Even at her young age, America Ferrera‘s first real showbiz experience was something of a letdown. At the tender age of 16, after a 10-years of acting in school plays and drifting off each night to Hollywood dreams, America was cast in a Disney Channel movie about a junior high school dance team with the somewhat hilarious name of Gotta Kick It Up.

At first, she was thrilled. “I love to dance, so I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to just dance all day. And there were four other girls in the cast, so that was fun. And you know the way you think when you’re a teenager: Disney Channel today, Oscars tomorrow!” she says with a laugh. But a few weeks into filming, she had what she describes as “a mini nervous breakdown.” “I just felt really empty,” she says. ”

I had achieved my dream, and it wasn’t totally fulfilling. I still had school problems, and I still had boy problems. My life was still my life. I guess I had been waiting to be turned into a swan.”