American Betty

Yo Soy Betty La Fea was a semi-regular watch for me (with mom and the maids) when it aired here, only because it came out in the mornings. Because of the lightning speed at which telenovelas dish out subplots, I never got into it story-wise, but the onscreen chemistry of Ana Maria Orozco and really cute Jorge Enrique Abello made the deal worth it.

A Columbian production, Yo Soy Betty La Fea enamoured Latin American audiences in 1999 as it took beauty-challenged and slightly bumbling Betty through the glamorous yet cutthroat world of high fashion magazine publishing, replete with intrigue as any self-respecting telenovela would have. If this concept sounds familiar, well, The Devil Wears Prada was published four years later.

So Salma Hayek takes this highly infectious soap and remakes it into Ugly Betty starring America Ferrera, along with Vanessa Williams and Gina Gershon. It looks like U.S. audiences are warming up to the idea, giving ABC something to smile about. Based on the pictures, Ferrera's Betty isn't that ugly compared to Orozco's. The former just needs a makeover, the latter needs technology. But I suppose imagining ugly as really ugly is part of the melodramatic formula Latin America shares with us.

Has anyone seen the first ep of Ugly Betty?

Comments

sineasta said…
I love Betty La Fea kaya naman excited ako sa Ugly Betty. Plus, I like America! Hope to see it soon!

Btw, BLF will have new airings in Studio 23 starting Oct. 16. I tried watching Betty La Mas Fea in ABC 5 but it wasn't as good as BLF. Di pa kagwapuhan ng karakter ni Armando kaya lalo tuloy di nakakaenganyo! Hehehe...
Anonymous said…
Really, jheck? Ano naman ang spin dito sa Mas Fea? Mas pangit ba siya? :)
Anonymous said…
Totoo ba na Salma Hayek only appears as a character in a television show?

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