South African Version of Ugly Betty On The Way With A First Black Lead
South African Version of Ugly Betty On The Way With A First Black Lead. The hit Colombian telenovela, has been successfully adapted in 19 territories worldwide. Now Ugly Betty is getting a South African remake, which will feature the show’s first Black lead.
“uBettina Wethu” (Our Betty) is the story of a naïve rural girl who gets a job working for one of Johannesburg’s most eligible bachelors. Despite the challenges, she succeeds at winning his heart and excelling in business beyond her wildest dreams
According to Variety, the pre-production will be kicks tarting next month, followed by principal photography in January 2021. The first season of the show is a co-production with SABC and will debut in April 2021.
Ugly Betty originally aired on ABC between 2006 and 2010. The sitcom focused on a young woman named Betty Suarez who landed a job at a fashion magazine even though she wasn’t stylish and didn’t know much about fashion.
The series is based on Fernando Gaitán’s Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, which has had many other international adaptations. The American version starred America Ferrera and ran for four seasons. Ferrera won an Emmy for her role as Betty Suarez.
