I LOVE Ferguson on Modern Family – his character is one of the funniest on TV.  I’ll be absolutely honest with you…I had forgotten that Ferguson was Dr. Farkus.  He appeared in episode 1.17, Icing on the Cake.  Here is a reminder:

Jesse also appears in this segment at around the 3:00 mark  (He was also in the opening segment, found here).

As an aside, re-watching this episode was a whole lot of fun.  Daniel had crazy hair, Alexis was relatively new, Charlie was her normal insane self, and in this episode, Amanda wore the infamous rubber dress.

Ferguson was really good as the good Doctor, interestingly, he was another man who had a crush on Betty.  It will be very interesting to see his feelings when he returns.

According to Ausiello, “Ferguson was inserted into the episode at the 11th hour after ABC asked [Silvio] Horta to come up with a cool way to kick off the show’s move to Wednesdays. Approaching one of the night’s biggest stars (who also just happens to be a Betty alum) was a no-brainer. ‘In lieu of a recap, they asked if there was a fun way to start the [episode],’ he says. “So we decided to [bring] Jesse back.”

This is going to be awesome.  Now, if they can just bring him back in the spring to do the deed!

(For those of you who think I’ve lost my mind, I mean ‘take Betty’s braces off’)  :)

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson Returning To Ugly Betty As Dr Farkus

EW’s Ausiello reports that actor Chris Williams, brother of the show’s star villain Vanessa Williams, has been cast in the role of Wilheldiva Hater – the most popular drag queen in New York City and Wilhelmina impersonator!

It gets better.  Ausiello says, “Here’s the set-up, per an Ugly insider: Willie gets tipped off that someone has been regularly impersonating her at a drag club and she tries to shut the act down. That is, until she realizes that faux Willie could come in handy by attending meetings and events on her behalf. As a result, ‘The two end up working together,’ says my spy.”

OMG – they’re go to go all Sister, Sister on us.  The possibilities here are endless.  If the writers handle it correctly, Wilhelmina will have created a monster that gets away from her, and WIlhediva will do something (as Wilhelmina) that will simultaneously be terribly damaging and absolutely fabulous.  :)

Chris Williams has many, many television shows and films to his credit, my favorites being Dwight in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Krazee-Eyez Killa in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I love how Ugly Betty has been keeping it in the family lately.  :)

Image: Zuma Press

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Vanessa Williams’ Brother Will Be Ugly Betty Wilhelmina Drag Queen!

• [WILHELDIVA HATER] 40’s, the fabulous Drag Queen version of Wilhelmina Slater (played by Vanessa Williams), very convincing: the hair, the sunglasses, the killer heels, dressed in her trademark all-white. She’s faaaaabulous and shockingly convincing. GUEST STAR.
• [DIEGO MARTINEZ] male, late 30’s-40’s, Latin American, Mediterranean or Italian, a noted, eccentric Spanish director complete with his own muse, the Spanish cinema star, Claudia Velez, who he puts in all his films. GUEST STAR.
• [CLAUDIA VELEZ] female, late 20’s-early 30’s, the Latin American/Mediterranean/Italian star who acts in all Diego Martinez films. Think Penelope Cruz. GUEST STAR.
• [RUDOLPH] male, 40s-50’s, refined, classy yet angry gay guy that stagemanages a popular NYC drag club. 2 scenes opposite Vanessa Williams. Please also submit celebrity names. Please submit all ethnicities . CO-STAR/POSSIBLE ONE DAY GUEST STAR.
• [BETTYHEAD #1/FIONA] female, 40’s, plain, nerdy, Latina or African American woman. 2 scenes. CO-STAR.
• [AUDIENCE MEMBER #1/DAWN] female, Caucasian, 30’s-50’s, a heavyset, lesbian. The more “stereotypical” the better. 2 lines. CO-STAR/POTENTIAL ONE DAY. GUEST STAR.
• [DRAG CLUB AUDIENCE MEMBER #1] male, 20’s-40’s, an enthusiastic gay man. Please submit all ethnicities. 2 lines. CO-STAR.
• [MAN] male, 20’s-40’s, a huge fan of Wilheldiva Hater, the most popular Drag Queen in New York City. Please submit all ethnicities. 1 scene opposite Vanessa Williams. CO-STAR.
  

The first set of casting calls for this episode were just kind of “there” , like “Security Guard #1” and so-forth.  These newest casting calls make it appear that 4.13 is going to be one very interesting episode, indeed.

Wilheldiva Hater?  Awesome!  It makes me wonder just what Wilhelmina’s reaction is going to be to seeing herself portrayed by a Drag Queen.  Shoot, I’ll bet there are already Vanessa Williams drag acts out there somewhere, anyway.

Diego Martinez and Claudia Velez look to be fascinating.  Ugly Betty seems to do “eccentric” well.  As you know, I LOVED the Heinrich character, who was about as eccentric as it gets. 

They’re even going to have “the angry gay guy” and a “stereotypical” lesbian.  Only Ugly Betty (and maybe Modern Family) can get away with some of these portrayals. 

One thing about this season – the producers are going for broke!

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

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Ugly Betty Episode 4.13 Is Going To Be Wild!

Much-acclaimed Redgrave will appear as Olivia, a jewelry designer whom Betty meets while Betty is working on a story as Mode’s new features editor.

Olivia, Redgrave’s eccentric character, designs beautiful ornaments that look like bugs. As she shares her story, Olivia inspires Betty to come out of her own cocoon and blossom in her appearance. 

It looks like Redgrave’s Olivia is going to be the catalyst for Betty’s transformation into a more fashionable woman.  I was wondering how they were going to handle this, considering the fact that Betty’s been happily oblivious all these years.

With Redgrave involved, I’m pretty sure it’ll be dramatic, inspiring, and intellectually satisfying (let’s face it – I would have loved for someone crazy like Heinrich to be the trigger for Betty’s change, but that would have just been silly and unbelievable).

However, as we know from the set pics, Betty’s braces will stay, at least in the short term.

Ms Redgrave is a real coup for the show, which has been on a real casting roll lately (Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Kristen Johnson, Yaya Dacosta (playing the new Nico) and The New Adventures of Old Christine’s Hamish Linklater, amongst a strong cast of regulars and one-shot guests).

Excitement is building for the Ugly Betty season premiere October 9th.  I, for one, can’t wait!

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

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Lynn Redgrave To Appear In Ugly Betty Opener

Adam Rodriguez

Rodriguez will play Bobby, an old flame of Hilda. "He’s an old high school boyfriend, and  [he comes] back into their lives," said Rodriguez.

Certainly, this is the character we’ve heard about – the one that is “mobbed up” and has a Hilda-related storyline, right?

"A little romance buds, and there’s some drama to go along with it.", he adds.

When asked which sister he would be involved with (Hilda or Betty), Rodriguez was purposefully vague. 

"Maybe a little bit of both," he said with a laugh. "We’ll see how it turns out, but it’s going to be a lot of fun and it’s really funny."

Rodriguez will definitely appear in five episodes, but his stay on Betty is likely to be extended, according to a source, TV Guide says.

Mr. Rodriguez was in New York promoting his role in Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

I really believe that this is going to be one of the more fun story lines early in season four, if I am guessing right that there will be a “light” romantic triangle between Hilda, Bobby, and Archie (played by Ralph Macchio and ironically, last-named “Rodriguez”).

I don’t know why, but a love triangle involving Hilda promises to be more fun than one involving Betty, I believe. 

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

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Adam Rodriguez Joins Ugly Betty Cast

OK, I was wrong.  At the end of Ugly Betty episode 3.24, The Fall Issue, Wilhelmina is stopped dead in her tracks when someone appears at her door.  I said at the time that the “who” couldn’t have been Wilhelmina’s daughter.  With this news, I’d say it’s all but certain.

I also said that the young, beautiful African American woman being cast over the summer probably wasn’t Nico.  Wrong again.  At the time, the casting call was for “Emily”, but those names are many times place-holders.

As for YaYa DaCosta, she was considered one of Top Model’s most memorable contestants.  She has since become a very successful model.  She’s also had a handful of roles on TV and in film, and most recently on All My Children as Cassandra.  She looks to be a perfect fit for Ugly Betty, and the role of Nico.

It’ll be a little weird, having a new Nico, but it has been a few years since she appeared, and that does make a difference.

I wonder if, after discovering her maternal side with baby William, Wilhelmina will have a new relationship with Nico?

Image: Newscom

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Ugly Betty Gets A New Daughter For Wilhelmina

• [DETECTIVE CASTELAR] male, early-mid 30’s, very good looking, masculine, a crime investigator. RECURRING GUEST STAR
• [TRANSLATOR] male or female sptv050769, 30s-50s, Translator at United Nations. Must speak fluent Russian. 1 scene. CO-STAR.
• [BUILDING SUPER] male, 30-50’s, landlord of a New York City apartment building.  CO-STAR.

Each of these are intriguing in their own way.

Adding a recurring detective tells me the show will have either a mystery or a crime element (and how could Ugly Betty not?).  My guess is that it has to do with Hilda and the mobbed up contractor, but, who knows, maybe we’ll have another attempted murder!

The United Nations translator – what the heck could this be about?  Is Betty going to create an international incident?  Being in NY has its privileges, and apparently Ugly Betty is going to be doing at least one UN-based scene.  Cool.

Now, I’m trying not to make too much of the building superintendent.  Part of me thinks that Betty might be getting her own apartment again, but then, she still is technically the lessee on the apartment that Marc and Amanda currently live in (it was Betty’s for much of season 3).  Plus, the super character is not recurring.  So, my guess is he’ll provide information (or withhold it) concerning whatever mystery the detective is chasing down.

It’s really exciting that they’re already working on episode 4.03 – which will be the first episode after the 2 hour premiere.

Image: Bauer-Griffin

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Ugly Betty Season 4 Casting News Part 2

According to TV Guide, actress Smith Cho has been pegged to play Megan, Betty’s “quirky new office mate.”  I’m going to go out on a limb to say that this is the same character we previously told you about – who at the time was called Amber.  If you’ll recall, Ausiello said she was “in her 20s, she’s Asian, and is a master at the backhanded compliment.”  If this is the same character, she’ll be a fellow editor. 

TV Guide says that Megan “is not sure what to make of Betty.”  It looks like Betty’s going to have a hard time making new friends because she and Daniel are so close.

Cho will make her Ugly Betty debut on the season four premiere, October 9th.

She had previously been a costar on the reboot of Knight Rider.  She was also in the comedy film Fired Up.

I never got around to seeing Knight Rider, and Fired Up is on my list to be viewed.  Have any of you seen either, and do you remember Cho?  How was she?

Megan looks like a fascinating character, kind of a non-threatening, non-crazy Charlie, who also had a knack at giving backhanded compliments.  Megan will be a recurring character.

Welcome to the cast, Smith Cho!

Image: Fame Pictures

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Ugly Betty Season 4 Casting News Part 1

In Ausiello’s latest Ausiello FIles, hidden in some news those who read here already know, Ausiello tells us about another new casting (that at least I didn’t know about).

Rescue Me’s Adam Ferrara is going to guest star as a “Queens contractor who crosses paths with Hilda.”  I guess this character will introduce Hilda’s run-in with the mob that we’ve heard about.

Ferrara currently plays Chief “Needles” Nelson on FX’s highly acclaimed Rescue Me. He is also a stand-up comedian, performing at some of the top clubs around the country.  Ferrara is often a featured guest on The Opie and Anthony Show on XM.

Interestingly, Ferrara guest starred four different times on The King of Queens, each time playing a different character.  And, in my favorite role, he played Sergeant Howard in Paul Blart, Mall Cop.

It looks like the casting this summer for Ugly Betty has been first-rate so far.  Of course, with a few stumbles, it’s always been pretty good, guest star wise.

I’m looking forward to seeing Ferrara on Ugly Betty this fall!

Image: 2008 Fox Broadcasting Company

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A New Ferrara On Ugly Betty

Sigler is best know for her role as Meadow Soprano, daughter of Tony Soprano in, of course, The Sopranos.  She’s also done Entourage, and, interesting, starred as Heidi Fleiss in “Hollywood Madam”.  She’s a Long Island girl, so I’d love to see he interact with Hilda, if that ever happens.

One thing we know about this character, Natalie, is that she meets Daniel at a bereavement support group, and that she has a secret which might  pit her against Betty.  Ausiello adds in his report that she is “spiritual”.

Her first appearance will be in the first episode after the 2-hour premiere, so I it’s a pretty good guess that it’s 4.03.

This is good news – welcome Jamie-Lynn!

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Daniel’s New Assistant Has Been Cast