Television - Ugly Betty (ABC): Premieres this fall Thursday Nights!

*Stacy* · 07-16-2006, 01:35 AM

Ugly Betty

ABC Info:

(one-hour comedy coming this fall, Fridays, 8:00 p.m., ET)

In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the wafer-thin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl -- a slightly plump plain-Jane from Queens -- possibly fit in?

If you took a moment to get to know Betty Suarez, you'd see how sweet, intelligent and hard-working she is. But few people do because, in the world of fashion, Betty is the oversized square peg in the petite round hole. When publishing mogul Bradford Meade hands the reigns of his fashion magazine, Mode, over to his son, Daniel, he specifically hires Betty as his son's new assistant - mostly because she's the only woman in NYC Daniel won't sleep with. Though this "player" is reluctant to accept her at first, Betty's indomitable spirit and bright ideas will eventually win him over. Neither of them really knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but the two of them are a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail.

Executive producers Salma Hayek and Silvio Horta, the creator of "Urban Legend," bring the Latino television phenomenon to an English-speaking audience. America Ferrera ("The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants") and Eric Mabius ("The L Word") are the "Working Girl" couple who tackle the colorful, cutthroat world of fashion head on.

Cast:
America Ferrera ("The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"): Betty Suarez
Eric Mabius ("The O.C."): Daniel Meade
Ana Ortiz ("Boston Legal"): Hilda
Vanessa Williams ("Chicago Hope"): Wilhelmina Slater
Tony Plana ("24"): Ignacio
Ashley Jensen: Christina
Becki Newton ("Charmed"): Amanda
Mark Indelicato: Justin
Alan Dale ("The O.C."): Bradford Meade

Credits:
EP/Writer: Silvio Horta ("Jake 2.0")
EP: Ben Silverman ("The Office")
EP: Salma Hayek ("Frida")
EP: Jose Tamez ("The Maldonado Miracle")
Director: Richard Shepard ("Criminal Minds")
Production Company: Touchstone Television

Here are a few articles i've found:

Who will be the fresh faces of the fall season? TV’s next round of stars could come from this group.
By VIRGINIA ROHAN
The Record (Hackensack N.J.)

The pilot season is over, the fall series have been chosen and critics are already getting discs with the new shows. That means it’s time to consider who the new stars should be come this time a year from now.

Sometimes a finished series falls far short of the cut-down pilot’s promise, denying a standout actor that predicted big break.

Sometimes, too, you can just over think things.

And so, we are boldly choosing some actors who show great promise. This year they range in age from early 20s to early 40s. A few are totally new to television. Several have captured our attention on cable series but are probably not yet widely known to most TV viewers.

AMERICA FERRERA

“Betty the Ugly,” ABC

Age: 22.

Role: Betty Suarez, the sweet, intelligent, hard-working, slightly plump heroine of the Salma Hayek-produced comedy set in the fashion world.

Credits: “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Real Women Have Curves.”

X-Factor: Lovable underdog.

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Ugly Betty bearing down on U.S. TV
LOS ANGELES, June 25 (UPI) -- Ugly Betty has become the first South American soap heroine to go global, and now will get the English language treatment courtesy of Salma Hayek.

The Sunday Times of London says Ugly Betty appears in versions of her original program "from Moscow to Bombay."

Hayek's version is expected to be shown in the United States in September and in Britain next year. "Betty the Ugly" will star America Ferrera and air at 8 p.m. on Fridays, ABC Medianet says.

The theme of the worldwide Bettys is similar. In 70 countries she is played by a good-looking actress "who finds scary ways to express what her fellow countrymen find uniquely off-putting in a modern woman," the Times said.

The original show began six years ago in Colombia and was called "I Am Betty the Ugly." A former beauty queen played the part with flattened hair and a mustache.

To say the show was a hit in its home country is an understatement. Three out of four Colombians watched it every evening, and bars and film theaters blamed it for a plunge in business.

Similar complaints have been heard in Russia, the Times said, where the show is called "Born Ugly."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Also, as of 8/8/06, ABC has decided to change the day the show airs. It will now be on Thursday Nights!!

**ROCKSTAR** · 07-16-2006, 01:25 PM

God... My whole family gathered around in the living with endless impatience and excitement for every new episode of "Betty la fea". Even the men. It was the talk of town and everyone was always quoting the character's catch phrases.

This show has so much to live up to that it's not even fair. That said, I really can't wait for this. I want to see how much they changed it and how it much they didn't. I hope they kept Betty's dorky laugh because that always made me laugh.

It's going to be fun and I hope it gets lots of episodes!

***Wildfire Girl*** · 07-16-2006, 04:09 PM

Adding to the thread guide.

Clewless · 07-16-2006, 09:49 PM

I'm a bit curious as to how the original series was, but I don't know Spanish.

Watching the little preview ABC has on their website, it looks like Betty and her boss might have a little flirt thing going on. That alone piques my interest among other things. Looks like it'll be a cute show.

VampAracely · 07-16-2006, 10:28 PM

The promo made the show look really good, I think I'll watch this show. Plus I like America Ferrera, she was great in "Real Woman have Curves".

avaSpeaks · 07-17-2006, 06:36 AM

Hey guys!! I'm Avaspeaks!!!

I am really excited for this show and the success of America Ferrera. I love to see women do farce comedy and I think that she can pull it off!

Plus, it's just time to see some diversified TV comedy that is not always the typical, "family comedy". I'm tired of that, so good for Betty The Ugly

Firestar007 · 07-17-2006, 09:55 AM

Looking forward to seeing this show. I never got around to seeing the telenovela that was hugely famous when it was coming out.

Plus I love America Ferrera

*Stacy* · 07-17-2006, 10:20 AM

Here are a few new pics I found from the ABC Upfronts. Courtesy of ferrerafan.com

I'm so glad to see people posting here. I love America. I have for a long time now. I love that she does Independent Films, but it's so nice to see her do something mainstream so that we can see more of her. She's such a great and talented actress.

Firestar007 · 07-17-2006, 10:23 AM

Stacy- thanks for the pics, America looks lovely

VampAracely · 07-17-2006, 10:26 AM

When does this show premiere? Seriously I can't wait.

Firestar007 · 07-17-2006, 10:33 AM

Not sure I think sometime in September.

***Enigma*** · 07-17-2006, 05:35 PM

Stacy - Told you already on the America thread, but thanks for starting this.

Liz - Good to see you here..........I figured you would be.

I'm really looking forward to the show.

avaSpeaks · 07-17-2006, 07:36 PM

Yeah I think it premiers in the first week of September. We need to make sure that this is a show that stays on the air for more than 1 season.

We can't let this be another Freddie

I thought ABC loved that show, that's what they said.

Yet they didn't bring it back

Kaleiokalani · 07-18-2006, 12:35 AM

It's suprising all the buzz I've been reading about this show. Minus Futoncritic's review everybody seems to pretty much loved it. It's not going to win emmy's but it touches the heart. It's a feel good story according to most.

TV Guide

Quote:

Question: Which fall pilots would you deem worthy of my time? — Meg

Ausiello: I finished watching the last of the pilots over the weekend and I have fantastic news: For the first time in recent memory, the good fall shows easily outnumber the bad ones — at least based on the pilots I saw. As Desperate Housewives taught us, the second and third episodes tell us much more about a show's creative bones than a season premiere. With that said, here are the fall offerings that have the most FauxVo potential.

* Betty the Ugly (ABC): My pick for most satisfying pilot. Allow me to be the first to say, "God bless America Ferrera!"

Firestar007 · 07-18-2006, 08:47 AM

Mel- good to see you over here also

You just knew I would be here