Ugly Betty is an American
television comedy-drama series starring
America Ferrera in the title role, along with
Eric Mabius,
Vanessa Williams,
Ashley Jensen,
Becki Newton,
Judith Light,
Ana Ortiz,
Tony Plana,
Michael Urie, and
Mark Indelicato. The series premiered on September 28, 2006, on
ABC in the United States and Canada. It follows the life of the unglamorous and good-natured
Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), and her incongruous job at the ultra-chic New York City fashion magazine
Mode.
The series is an adaptation of the
Colombian
telenovela Betty la fea (
"Betty the Ugly"),
["Yo soy Betty, la Fea" (1999)] written by
Fernando Gaitán (also author of
Café, con aroma de mujer). It is adapted into a New York City setting by creator/developer
Silvio Horta and co-producers
Salma Hayek and
Ben Silverman, whose production companies Silent H,
Ventanarosa and
Reveille respectively partnered with
ABC Studios to create the hour-long program for U.S. audience. Hayek has appeared on the show as
Sofia Reyes, in addition to playing a
cameo role as an actress on a fictional
telenovela watched by the main character's family in the pilot episode.
