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That '70s Show character guide

Who is Fez in That '70s Show?

The girl-crazy foreign exchange student of That '70s Show, whose home country is never named and who spends eight seasons pining for Jackie Burkhart.

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Fez's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Fez is the answer or a guess.

Show
That '70s Show
Debut
1998
Network
FOX
Role
Main
Gender
Male

Fez has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle.

Show
That '70s Show
Played by
Wilmer Valderrama
First episode
“That '70s Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired August 23, 1998
Role
Main cast
Network
FOX
Occupation
Foreign exchange student, later salon shampoo boy
Show run
1998 to 2006

Fez is the sweet, excitable foreign exchange student who joins Eric Forman's friends in the basement and never quite figures out American customs. Played by Wilmer Valderrama, he is one of the show's most quotable characters and a running mystery.

On That '70s Show, Fez's story runs through Jackie Burkhart (Girlfriend), Michael Kelso (Best Friend), Eric Forman (Friend), Steven Hyde (Friend), Red Forman (Ex-father-in-law), and Kitty Forman (Ex-mother-in-law).

Fez from That '70s Show: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Fez?

Fez came to Point Place as a foreign exchange student and lives with a host family, the Erdmans, while spending nearly all of his time in the Formans' basement. His real name is supposedly impossible for his friends to pronounce, so they call him Fez, a play on F.E.S., short for foreign exchange student.

The show never reveals what country he is from. Every time someone gets close to finding out, a joke or an interruption gets in the way, and that gag runs for the entire series.

Personality and comedy

Fez is boundlessly enthusiastic about America, women, and getting into trouble with his friends. He is also endlessly frustrated that his friends treat him as the tagalong, which leads to some of his best outbursts. Much of his comedy comes from his odd turns of phrase and his outsider's take on Midwestern life.

He has a big heart and a sneaky streak in equal measure. He is a loyal friend to the guys and especially to Kelso, but he is not above a little scheming when it might help him with a girl, usually Jackie.

Key storylines

Fez's love life is a long series of near misses. He falls for the intense Caroline in season three and has to escape her, chases Big Rhonda in season four, and finally loses his virginity to his girlfriend Nina in season five. When a prank threatens to get him deported at the end of season five, Eric's sister Laurie marries him so he can stay, which is revealed at the season finale and sends Red into a heart attack.

He works his way toward citizenship with help from Red, who studies American history with him, and later finds a job as a shampoo boy at a beauty salon. Through it all he never stops carrying a torch for Jackie. In the final season she finally realizes she loves him too, and the series ends with Fez planning their first kiss on New Year's Eve.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Wilmer Valderrama played Fez in every season and won three Teen Choice Awards during the show's run. He later starred as Nick Torres on NCIS.

Valderrama returned as Fez for the first season of That '90s Show in 2023. The sequel shows Fez running a successful hair salon and still a close friend of the Forman family, and it confirms that he and Jackie eventually went their separate ways.

Key Fez episodes

  1. “Garage Sale”Season 2, Episode 1Fez kisses Jackie at the Formans' garage sale, and Kelso punches him for it.
  2. “Fez Gets The Girl”Season 3, Episode 12Fez falls for Caroline, who turns out to be far more intense than he bargained for.
  3. “Canadian Road Trip”Season 3, Episode 23The guys sneak Fez across the border into Canada and get detained.
  4. “Celebration Day”Season 5, Episode 25Laurie reveals she has married Fez, and the news gives Red a heart attack.
  5. “A Legal Matter”Season 6, Episode 10Fez studies American history with Red for his citizenship exam.
  6. “That '70s Finale”Season 8, Episode 22Fez plans his first kiss with Jackie as 1979 comes to an end.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Fez's catchphrase

  • “Good day!”

More lines fans still quote: famous sitcom catchphrases and who said them.

Fez: frequently asked questions

Who plays Fez in That '70s Show?

Wilmer Valderrama plays Fez in all eight seasons, and he returned for the first season of That '90s Show.

Where is Fez from in That '70s Show?

Nobody knows. The show deliberately never names his home country, and it stays one of the series' longest-running jokes.

What is Fez's real name?

It is never revealed. His friends call him Fez because it sounds like F.E.S., short for foreign exchange student.

Who does Fez marry?

Fez marries Eric's sister, Laurie Forman, at the end of season five so he will not be deported. It is a marriage of convenience rather than romance, and Laurie even spends the honeymoon in Cancun with someone else.

Do Fez and Jackie end up together?

Yes, at the end of That '70s Show. They become a couple in the final season, but That '90s Show reveals they later broke up.

Test yourself: Fez quiz

5 questions about Fez. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Where does Fez's nickname come from?

    1. A hat he wore on his first day
    2. His hometown
    3. An abbreviation for "foreign exchange student"
    4. A candy he loves
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. An abbreviation for "foreign exchange student"

    Fez is simply how the gang says F.E.S., and the show never reveals his real name or which country he comes from.

    See question 5 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    Who does Fez marry so he can stay in the country legally?

    1. Laurie Forman
    2. Jackie Burkhart
    3. Caroline
    4. Donna Pinciotti
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Laurie Forman

    Laurie reveals the marriage in "Celebration Day," the season five finale, and the news gives Red a heart attack.

    See question 9 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    In "Canadian Road Trip," what do the guys cross the border to buy?

    1. Fireworks
    2. Concert tickets
    3. Beer
    4. Hockey gear
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Beer

    With no green card, Fez has to be smuggled across, and the whole crew ends up detained by Canadian authorities.

    See question 20 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    Who plays Fez in That '70s Show?

    1. Amy Ryan
    2. Wilmer Valderrama
    3. Jameela Jamil
    4. Jerry Seinfeld
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Wilmer Valderrama

    Wilmer Valderrama plays Fez.

  5. Question 5

    In what year did Fez first appear on That '70s Show?

    1. 1998
    2. 2001
    3. 1995
    4. 1994
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 1998

    Fez debuted in 1998, in "That '70s Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

Take the full That '70s Show quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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