Season One cast of “That 70s Show”; FOX via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — It’s hard to believe the hit comedy series That ’70s Show stopped production 10 years ago, especially when you consider how many loyal fans the gang of high school students still has.
Wilmer Valderrama, who plays the beloved foreign exchange student Fez, sat down with ABC News and talked pre-shoot rituals, secrets of the set and what the cast is up to now.
Before filming every episode in front of the live audience, Valderrama said the cast would gather backstage. Like a team, they’d put their hands in the middle of the circle and decide on a word to represent the episode and break.
“The word from season one to season eight became more and more ridiculous,” Valderrama confessed, remembering when “dumba**” — a favorite word for cranky dad Red Forman, played by Kurtwood Smith — was the mantra of choice. “It was this stupid, stupid stuff but we would basically come up with all these crazy things and have this funny moment together,” said Valderrama.
Another little-known fact Valderrama revealed was his character’s real name, an unanswered mystery for the show’s audience. One of the show’s running gags was on those rare occasions when his character told someone his name, some unexpected noise always completely drowned it out.
But Valderrama decided himself that Fez’s real name was in fact the first name of each actor on the show – meaning that’s what he always recited when Fez said his name. “I said that is what Fez’s real name is, because that is what he is,” he explained. “He is a little bit of all the characters on That ’70s Show.”
So does the cast still keep in touch? Absolutely – in fact, Valderrama said they gather at least once a month for dinner at a co-star’s house.
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