"Lizzie McGuire" star Lalaine Vergara-Paras has opened up about what life was like growing up as a Filipino, recalling how she was forced to look as "white" as possible. The 31-year-old actress, who played the best friend of Lizzie McGuire in the early 2000s show, made the revelation Wednesday in a post to Instagram.
"Most of my life growing up I was forced to look as 'white' as possible," she wrote. "These days I struggle to find photos where I look as ethnic as possible. Like in this photo, the most East Asian I've ever looked. In order to see, for most people, you have to zoom in on my face. And in case you still don’t understand, I love my face in this photo."
Vergara-Paras shot to fame in 2001 after being cast alongside Hillary Duff in "'Lizzie McGuire." In the show she played Miranda Sanchez, whose family was from Mexico. The hit series ran until 2004, and when it came to an end, Vergara-Paras focused on pursuing a music career, E! News noted.
While she has mostly drawn attention for her work in Hollywood, the actress had a slip in 2007 when she was arrested for drug possession, TMZ noted. She pleaded guilty to crystal meth charges and completed a drug-treatment program.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.