Maybe Americans have finally gotten bored with Hollywood’s Barbie doll perfection in its stars – skinny, with perfect skin and designer clothes that look great on TV but couldn’t be further from what most people actually look like (unless you live in L.A, that is).
Because, the most popular new show on US television today is about someone who clearly isnt skinny, well-dressed or with great hair or skin. Its Ugly Betty, and everybody loves her, scoring higher in the ratings than any other new programme this season.
The ABC show, which is based on a Columbian telenovela, features America Ferrera, a plain jane from Queens trying to make it big in the fashion world. It got 16.1 Million people watching on its debut night.
The budding Latina star first made her mark in the HBO film “Real Women Have Curves”.? Heres what she had to say about being pegged as a “Latina actress”:
“I grew up in her (mother’s) office so I’ve seen these women. They are trying to survive…My mother was skeptical but I got a waitress job to pay for my classes, pictures and other expenses.”
“I taped an audition and sent it back but I didn’t expect anything….I was immediately attracted to the character because I’ve been experiencing similar things in my own life. As a first-generation Latina, the constant question is ‘Are you Latin or are you American’?”
“I never even saw myself as Latina until I started to audition for roles, but I could relate to the economics of my character’s situation as well as to the image issue. Caring about your appearance is universal. I know 45 year old women who still hate their bodies. There are no magazines that say ‘love who you are on the inside first, and worry about the outside later’.”
Originally posted on September 28, 2006 @ 3:26 pm