A reboot of a TV show that was a worldwide hit returns to its roots

Transcript

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

A beloved TV show is getting a new chapter. The U.S. version was called "Ugly Betty," and in it, America Ferrera played an eager young woman who had a hard time breaking into the New York fashion world because she didn't fit traditional beauty standards.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "UGLY BETTY")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Betty Suarez.

AMERICA FERRERA: (As Betty Suarez) Hi, that's me. I have a hard copy of my resume if you need it. Should I follow you?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Actually, there's been a mistake.

FERRERA: (As Betty Suarez) A mistake?

MARTÍNEZ: Now Betty is back in a new series in the city where her story was created. Jorge Valencia reports from Bogota, Colombia.

(SOUNDBITE OF YOLANDA RAYO SONG, "SE DICE DE MI")

JORGE VALENCIA, BYLINE: Before "Ugly Betty," there was "Betty, La Fea." The original series burst onto the small screen here in Colombia 25 years ago. Beatriz Pinzon Solano was brilliant and goofy. From the moment she showed up for a job interview at a fashion firm, she faced hostility.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "YO SOY BETTY, LA FEA")

JULIAN ARANGO: (As Hugo Lombardi, speaking Spanish).

ANA MARIA OROZCO: (As Beatriz Pinzon Solano, speaking Spanish).

ARANGO: (As Hugo Lombardi, speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: The fashion director told Betty to get out of his face. Disheartened, she told her best friend that she was too ugly to get hired anywhere. Her friend joked they could both go work at the circus.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "YO SOY BETTY, LA FEA")

MARIO DUARTE: (As Nicolas Mora, speaking Spanish).

(LAUGHTER)

DUARTE: (As Nicolas Mora, speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: Colombian TV watchers immediately fell in love with Betty. Unlike the telenovelas that used to dominate Latin America prime time, "Yo Soy Betty, La Fea" was funny and smart, and it centered a woman who had braces and broke out of the Western canon of beauty.

OROZCO: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: The truth is, we were all surprised by the popularity, says actress Ana Maria Orozco, the original Betty. Since then, there have been 24 adaptations, from Russia to Turkey, from China to South Africa.

OROZCO: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: Orozco says the actors were overwhelmed by the attention. Journalists from all over the world would visit the set and stare like they were at a zoo.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "YO SOY BETTY, LA FEA").

LUIS MESA: (As Daniel Valencia) Betty, (speaking Spanish).

OROZCO: (As Beatriz Pinzon Solano, laughing).

VALENCIA: Orozco now stars in a reboot dropping this weekend and coproduced by Amazon's Prime Studios and Colombia's RCN. Betty is now almost 50, a successful businesswoman and a mother. Following up on a major hit, of course, comes with some baggage. Maria (ph) Betoldi is the head writer.

MARTA BETOLDI: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: The original series wouldn't pass compliance, Betoldi says. Some of the characters were sexist, classist and homophobic. And Betoldi had to work without series creator Fernando Gaitan, who died five years ago.

BETOLDI: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: "I had to write with my soul and my ovaries," Betoldi says. And she had to write for audiences that have an attention span shorter than ever before. Cesar Betancur is one of the cowriters.

CESAR BETANCUR: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: The new story has a different pace and dynamic, Betancur says. The writers know a lot of people watch with their cellphone in hand.

BETANCUR: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: Betancur says the writers were constantly asking themselves how they could poison their characters - figuratively - to be dramatic and hold the viewer's attention. One way was to address the subjectivity of beauty standards head on. Lead actor Ana Maria Orozco says Betty has a conversation about it with her daughter.

OROZCO: (Speaking Spanish).

VALENCIA: Orozco says it's beautiful and it's special, but she stops there.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SE DICE DE MI")

YOLANDA RAYO: (Singing in Spanish).

VALENCIA: She doesn't want to give anything away that will spoil the show.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SE DICE DE MI")

RAYO: (Singing in Spanish).

VALENCIA: For NPR News, I'm Jorge Valencia in Bogota, Colombia. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.