Ana Ortiz is more than ready to revisit Ugly Betty—but only if it’s done right.
Appearing on the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast, Ortiz, who played Hilda Suarez in the hit ABC series, shared that the cast is eager for a revival. However, she believes the show deserves more than just a quick return.
"I'm gonna live in the world of yes because we all wanna do it so badly," she said. "But I honestly think the only way to do it is at least six episodes. With such a big cast and so many moving parts, you couldn't fit it all into a movie. Every character is just too epic."
Ortiz emphasized that Ugly Betty’s rich ensemble wouldn’t be served well by a brief, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life-style reboot.
"I mean, Wilhelmina [Vanessa Williams], Judith Light’s Claire Meade, and then Marc and Amanda [Michael Urie and Becki Newton]... plus the Suarez family," she explained. "It would have to be a full series to do it justice."
The idea of a revival isn’t just wishful thinking—Ortiz revealed that serious discussions are happening behind the scenes.
"We all want to do it. I can only say that from top to bottom, everyone is in," she said. "Now, it's just a matter of working out the rights because the original series was owned by the Colombian production company, so there are some legal things to figure out."
Ugly Betty was adapted by Silvio Horta from Fernando Gaitán’s Yo soy Betty, la fea, a Colombian telenovela that ran for over 350 episodes. Because of its international roots, bringing the show back involves negotiations beyond just ABC.
But Ortiz isn’t alone in her enthusiasm. In 2023, America Ferrera (Betty Suarez) also expressed her excitement for a potential return.
"I think there has been a deep desire there for a long time," Ferrera said at the time. "Our Ugly Betty family is so close, and we love each other so much... I think we'd all come back in a heartbeat."
The Ugly Betty cast has stayed close over the years, often reuniting at events and sharing nostalgic moments with fans. In 2022, Ferrera even posted a photo with Urie and Williams, captioning it, "Betty & Marc & Wilhelmina. Some things never change."
While nothing is officially set in motion yet, Ortiz's comments make one thing clear: the love for Ugly Betty is still strong, and if all the pieces fall into place, a revival could become reality.
Source: Entertainment Weekly