13 Side-By-Sides Of The "Ugly Betty" Cast When The Show Premiered Vs. Now
In absolutely delightful news, Ugly Betty is now streaming on Netflix — nearly 17 years after the series first premiered.
The cast, led by America Ferrera, is clearly still thriving with so many roles in big projects. To celebrate my inevitable rewatch, here's a look at the cast then and now:
1.America Ferrera as Betty Suarez
Then: The delightful Betty Suarez — a true fish out of water at fashion magazine Mode — was practically made for America, who became a household name from this iconic role after breakout performances in Real Women Have Curves, Gotta Kick it Up!, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Now: America is, of course, a massive TV and movie star — most recently, she starred in a little movie called Barbie as Gloria. Her most recent TV roles include Amy on Superstore and Elishia Kennedy on WeCrashed.
2.Eric Mabius as Daniel Meade
Then: Somehow, Eric managed to bring exactly the right amount of charm to the otherwise smarmy role of playboy and nepo baby Editor-in-Chief Daniel Meade, and the character growth was REAL.
Now: Eric has starred as Oliver O'Toole on Hallmark's Signed, Sealed, Delivered film series since 2013 — the most recent film came out in 2021.
3.Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
Then: The legendary actor and singer played the legendary antagonist role of fashion icon Wilhelmina Slater who 100% deserved the Editor-in-Chief role over Daniel Meade.
Now: Most recently, Vanessa has returned to the stage in shows like POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive and Anyone Can Whistle. She has also made appearances on shows like Carpool Karaoke, RuPaul's Drag Race, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
4.Ana Ortiz as Hilda Suarez
Then: She played Betty's tough and protective, yet kind, older sister Hilda — a cosmetologist and single mother to her son Justin.
Now: Ana has had a thriving TV career ever since. Most recently, she's starred as Victor's mom Isabel on Love, Victor and had a role in History of the World: Part II.
5.Tony Plana as Ignacio Suarez
Then: Tony played Betty's beloved and supportive father Ignacio who harbors plenty of family drama of his own.
Now: Tony reunited with America on Superstore for three episodes, and has a busy TV career. Most recently, he's appeared in White House Plumbers and Not Dead Yet.
6.Becki Newton as Amanda Tanen
Then: She played Betty's enemy turned frenemy turned friend at Mode.
Now: Becki has starred on recent TV shows like The Lincoln Lawyer and Divorce.
7.Michael Urie as Marc St. James
Then: Michael played Marc, Wilhelmina's right hand man and co-conspirator, who also eventually warms on Betty after giving her a hard time at first.
Now: Michael starred on Apple TV+'s Shrinking opposite Harrison Ford and Jason Segel. He also starred in Netflix's holiday rom-com Single All the Way in 2022 and had a recurring role on Younger.
8.Mark Indelicato as Justin Suarez
Then: Mark played Betty's nephew Justin whose fashion knowledge helped her succeed at Mode and formed a bond with Marc, who took him under his wing as a protégé. Justin eventually came out as gay later in the series
Now: Mark is a series regular on HBO's Hacks as well as Amazon Prime's With Love.
9.Ashley Jensen as Christina McKinney
Then: Betty's first friend at Mode and an aspiring fashion designer.
Now: She has starred as Agatha Raisin on the British series Agatha Raisin since 2014 and has also worked on shows like Catastrophe and DuckTales.
10.Christopher Gorham as Henry Grubstick
Then: An accountant who also worked at Mode and Betty's eventual love interest.
Now: After Ugly Betty, Christopher starred on Covert Affairs as Auggie from 2010–2014. He has appeared in many shows and movies since, and most recently, like his castmate Becki Newton, Christopher also stars on The Lincoln Lawyer.
11.Alan Dale as Bradford Meade
Then: Alan Dale, who hails from New Zealand, is known for playing the role of cunning millionaire/billionaire VERY well — he has played a version of that on The O.C. and, of course, on Ugly Betty as Bradford.
Now: Staying true to the "type," Alan most recently starred on Dynasty until 2021.
12.Judith Light as Claire Meade
Then: Daniel's mom and Bradford's ex who murdered his lover — the former Editor-in-Chief of Mode, Fey Sommers.
Now: The legendary actor has a theater, TV, and movie career spanning decades. Her most recent appearances were in Tick, Tick... Boom! and The Menu, as well as an episode of Poker Face.
13.Rebecca Romijn as Alexis Meade
Then: Rebecca played the role of Daniel's trans sister Alexis, who was presumed to be dead early on in the series until she was revealed to be alive in the Season 1 midseason finale. Rebecca has recently reflected on her casting in the role as a cisgender woman and said that if the show were to ever have a reboot, a trans woman should be cast in her place.
Now: After a career-making turn as Mystique in the X-Men series, Rebecca has had roles in many TV shows and movies. She currently stars on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and voices Lois Lane in DC's animated universe.
