One of our favourite anti-fashionistas is back on screen thanks to the Sony channel! America Ferrera stars as go-getter Betty Suarez, a true beauty in the skin-deep world of high fashion. Two very different cultures collide in this series about believing in yourself and being true to who you are regardless of the odds.
Ugly Betty was a runaway hit with fans and critics from its first season winning two Emmy Awards (for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy). It went on to be nominated for more than 160 major awards, winning 60 of them.
America Ferrera (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) stars as Betty, a smart assistant at a women’s magazine who is clueless when it comes to fashion. While her skinny colleagues parade around in haute couture and stiletto heels, Betty shows up for work in her mismatched outfits, including socks with heels, complete with thick glasses and awkward braces.
About her role as Betty, America says, “From the very beginning the show was aired, I received a lot of letters from people who relate to Betty – especially teenagers. They tell me that they’re really glad that Betty is an image on television. I also get a lot of letters from mothers of teenage girls saying, ‘I’m so glad that this strong, smart, intelligent female figure is on television for my daughter to watch.’ I think girls really enjoy watching something to mix up the image of what a girl should look like. Not that everyone should be like Betty or everyone shouldn’t be like Betty, but she widens the landscape of images for young women on television.”
Asked why she feels the show has been so successful Ferrera replies: “Anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider can see themselves in her (Betty) and feel represented. And who hasn’t, at some point in their life, felt like they didn’t belong?”
Betty certainly is the wisest!
“There is nobody here who cares about filling the inside; they only care about fixing the outside! You know what, this concealer here; this doesn’t change the fact that she doesn’t have a house! And this, this eyeliner isn’t going to bring back the people you love! These women have lost everything, and there is not enough styling gel in here to change that”. – Betty Suarez
Ugly Betty, Season 1 starts on Wednesday 2nd September from at 19:00 and continues every Monday – Friday
SONY CHANNEL airs on DStv (Channel 127).
Images: Sony