Ugly Betty aired from 2006 to 2010, and it was a knockout among fans. The show follows the life of Betty Suarez, a young, awkward woman from Queens, New York, who works at a high-fashion magazine. Despite her lack of fashion sense and industry notions of beauty, she manages to succeed in her job and earn the respect of her colleagues.
To this day, Ugly Betty is still one of the most binge worthy fashion TV shows around. The show was notable for its groundbreaking representation of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in its groundbreaking transgender storylines, and its powerful messages about inner beauty. Ugly Betty features a unique blend of telenovela sensibilities, comedy, and drama, making it ahead of its time and paving the way for similar shows, such as Jane the Virgin and Pose. As one of the best workplace comedies, Ugly Betty is full of humor, emotional moments, and easy-to-love characters.
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Ugly Betty allowed for a variety of storylines and characters. The show also featured an array of topics ranging from coming out to murder and alcoholism. The actors were praised for their performances, with Betty being a sweetheart whom everyone would love as a friend and Daniel providing eye candy. The cast of the show went on to win numerous awards, including two Emmys, two Golden Globe Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, four NAACP Image Awards, and two ALMA Awards. America Ferrera even took home a People’s Choice Award. Furthermore, the show’s use of surreal moments and heartfelt stories also resonated with viewers, making Ugly Betty a must-watch show. Now that we’ve displayed our well-deserved love of the show, let’s see where our Ugly Betty cast is today.
America Ferrera
Silent H Productions
Most would say America Ferrera’s career has thrived since appearing on the show. She is best known for her lead role in Ugly Betty, where she played Betty Suarez, which earned her the Outstanding Lead Actress Award at the Emmys, making her the first Latina woman to win the award. Before Ugly Betty, Ferrera played roles in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Lords of Dogtown. After the show ended, she has landed plenty of roles in films and TV series, such as How to Train Your Dragon, Christine, DreamWorks Dragons, and Superstore. She is also cast in the upcoming Barbie movie, which is set to debut in 2023.
Eric Mabius
Eric Mabius starred as Daniel Meade in Ugly Betty. Since the show ended, he has held numerous roles, such as Outcast, Chicago Fire, Scandal, Blue Bloods, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered. He has been the lead in Signed, Sealed, Delivered since 2015, and has been featured in a number of Hallmark films, such as Welcome to Christmas. In addition to acting, he was also an Olympic luge captain in 2010.
Michael Urie
Michael Urie is known for his role as Wilhelmina’s personal assistant Marc St. James in Ugly Betty. Urie has also made appearances in various television series and films. Notably, he has had recurring roles in Younger, Workaholics, Modern Family, and The Good Wife, as well as starring in the web series Mode After Hours. Recently, he has been in the Netflix film Single All the Way and is set to star in an upcoming gay rom-com on Netflix.
Ana Ortiz
Ana Ortiz played Hilda Suarez, Betty’s older sister and mother to Justin. It’s not hard to see why she was a beloved character, full of fierce love for her family and son, making her one of the best single moms from 2000s TV. She has featured in a number of shows, most notably Ugly Betty, Devious Maids, Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Mindy Project, Love, Victor, and Superstore. She is vocal about increasing Latin visibility on screen and is an advocate for domestic abuse.
In recent years, Ortiz has been seen in the Hulu show Love, Victor, as the lead star, and she had an Ugly Betty reunion when she appeared on an episode of Superstore alongside her former on-screen sister. She also starred in Whiskey Cavalier, Hung, Revenge, How to Get Away with Murder and Family Guy. Additionally, she had a voice role in the Disney+ film Elena of Avalor.
Ashley Jensen
Since her role as Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty, Ashley Jensen has had a successful acting career. She has appeared in many UK-based shows such as Catastrophe, Trust Me, and, most recently, After Life on Netflix with Ricky Gervais. Additionally, Jensen has also done voice work in films such as How to Train Your Dragon, Sherlock Gnomes, Love and Marriage, Embarrassing Bodies, and Lady and the Tramp. She also reprised her role in Ugly Betty for the show’s final season.
Mark Indelicato
Mark Indelicato, who starred as Justin Suarez in Ugly Betty, currently holds roles in TV shows such as Hacks, With Love, Dead of Summer, and Hacks. He is most well-known for his role as Justin Suarez, and has appeared in other films such as White Bird in a Blizzard. In 2012, Indelicato took a break from acting to attend New York University, where he studied International Relations and Gender Studies. Indelicato considered leaving the acting industry, but found new inspiration in his fellow Hacks cast members.
Tony Plana
Since the end of Ugly Betty, Tony Plana has had an impressive run of roles in TV and films. After his beloved role as Ignacio Suarez, Tony snagged roles in The Fosters, Lethal Weapon, Mayans M.C., The Punisher and Superstore, where he co-starred with Ferrera. He also had a part in the Netflix series One Day at a Time and Playing With Fire. He currently stars in the TV series Deputy, Mayans MC, and One Day at a Time. In addition to television, Tony has appeared in Desperate Housewives, Jane the Virgin, ER, JAG, and Blue Bloods.
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams, who played Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty, has recently held roles in Girls5eva, Bad Hair, T.O.T.S. (Tiny Ones Transport Service) on Disney Junior, Desperate Housewives, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Broad City, Modern Family, The Mindy Project, The Good Wife, and 666 Park Avenue. In addition, she is the mastermind behind her own clothing line, V. by Vanessa Williams. She has no upcoming projects to speak of.
