encanto" star has been jamming out to salsa icon Marc Anthony's first three albums — "Otra Nota," "Todo a Su Tiempo" and "Contra la Corriente" — on a "back-to-back" rotation.
Valderrama has also been revisiting Santana's 1999 blockbuster album "Supernatural," which features the Rob Thomas-assisted smash "Smooth." "That album is so fire," he says. "You forget how many hits is on that one."
And Thomas' alternative rock band, Matchbox Twenty, remains an all-time favorite for Valderrama. "I grew up on those guys. And Rob Thomas is one of my favorite songwriters."
Wilmer Valderrama says this reality show was a 'beacon of hope'
When Valderrama pops on the tube, he's all for the onscreen drama.
Some of Valderrama's recent TV favorites include the Netflix legal thriller "The Lincoln Lawyer," which stars his pal and former "From Dusk Till Dawn" co-star Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, as well as Emmy-winning period drama "Shōgun."
Valderrama is also a proud citizen of Bachelor Nation, as he and fiancée Amanda Pacheco have made a ritual of keeping up with the dating competition series "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette."
"Not afraid to say it: I look forward to that Monday nights and occasional Tuesdays," Valderrama says. "That's something that Amanda and I have bonded over. It's fun and equally frustrating to watch that show."
And the franchise's geriatric spinoff, "The Golden Bachelor," won over Valderrama in equal measure, with the actor affectionally calling Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner "my boy."
"I got to meet him, too, and he was so nice. 'The Golden Bachelor' to me was just a beacon of hope. I was so happy to watch that."
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