MEXICO CITY.- More than twenty years after its ending, Ugly Betty is back.
The series Betty la fea: The story continues takes up this brilliant worker from the Colombian company Ecomoda, now married, with a young daughter and many years of career.
It premieres on July 19 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories with a good part of the original cast, including Ana Mara Orozco (Betty) and Jorge Enrique Abello (Armando).
Julian Arango (Hugo Lombardi), Natalia Ramirez (Marcela), Lorna Cepeda (Patricia), Julio Cesar Herrera (Freddy), Luces Velasquez (Bertha) are other returning actors.
In the new series, a death forces Betty to reunite with her former coworkers, as well as Armando, from whom she is separated, although they are still married. It also leads to the return of her daughter Mila, who studies fashion in New York.
Orozco spoke with The Associated Press via video call from Bogotá about this new series produced by Estudios RCN and the perspective that the years have given him on his emblematic character, which has led to multiple adaptations.
Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: How do you feel about having this opportunity to revisit this story? When we watch the episodes of the original, we find some great things, but there are others that make you wonder how they were able to get on the air.
Orozco: We are keeping up with the times, because 20 years ago many things were normalized; suddenly now we see it with different eyes and things jump out, obviously. The nice thing about approaching this Betty today, after 20 years, is how to be up to date with the current context.
AP: What doesn’t change is Betty’s essence.
Orozco: That is the most important thing, of course, and I am lucky to be able to join this world that already exists, this universe of Betty that[the scriptwriter]Fernando Gaitán had already established for us, together with Mario Ribero, the director at that time. They created this wonderful world and these characters.
AP: What skills did Betty have that will serve her well in a different world?
Orozco: I think that Betty has always been, despite everything she has lived and gone through, a woman who is faithful to herself and who also allows herself to make mistakes and take risks and give of herself. She has been brave and I think that essence is always there. She is a woman who is updating herself in a very interesting way, but also because she is questioning who she is, where she is, what she wants.
AP: From what we’ve seen and read of this new series, your family is going through a pretty interesting time, with a young daughter estranged and your relationship with Armando at a critical point.
Orozco: They are in a moment of crisis, so to speak, of movement in many senses, which is precisely what they have to face in this story and resolve in some way. I think it is life itself. Life itself has to go through so many things all the time and Betty and Armando are not exempt, they are a couple, a normal family that also has to go through its crises.
AP: Also, at some point Betty returns to her original style of big glasses, vest and modest clothing, how has Betty’s appropriation been in terms of body image and fashion?
Orozco: I feel that in that sense Betty is updating herself, even if it doesn’t seem like it, because she also has a rebellious side and she has always laughed at herself and she always knew what she was like and what people said and she knew that she wasn’t pretty or didn’t have good taste or whatever and she was always able to laugh at that. Now she accepts it from another place, from a more conscious place, she makes a decision because it has something to do with her inner search.
AP: What did you like about this opportunity to revisit Betty’s universe with many of the original cast members?
Orozco: Meeting again is always very pleasant, we love each other very much, we are all incredible actors. So, the truth is, it is a pleasure to work with them, I enjoy it and I learn, it enriches me. It is like a familiar place, comfortable and very creative, very playful. I was happy, very grateful.
FUENTE: AP