America Ferrera talks about Dry Land and PTSD

Ugly Betty star ready for the big-screen as hit fashion show comes to an end
Nov 14 2010 Exclusive by Steve Hendry, Sunday Mail
THE glitzy world of fashion has made America Ferrera a star.
Starring as Ugly Betty Suarez, the dowdy secretary who uses her brains to negotiate the bitching and backbiting of the fashionistas at glossy magazine Mode, has hurled her into the big-time.
The fourth and final series of the hit Channel 4 show ends next month but America is ready for new challenges.
The 26-year-old, who finished filming on the show in April, said: "It's scary and exciting but my memories of my experience on Betty will forever be beautiful.
"I got so much out of those four years of my life, not just as an actor but in friendships and family.
"I grew up. I learned a lot and I got to work in a really great job. I was a Close couple: America is making a film with her fianc› Ryan part of something which meant a lot to other people.
"All I have are good memories. That's the reason why it's easy in some ways and hard in others to walk away."

Ugly Betty is a world away from her new movie, The Dry Land.
America plays the wife of a US soldier - Ryan O'Nan - who returns home to Texas from Iraq suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
As he battles his demons, he trashes their home in a drunken rage and almost chokes her to death in the middle of a nightmare.
It is tough, gritty stuff but America takes full responsibility for the dramatic change of direction. She acted as an executive producer on the film, which was written and directed by her fianc›, Ryan Piers Williams.
She said: "I signed on to be an executive producer on the project before the first draft was written.
"I didn't plan on acting in it and then, as the project went on and we developed the script and found Ryan (O'Nan), we started talking about me.
"I was kind of drawn to the character anyway but we had to get the lead guy and see what made sense."
America threw herself into it and prepared for the role by talking to women who have lived with the effects of PTSD.
She said: "Ryan had submitted the script to the US Army for their support, which made it much easier for us to contact people.
"I spoke to women whose husbands had come home from the war, some with PTSD, some without, some with symptoms which weren't diagnosed.
"Those conversations were the central point of my research.
"Ptsd or mental wounds are very isolating for the surrounding family and friends, not just when they come back but when they are away as well. Spouses are just left to carry on, take care of the children, provide income, go about life with your partner in what you think is constant danger.
"What kind of extra stress and toll does that put on a spouse and how invisible do they feel when they are sacrificing just as much and working just as hard?
"But that's not really what anyone thinks about. It's always how is the one who is away - are they safe, are they okay, when are they coming back?
"When they do come home, it's be sensitive, walk on egg shells and give them time. Yet, as a spouse - as anyone who has been in a relationship will know - you are meant to be in it together."

read more here
Ugly Betty star ready for the big screen