View source for Yo soy Betty, la fea

{{short description|1999 Colombian telenovela}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Yo soy Betty, la Fea.jpg
| caption              =
| alt_name             = Betty, la fea
| genre                = {{Plainlist|
* [[Telenovela]]
* [[Romantic comedy]]
}}
| creator              = [[Fernando Gaitán]]
| developer            = 
| writer               = 
| screenplay           = 
| story                = 
| director             = Mario Ribero Ferreira
| creative_director    = 
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ana María Orozco]]
* [[Jorge Enrique Abello]]
}}
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
* Francisco Canaro
* Ivo Pellay
}}
| opentheme            = "Se dice de mí" by [[Yolanda Rayo]]
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = Colombia
| language             = Spanish
| num_seasons          = 
| num_episodes         = 335
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = [[María del Pilar Fernández]]
| producer             = 
| location             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Bogotá]]
* [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]]
}}
| cinematography       = Alirio Farfán
| editor               = María Vásquez
| camera               = 
| runtime              = <!-- Reliable source required -->
| company              = [[RCN Televisión]]
| network              = [[RCN Televisión|RCN]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|df=yes|1999|10|25}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|df=yes|2001|5|8}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[:es:Ecomoda|Ecomoda]]''
* ''[[Betty Toons]]''
* ''[[Betty, la fea: la historia continúa]]''
* ''[[Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin]]''
* ''[[La fea más bella]]''
* ''[[Yo soy Bea]]''
* ''[[Ugly Betty]]''
* ''[[I Love Betty La Fea]]''
* ''[[Bela, a Feia]]''
* ''[[Betty en NY]]''
* ''[[Maria i aschimi]]''
}} 
}}

'''''Yo soy Betty, la fea''''' (English: I am Betty, the Ugly one), often referred to simply as '''''Betty, la fea''''', is a Colombian [[telenovela]] created by [[Fernando Gaitán]]. It aired from 25 October 1999 to 8 May 2001 on [[RCN Televisión|RCN]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/gente/betty-la-fea-los-datos-mas-curiosos-de-la-reconocida-telenovela-627719|title='Yo soy Betty, la fea': datos curiosos que quizás no sabía de la telenovela|access-date=8 May 2024|date=25 October 2021|website=El Tiempo|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://peru.primerapagina.com/index.asp?art=128&dc=1075580|title=Finaliza en Colombia "Betty la fea"|access-date=8 May 2023|date=2 May 2001|website=Primerapagina.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020721111439/http://peru.primerapagina.com/index.asp?art=128&dc=1075580|archive-date=21 July 2002|language=es}}</ref> [[Ana María Orozco]] stars as the titular character, alongside [[Jorge Enrique Abello]], [[Natalia Ramírez]], [[Lorna Cepeda]], Luis Mesa and [[Julián Arango]].

It is the first telenovela to have been remade worldwide and has been regarded as bringing the telenovela to new levels of success.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3662430/Telenovelas-the-story-so-far.html|title=Telenovelas: the story so far|first=Alex|last=Bellos|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=2007-01-07}}</ref> The story's appeal to global audiences has been credited to it being centered around the life of an unattractive character rather than that of a typical attractive character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flowtv.org/?p=74 |title=Not So Ugly: Local Production, Global Franchise, Discursive Femininities, and the Ugly Betty Phenomenon &#124; Flow |publisher=Flowtv.org |date=26 January 2007 |access-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

==Plot==
Taking place mainly in [[Bogotá]], Colombia, ''Yo soy Betty, la fea'' is essentially a Cinderella comedy about the rise of poor, ugly 'Betty' Beatriz Pinzón Solano and the fall of rich, handsome Armando Mendoza. Armando is a very incompetent playboy with a scheme to turn a huge profit as the new president of Eco Moda, a famous clothing manufacturing company, alongside the new vice-president Mario Calderon. However, his scheme is doomed for his faulty mathematics. Betty, his secretary (and economics wizard), is in love with him despite his engagement to Marcela Valencia. She helps Armando deceive the board of directors as he loses money and brings the company to ruin. The story has three movements: 1) Armando's foolish destruction of Eco Moda, 2) Betty's flight from the disgrace and her temporary new job in Cartagena where she undergoes an emotional and physical transformation, and 3) Betty's return to Eco Moda, where she is installed as new CEO.

==Cast==
===Main===
<!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list -->
*[[Ana María Orozco]] as Beatriz "Betty" Aurora Pinzón Solano; A rather uncouth woman but very skilled in economics with a good CV. Later becomes a CEO assistant and economist. She is the pride of her parents. She is in love with Armando Mendoza.
*[[Jorge Enrique Abello]] as Armando Mendoza Sáenz; Eco Moda's CEO. A somewhat irresponsible playboy with only basic knowledge in industrial engineering who presents a risky and ambitious proposal with which he wins the presidency of Eco Moda. When he manages it, it brings the company to the brink of bankruptcy, thus Betty steps in to help. Despite being a completely superficial playboy, he sincerely falls in love with Betty, seeing beyond her ugliness.
*[[Natalia Ramírez]] as Marcela Valencia; Armando's fiancée and Eco Moda's stockholder and retail manager. Despite her dislike of Betty, she is not actually a bad person, but a woman full of pride, classism and lacks dignity, and she loves Armando. She later willingly gives up on him as she discovers he actually loves Betty.
*[[Lorna Cepeda]] as Patricia Fernández; Marcela's best friend and secretary. A divorced woman, refined and superficial, as well as materialist, she is looking for a rich husband. Armando hates her because she is a [[Blonde stereotype|dumb blonde]] and knows that Marcela wants her as Armando's secretary to watch over his infidelities.
*Luis Mesa as Daniel Felipe Valencia; Marcela's brother. Male chauvinist and arrogant, shareholder of Eco Moda. He rivals and dislikes Armando and unlike him, he is realistic and the only one worried about his company. He has an affair with Patricia.
*[[Julián Arango]] as Hugo Lombardi; Eco Moda's fashion designer. Openly gay and arrogant, who despises ugliness. He dislikes almost everyone at Eco Moda and especially hates Eco Moda's secretaries, whom he nicknames 'The Ugly Cuartel', with the exception of Inesita who is perhaps the only person he actually cares for. Arango was married to Ana María Orozco during the recording.
*[[Ricardo Vélez]] as Mario Calderón; Armando's best friend and Eco Moda's commercial vice president. A staunch playboy, inveterate enemy of commitments and fatherhood, he is strangely enough a rather neutral figure.
*[[Mario Duarte]] as Nicolás Flaminio Mora Cifuentes; Betty's best friend and economist. Like Betty, he is unattractive and highly intelligent. He is in love with Patricia and boasts of his position as president of Terramoda. Patricia softens to him but only because of his newfound wealth.
*[[Kepa Amuchastegui]] as Roberto Mendoza; Armando's father, founder of the company. Kind hearted and intelligent. 
*[[Talú Quintero]] as Margarita Sáenz de Mendoza; Armando's mother.
*[[Adriana Franco]] as Julia Solano Galindo de Pinzón; Betty's mother. Loves her daughter dearly.
*[[Jorge Herrera (actor)|Jorge Herrera]] as Hermes Pinzón Galarza; Betty's father and accountant.
*[[Pilar Uribe]] as María Beatriz Valencia; Marcela's and Daniel's sister. Carefree woman who loves opulence.
*Julio César Herrera as Freddy Stewart Contreras; messenger, infatuated with Aura Maria and also in love of Jenny. Flamboyant but not gay, he is a very happy man.
*[[Dora Cadavid]] as Inés "Inesita" Ramírez de Muriel; seamstress, member of the cuartel. Kind and wise, she is the elderly assistant to Hugo Lombardi who loves her like a mother. She is the voice of reason and is as sane as Betty in the cuartel.
*[[Estefanía Gómez]] as Aura María Fuentes Rico; receptionist, member of the cuartel. Single mother looking for a husband and stepfather for her son. Beautiful and voluptuous, she is usually promiscuous but with a big heart.
*[[Paula Peña]] as Sofía López de Rodríguez; secretary, member of the cuartel. Divorced woman who constantly fights with her ex-husband Efraín over their children's pension. She has a feud with Jenny, the current romantic partner of her ex-husband. Formerly Gustavo Olarte's secretary and after his dismissal, she temporarily becomes Betty's secretary.
*[[Luces Velásquez]] as Bertha Muñoz de González; Gutiérrez' secretary, somewhat gluttonous, member of the cuartel. She is married with children and deeply loves her husband. She occasionally imitates Patricia's way of dressing.
*[[Marcela Posada]] as Sandra Patiño; Calderón's secretary, member of the cuartel. Known for her height. She is usually aggressive with whoever is the enemy of the cuartel.
*[[María Eugenía Arboleda]] as Mariana Valdés; Marcela's secretary, member of the cuartel. Known for reading tarot, she is very optimistic and a lover of rumba. 
*[[Celmira Luzardo]] as Catalina Ángel; Betty's "fairy godmother" and public relationist. A dignified, loquacious, eloquent and recognized woman.
*[[Alberto León Jaramillo]] as Saúl Gutiérrez; Eco Moda's Director of Human Resources. Pedantic and smug man who also despises ugliness and is known for his "Spanglish". He usually sides with whoever is in charge.
*[[Marta Isabel Bolaños]] as Jenny García; Efraín's younger girlfriend. Attractive but quite dimwitted and materialistic, she rivals Sofía for Efraín's money. She calls Efraín "''pupuchurro''".
*David Ramírez as Wilson Sastoque Mejía; Eco Moda's security guard and friend to Betty and her friends.
*[[Raúl Santa]] as Efraín Rodríguez Merchán "El Cheque"; Sofia's ex-husband and Jenny's boyfriend.
*[[Patrick Delmas]] as Michel Doinel; Betty's handsome friend and suitor. He is in love with Betty, to whom he offers a stable relationship without caring that she is virtually ugly.
*[[Diego Cadavid]] as Román; a street rat.

===Recurring===
* [[Alberto Valdiri]] as "Gordito" González, Bertha's husband.
* [[Angeline Moncayo]] as Karina Larson. Formerly a model and Armando's ex-mistress.
* [[Carlos Serrato]] as Gustavo Olarte, Eco Moda's ex-financial vice president. Daniel's right hand.
* [[César Mora]] as Antonio Sánchez, Betty's lawyer.
* Claudia Becerra as Mónica Agudelo.
* [[Diego Vivanco]] as Rolando "el Chesito su mercé", Hugo's boyfriend. Is bisexual.
* Germán Tóvar as José Ambrosio Rosales; lawyer, Antonio's colleague.
* Hugo Perez as Rafael Muriel, Inesita's ex-husband.
* Iván Piñeros as Jimmy Fuentes (Aura María's son).
* [[Lorena Tobar|Lorena McAllister]] as Diana Medina.
* [[Luis Enrique Roldán]] as Juan Manuel Santamaría, penalist Eco Moda's lawyer.
* Miguel Ángel Báes as a 2nd systems engineer.
* Paulo Sánchez Neira as Miguel Ortíz, Eco Moda's ex-systems engineer at the service of Olarte.
* [[Rubén Óliver]] as Miguel Robles, corrupt president of Rag Tela.
* [[Sebastián Sánchez (actor)|Sebastián Sánchez]] as Miguel. (2001)
* [[Scarlet Ortiz]] as Alejandra Zingg.
* [[Yesenia Valencia (actress)|Yesenia Valencia]] as Susi.
* Verónica Ocampo as Claudia Bosch, an attractive model obsessed with Armando since both had an affair.
* [[Vilma Vera]] as Maruja Bravo de Gutiérrez, Saul Gutiérrez's wife.

== Sequels and spin-offs ==
=== ''Ecomoda'' ===
The success of ''Yo soy Betty, la fea'' led to its first sequel titled ''Ecomoda''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Izarra |first1=Richard |title=Univisión retransmitirá Betty y su continuación Ecomoda |url=https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/univision-retransmitira-betty-y-su-continuacion-ecomoda/ |website=produ.com |access-date=8 May 2024 |language=es |date=18 June 2001}}</ref> It premiered first on [[Univision]] on 2 December 2001, concluding on 2 June 2002.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ramos-Weiner |first1=Maribel |title=Ecomoda a partir del 2 de diciembre por Univisión |url=https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/ecomoda-a-partir-del-2-de-diciembre-por-univision/ |website=produ.com |access-date=8 May 2024 |language=es |date=27 November 2001}}</ref> Some scenes from the first episode were filmed in [[Buenos Aires]],  and some scenes for the opening sequence were filmed in Miami, Florida.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.periodismo.com/news/100262591032920.shtml |title=Eco Moda, La Segunda Parte de Betty la Fea, Comenzara a Filmarse en Buenos Aires |publisher=Periodismo.com |date=9 October 2001 |access-date=17 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070331025802/http://www.periodismo.com/news/100262591032920.shtml |archive-date=31 March 2007 |language=es}}</ref> In Colombia, the series premiered on 21 May 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Se estrenó en Colombia secuela de "Yo soy Betty, la fea" |url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/magazine/2002/05/21/85865/se-estreno-en-colombia-secuela-de-yo-soy-betty-la-fea.html |website=Emol.com |access-date=9 May 2024 |language=es |date=21 May 2002}}</ref>

=== ''Betty Toons'' ===
{{main|Betty Toons}}
''[[Betty Toons]]'' is an animated television series that features Betty as a child with her friends. It aired on [[RCN Televisión]] between 2002 and 2003. In the U.S., ''Betty Toons'' previously aired [[Saturday morning cartoon|Saturday morning]]s on most affiliates of [[Telefutura]] (now UniMás), as part of the ''[[Toonturama]]'' block from 2006 to 2008.

=== ''Betty, la fea: la historia continúa'' ===
{{main|Betty, la fea: la historia continúa}}
In July 2023, it was announced that [[Amazon Prime Video]] had ordered a second sequel series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Granada |first1=Emiliano |title=Ana Maria Orozco Reprises Iconic Lead in Amazon Prime's 'Ugly Betty' Sequel |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/ana-maria-orozco-betty-la-fea-1235663192/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=8 May 2024 |date=6 July 2023}}</ref> The series, titled ''[[Betty, la fea: la historia continúa]]'' premiered on 19 July 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cifuentes |first1=Carlos |title=Prime Video anunció fecha de estreno de la nueva serie Betty la fea, producida por Estudios RCN |url=https://www.produ.com/paises/noticias/prime-video-anuncio-fecha-de-estreno-de-la-nueva-serie-betty-la-fea-producida-por-estudios-rcn/ |website=produ.com |access-date=8 May 2024 |language=es |date=8 May 2024}}</ref>

==International remakes==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Country
! Language
! Name
! Network
! Protagonist
! Date premiered
! Date ended
|-
| {{ALG}}
| [[Arabic language|Algerian Arabic]]
| ''طيموشة'' (Timoucha)
| [[Public Establishment of Television|ENTV]]
| Mina Lachter
| 24 April 2020
| 9 May 2021
|-
| {{BEL}}
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| ''[[Sara (Belgian TV series)|Sara]]''
| [[VTM (TV channel)|vtm]]
| [[Veerle Baetens]]
| 25 September 2007
| 29 June 2008
|-
| {{BRA}}
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| ''{{lang|pt|[[Bela, a Feia]]}}''
| [[Rede Record]]
| [[Giselle Itié]]
| 4 August 2009
| 2 June 2010
|-
| {{PRC}}
| [[Mandarin Chinese]]
| [[:zh:丑女无敌|丑女无敌 / 醜女無敵]](''{{transliteration|cmn|Chǒunǚ wúdí}}'')
| [[Hunan Television|Hunan Satellite TV]]
| Li Xinru
| September 2008
|
|-
| {{CZE}}
| [[Czech language|Czech]]
| ''Ošklivka Katka''
| [[Prima televize|TV Prima]]
| Kateřina Janečková
| 3 March 2008
| 20 April 2009
|-
| {{ECU}}
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''{{lang|es|Veto al Feo}}''
| [[Ecuavisa]]
| Efraín Ruales
| 16 April 2013
| 26 April 2013
|-
| {{EGY}}
| [[Arabic]]
| {{lang|ar|هبة رجل الغراب|rtl=yes}} (''Heba Regl El-Ghorab'')
| [[OSN]], [[Capital Broadcasting Center|CBC2]], [[MBC 1 (Middle East and North Africa)|MBC 1]]
| Amy Samir Ghanem
| 1 January 2014
| 15 April 2021
|-
| {{GEO}}
| [[Georgian language|Georgian]]
| {{lang|ka|გოგონა გარეუბნიდან}} (''{{transliteration|ka|Gogona Gareubnidan}}'')
| [[Imedi TV]]
| Tina Makharadze
| 24 May 2010
| 21 October 2012
|-
| {{GER}}
| [[German language|German]]
| ''[[Verliebt in Berlin]]''
| [[Sat.1]]
| Alexandra Neldel
| 28 February 2005
| 12 October 2007
|-
| {{GRE}}
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| Μαρία, ἡ Ἄσχημη
(''[[Maria i aschimi]]'')
| Mega Channel
| Aggeliki Daliani
| 1 January 2007
| 23 June 2008
|-
| {{IND}}
| [[Hindi]]
| जस्सी जैसी कोई नहीं
(''[[Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin]]'')
| [[Sony Entertainment Television (India)|SET India]]
| [[Mona Singh]]
| 1 September 2003
| 4 May 2006
|-
| {{MYS}}
| [[Malaysian language|Malay]]
| Misi Betty
| [[TV9 (Malaysia)|TV9]]
| Siti Fazurina
| 2011
| 
|-
|{{MEX}}
|[[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''{{lang|es|[[La fea más bella]]}}''
| [[Televisa]]
| [[Angélica Vale]]
| 2006
| 2007
|-
| {{NED}}
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| ''Lotte''
| Talpa
| Nyncke Beekhuyzen
| 2006
| 9 April 2007
|-
| {{PHL}}
| [[Filipino language|Filipino]]
| ''[[I Love Betty La Fea|i ♥ Betty La Fea]]''
| [[ABS-CBN]]
| [[Bea Alonzo]]
| 8 September 2008
| 24 April 2009
|-
| {{POL}}
| [[Polish language|Polish]]
| ''BrzydUla''
| [[TVN (Polish TV channel)|TVN]]
| [[Julia Kamińska]]
| October 2008
| December 2009
|-
| {{RUS}}
| [[Russian language|Russian]]
| ''Не родись красивой / Ne Rodis Krasivoy''
| [[STS (Russian television network)|STS]]
| [[Nelli Uvarova]]
| 5 September 2005
| 7 July 2006
|-
| {{HRV}}
| [[Croatian language|Croatian]]
|''Ne daj se, Nina''
| [[RTL Televizija]]<br>[[FOX Televizija]]
| Lana Gojak
| 29 October 2007 (SRB)<br>3 January 2008 (CRO)
| 3 March 2008 (SRB)<br>4 August 2008 (CRO)

|-
| {{SAF}}
| [[English language|English]]
| ''uBettina Wethu''
| [[SABC1]]
| Farieda Metsileng
| 2021
| -
|-
| {{ESP}}
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''Yo soy Bea''
| [[Telecinco]]
| Ruth Núñez
| 2006
| 2008
|-
| {{THA}}
| [[Thai language|Thai]]
| ยัยเป็ดขี้เหร่<br>''Ugly Betty Thailand''
| ThairathTV
| [[Kantana Group|Piyarat Kaljaruek]]
| 9 March 2015
| 7 September 2015
|-
| {{TUR}}
| [[Turkish language|Turkish]]
| ''Sensiz Olmuyor''
| Show TV, Kanal D
| Özlem Conker, Yeliz Şar
| 2005
|
|-[[File:Flag_of_Ukraine.svg|thumb|right]]

|{{UKR}}
|[[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]
|Моя улюблена Страшко
(''Moja uljublena Straško'')
|[[1+1 (TV channel)|1+1]]
|Iryna Poplavska
|30 August 2021
|TBA
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{USA}}
| [[English language|English]]
| ''[[Ugly Betty]]''
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
| [[America Ferrera]]
| 28 September 2006
| 14 April 2010
|-
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''[[Betty en NY]]''
| [[Telemundo]]
| [[Elyfer Torres]]
| 6 February 2019
| 12 August 2019
|-
| {{VNM}}
| [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]
| ''[[:vi:Cô gái xấu xí|Cô Gái Xấu Xí]]'' 
| [[VTV3]]
| Nguyễn Ngọc Hiệp
| 11 February 2008
| 31 March 2009
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Colombian TV Shows]]
* [[Cinema of Colombia]]
* [[Culture of Colombia]]
* [[List of television show franchises]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title}}

{{Ugly Betty series}}
{{RCN Telenovelas}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yo Soy Betty, La Fea}}
[[Category:Yo soy Betty, la fea| ]]
[[Category:1999 Colombian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1999 telenovelas]]
[[Category:2000 telenovelas]]
[[Category:2001 Colombian television series endings]]
[[Category:2001 telenovelas]]
[[Category:Colombian comedy television series]]
[[Category:Comedy telenovelas]]
[[Category:Fashion-themed television series]]
[[Category:RCN Televisión telenovelas]]
[[Category:Spanish-language telenovelas]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Bogotá]]