Can you believe it's been seventeen years since the first episode of Ugly Betty aired, giving us all totally unrealistic expectations of how easy it is to land a grad job in journalism and making a case for embroidered ponchos in the process?
Luckily, all four series of the fashion-forward Noughties dramedy - which made a star of America Ferrera - are available to stream on Disney Plus. The binge session starts now. While you catch up, here are a few things you didn't know about the absolute classic.
1. America Ferrera was the first Latina woman to win a lead actress Emmy
She won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award in 2007.
2. An actual magazine called MODE did exist in America
It featured plus-size fashion, but ceased publication in 2001.
3. It's no coincidence that a copy of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants sits on Betty's bedside table
America Ferrera's breakout role came when she played Carmen in the film adaptation of the same book.
4. The show was very nearly named Betty The Ugly
Not so catchy, is it? TV network ABC used this title in all mentions prior to the show’s premiere, but showrunner Silvio Horta was having none of it. ‘I just kept putting Ugly Betty on every script because we refused to call it that.’
5. Betty could’ve been a secret agent
When Horta pitched the show to TV execs, he pictured Betty as an FBI agent. Yes, really. However, he was met with total silence from the top dogs at ABC, who told him to stick with the original concept from the Colombian telenovela because ‘it worked.’
6. Ana Ortiz - who ended up playing Hilda - originally auditioned to play Betty
'Every Latina actress in Los Angeles and New York, I think, did.'
7. The actor who played Mark thought the role would be a one off
Michael Urie was under the impression that he’d only appear in a handful of episodes, as the story initially required that Wilhemina’s assistants wouldn’t stick around for long. However, this wasn’t the case, and as Horta explained, Michael was only billed as a guest star as a sneaky way of getting around budgetary constraints. ‘They only ever give us a certain amount of money in a budget, so the way to sneak people in that aren’t supposed to be regulars is to make them a guest star. So we said, “He’ll be a guest star!”’
8. It took a long time to nail Betty's signature style
America recalls trying on 'like 200 pairs of glasses' before she filmed the pilot.
9. Eric Mabius still wears some of his costumes from the show
The actor, who played Daniel Meade, revealed 'They put everything up for sale after the show was cancelled and I bought all my suits at one-tenth the cost.'
10. Actress Salma Hayek was the show's executive producer
She enjoyed being on set so much that she ended up appearing in a cameo as Sofia Reyes in season one. She also played the nurse who appears on the telenovela watched by the Suarez family throughout the series.
11. Lindsay Lohan was meant to appear in six episodes, but only ended up in three
The actress, who played Betty’s high school frenemy Kimmie Keegan, was reportedly so difficult to work with that her character was written out of the series much earlier than anticipated. Ouch.
12. Patricia Field, the legendary costume designer behind Sex and the City, was responsible for all the outfits in the show’s pilot
She returned as costume designer in season three, when filming relocated back to New York from Los Angeles.
13. America Ferrera kept Betty's poncho and glasses after filming ended
As for the famous braces? 'I think I stomped on the braces,' she revealed.
14. In the final episode of the show, the word 'ugly' faded from the title credits
'The reality is, look beyond the title, the name,' Horta revealed. 'The word fades because it never really should have been there if we're talking about who she is.' Sob.
15. The cast made headlines in 2007 when they joined striking writers on the picket line
America later explained the rationale behind their actions, revealing ‘the issues coming up with actors’ contracts are very similar to what the writers are dealing with […]and we have to stay united and stand strong within the creative community for what we believe is fair.’
16. America Ferrera literally landed her part by 'running into' Salma Hayek
'I hadn't heard anything about the show and she ran up to me and said, "You are my Ugly Betty!" and I was like, "I don't know what that means, but I will do whatever!" Ferrera revealed. Hayek followed up by explaining how 'It's about this girl [who] looks like a train wreck.' Talk about a back-handed compliment...
17. The show 'made Adele famous'
Well, at least according to the Ugly Betty family. The singer appeared in the show's third season, and sang 'Right As Rain' on a MODE photoshoot. 'You're welcome, Adele,' Ferrera joked at the cast reunion. 'You still haven't returned my email, by the way!'
18. The cast are keen for a reunion
After reuniting on-stage at the ATX TV Festival in Texas in 2016, Ferrera asked the audience to use the hashtag #HuluBringBackUglyBetty to inspire the streaming service to commission a 'two hour movie.' But in 2021, Vanessa Williams said that while the cast still love each other and stay in contact, due to the tragic and sudden death of the show's creator Silvio Horta, they are unsure of the status of the rights and so a reboot is unlikely 'at the moment'.