Ugly Betty is an American television comedy-drama series starring America Ferrera in the title role, along with Eric Mabius, Judith Light, Rebecca Romijn and Vanessa Williams. The series premiered on September 28, 2006, on ABC in the United States and on Citytv in Canada. It follows the life of the unglamorous and good-natured Betty Suarez (Ferrera), and her incongruous job at the ultra-chic New York City fashion magazine Mode.

The series is an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea ("I am Betty, the ugly"),^[1] also simply known as "Betty la fea" ("Ugly Betty") written by Fernando Gaitán (also author of Café, con aroma de mujer). It is adapted into a New York City setting by creator/developer Silvio Horta and co-producers Salma Hayek and Ben Silverman, whose production companies Silent H, Ventanarosa and Reveille respectively partnered with ABC Studios to create the hour-long program for U.S. audience. Hayek has appeared on the show as Sofia Reyes, in addition to playing a cameo role as an actress on a fictional telenovela watched by the main character's family in the pilot episode.

On February 16, 2008, ABC picked up Ugly Betty for the 2008-09 television season.^[2]

There is a possibility that the production of season three could be halted because of a potential Screen Actors Guild strike.^[3]