beautiful and talented: Francia Raisa on growing up as El Cucuy's daughter, ditching radio and living life as a proud Latina

slideshow

beautiful and talented: Francia Raisa on growing up as El Cucuy's daughter, ditching radio and living life as a proud Latina

(Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty) What has it been like growing up as "El Cucuy's" daughter? I didn't realize my dad was a celebrity growing up. Fans were constantly asking for photos and autographs, but I didn't understand why. It wasn't until middle school that I really understood he was famous. My parents wanted to give me a normal childhood experience and keep my father's celebrity life separate. There have been challenges growing up because everyone has their own opinions about celebrities, and they aren't afraid to voice them.

(Stephen Lovekin/Getty) Were you ever interested in radio? I was interested for maybe about 5 minutes, haha! I did radio with my dad when I was 11 on Saturday mornings and lasted about a month before I realized it just wasn't for me.

(Frederick M. Brown/Getty) How did you get your start in acting? I started as a dancer and was discovered by a manager while working on a music video. I started auditioning soon after that.

(Frederick M. Brown/Getty) How has your father's impact on the Latino community affected your own life choices and decisions? Thanks to him and everything he's done I definitely live my life proudly as a Latina, and I work to follow in his footsteps in that aspect.

(Jason Merritt/Getty) What do you feel is your most important accomplishment to date? I'm a very driven person and I try to accomplish something new everyday, so I can't really narrow it down to just one. I've done a lot in my life and I'm very proud of myself.