Wilmer Valderrama Says He Still Lives With His Parents Because He Is ‘A Latino Man’

“That ’70s Show” star Wilmer Valderrama recently caught up with Drew Barrymore on her talk show to discuss his role in the upcoming Disney+ series “Zorro,” which is being billed as a reimagining of the classic series from the 1950s.

However, before the two talked about the legend, Valderrama relayed a story of how, at 42 years old with a fiancé and a 14-month-old child, he still lives with his parents.

“Is it true that you still live with your family?” Barrymore asks him.

With a laugh, Valderrama responds, “It’s complicated.” He continues, “I’m a Latino man… The end,” garnering cheers and laughs from the crowd. That wasn’t the end of Valderrama’s story, though, as the actor goes on to explain the particular arrangement that’s allowed his family to stay so close.

“We believe in family,” he says. “And when I came to the United States back in ’93, ’94… the sacrifice that my parents had to bring us to America… what they gave up, just for us to be here.”

Valderrama goes on to explain that he had an opportunity to buy a house towards the end of his “’70s Show” run, which he took because he didn’t “know whenever I’m gonna make this kind of money again.”

Not only did Valderrama buy two acres of property in L.A., he then had a chance to purchase his neighbor’s house, separated from his only by greenery and trees that were then removed to connect the two homes. “So when I bought that house I gave it to my mom,” he says.

Now, the Valderrama family is able to all live together, side-by-side.

“I subliminally knew that when I had kids I would have a built-in babysitter,” Valderrama says jokingly. “My mom has shifts in the day,” he says, explaining how his mom is able to come right next door and take the baby for breakfast and lunch, or to watch her when Valderrama and his fiancé are busy working. “It’s pretty incredible to have that.”

Valderrama and Barrymore went on to discuss his role in the Oscar-winning animated film “Encanto,” his years-long run on “NCIS” and the upcoming “Zorro” series for Disney+ in which he plays the titular role.

Valderrama says he’s happy with the direction that Disney is taking with the new show. “This will be a Zorro for this generation,” he tells Barrymore. “It will be incredibly thoughtful with its origin story and it’ll be grounded in authenticity.”

Valderrama is also set to make an appearance on the upcoming “That ’90s Show,” a sequel series following Red and Kitty Forman as they mentor and watch over a new generation of children at the Forman residence.