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Characters / Ugly Betty

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Major Characters

     Betty Suarez 

Beatriz "Betty" Suarez (America Ferrera)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/betty_suarez.jpg

A young woman trying to make it on her own, Betty Suarez is the main protagonist of the show. She lives in Queens with her widowed father Ignacio, older sister Hilda and nephew Justin, and works as an assistant to the Editor In Chief at Mode Magazine. She quickly learns that working at Mode will test the very fibers of her character, yet she remains resilient and excited in spite of all the conspiracies, drama and heartbreak she suffers. She hopes to be a journalist someday and will often take the chance to pursue her ambition. A role model for all girls everywhere in the view of the show's writers, she's liable to both give and receive Aesops. By the way, she's not so much ugly as she has a really bad/strange fashion sense.

  • Allegedly Dateless: Quite a lot of love triangles for one so "ugly".
  • Animal Motifs: Butterflies, symbolic of Betty's own metamorphoses.
  • Badass Adorable: She's a sweet, cheerful, feminine young woman with a colorful (even when unfortunate) sense of style but she is also very determined and when you get on her bad side, she will warn you she is from Queens and will get physical.
  • Beautiful All Along: Starts off with limp hair, braces, and an unfortunate fashion sense. As the series goes on she starts styling her hair differently, her fashion sense is a little more polished and professional (though no less colorful) and starts showing off her figure, and becomes official in the final episodes when she loses her braces.
  • Bespectacled Cutie: An dorky but cute girl who donned a pair of large glasses
  • Braces of Orthodontic Overkill: She wore very obvious braces and has been lampshaded in one episode that she could have been considered very beautiful if she had perfect teeth.
  • Brainy Brunette: A clever and competent brunette.
  • Break the Cutie: So many attempts are made to do this over the show, Betty pushes through all of them. Notably the pilot.
  • Butt-Monkey: The show puts her through a lot of terrible situations, often played for humor at her expense.
  • Cool Aunt: To Justin, giving him guidance and even allowing him to come with her to work (even getting him an internship), they even play Dance, Dance Revolution together. They are also closer in age as she was likely a preteen when he was born.
  • Cute Clumsy Girl: Despite her competence, Betty is also very clumsy, often knocking into things, most notably plexiglass windows.
  • Dude Magnet: She's had several men trying to win her affections over the course of the series, including her boss.
  • Family Versus Career: This is more so in the 3rd season. Weirdly, she doesn't even have children or a husband, and the family member screaming for the attention is her sister, who already is home with their ill father on a daily basis anyway.
  • Fish out of Water: Especially in the earlier episodes, where she first moves from Queens to a new place and struggled to fit in.
  • Girl Friday: To Daniel, she's usually the reason behind his success working behind the scenes.
  • The Glasses Gotta Go: Thankfully averted when she gets her makeover. She does, however, get more fashionable glasses in the Grand Finale.
  • Nerd Glasses: She wore a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.
  • Nerds Are Sexy: Her many boyfriends throughout the series tend to agree.
  • Nice Girl: Easily one of the most empathetic and nice characters on the show.
  • Odd Friendship: Quickly befriends the rich womanizing Daniel. She also becomes friends with Amanda and Marc later in the story.
  • Only Sane Employee: Betty is this by miles when she first joins Mode (aside from Christina, her Only Friend and the other Only Sane Employee).
  • Plucky Office Girl: Starts out with a dowdy style that earns sneers from co-workers who are more fashionable and thinner than her, she works her way up and stands up for herself many times, earning respect or knowing how to deflect her co-workers' cruel insults.
  • The Pollyanna: No matter what gets thrown her way, Betty faces it with a smile.
  • Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The "Responsible" of the Suarez sisters.
  • Rummage Sale Reject/Impossibly Tacky Clothes: A lot of Betty's clothes from the first few seasons, this starts to change as to time went on.
  • Spicy Latina: Averted. Though there are moments where she reminds Marc that she's from Queens and will hit him.
  • Team Mom: Betty consistently attempts to be this to pretty much everybody around her.

     Daniel Meade 

Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/daniel_meade_1.jpg

Betty's somewhat incompetent boss, though he does try sometimes. The Un-Favorite of the Meade family (which owns the company) he often spends his days Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places, leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him wherever he goes, his own included. He and Betty tend to take turns being each other's rock and evolve from simple boss/assistant relationship into close friends. In the show's finale the relationship was left open-ended, though various hints throughout the episode possibly imply that they Hooked Up Afterwards, the most obvious being that Daniel decides to stay in London for no discernible reason other than that Betty happens to be there. It remains unclear, however, if Betty feels the same way, though she does smile at his arrival

  • Beard of Sorrow: Daniel grows this several times over the run of the show.
  • Bigger Is Better in Bed: When a nude Daniel walks in on Wilhelmina mistaking her for Renee Willie admits she finds his package quite impressive.
  • Character Tic: Has a tendency to smile while giving a thumbs up when lying.
  • Cool Uncle: To DJ, when it's revealed he's actually Alexis's son.
  • Cynicism Catalyst: His brother's death weighs heavily on his mind.
  • Good Feels Good: Takes someone else taking the credit for his "Normal People" modeling show in stride. Even comments on how good it feels.
  • Hero with an F in Good: Many attempts to do right either go unnoticed or end up failing.
  • Hidden Depths: At first comes off as a party animal but as the series progresses he shows tremendous character development.
  • Honest Corporate Executive: Tries to be one, with Betty's help.
  • I Am Not My Father: Tries his hardest to escape his father's shadow.
  • Innocent Blue Eyes: Fitting his Nice Guy but idealistic personality.
  • Ivy League for Everyone: Daniel is an alumnus of Harvard. To be fair, his family is loaded, so he could easily afford to go there and get the best SAT prep available.
  • Lady Killer In Love: He's a womanizer but falls for a Love Interest at least once per season.
  • Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places:
    • Poor Daniel always goes after the pretty ones, who more often than not, screw him over.
    • Averted slightly with Molly. She's pretty, but he loves her beyond that, and they had a real connection.
  • Love Epiphany: In "The Past Presents the Future", he realizes he has feelings for Betty.
  • Luke, You Are My Father: A French boy called DJ (Daniel Jr) shows up claiming to be Daniel's son. Subverted in that he's actually Daniel's nephew.
  • Millionaire Playboy: Especially at the start of the show. He even starts a magazine titled Player that's a Bland-Name Product of Playboy.
  • Nice Guy: Much of his character is him being nice or trying to be.
  • Nice to the Waiter: He's very nice and respectful to his employees.
  • Really Gets Around: He's had a string of relationships. If anything, this is why his father, Bradford, hired Betty is because, to his logic, Daniel wouldn't want to sleep with someone supposedly as "unattractive" as Betty.
  • Real Men Wear Pink: Daniel sure does wear a lot of purple for a straight man. Who works in fashion, admittedly.
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: His clothing of choice often consists or dark suits contrasted with very colorful shirts and ties.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Has one with Alex over control of Meade.
  • The Un-Favourite: Is often compared to his older sister Alex.
  • Upper-Class Twit: At the start of the series, at least.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: His relationship with his father is messy at best.

MODE Magazine

     Wilhelmina Slater 

Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wilhelmina_slater.jpg

Head Creative Assistant and daughter of a Senator, she's a woman of quick wit and versatility which she uses for selfish reasons. Her ultimate desire is to run a magazine and attempts to take over Mode Magazine numerous times. One of the most complicated characters, she performs the role of a Card-Carrying Villain yet is not above the occasional Pet the Dog moment. She has an estranged daughter named Nico and is Marc's manager.

  • Big Bad: She is the primary antagonist of the story.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She acts nice but is the opposite.
  • But Not Too Black: Wilhelmina underwent surgery and skin bleaching in order to conform to the fashion industry's standards as a model.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: She and Marc often call their schemes "evil" with complete sincerity.
  • The Chessmaster: Always has an elaborate plan at hand to get back into Mode's good books, usually involving Marc and any number of her 'contacts'.
  • The Corrupter:
    • As Tyler's AA sponsor, though that didn't work out so well for her.
    • And presumably to Marc sometime prior to the pilot. In fact, Wilhelmina seems to consider it her sworn duty to teach anyone who works for her the proper way to scheme and plot.
  • Deal with the Devil: Don't make deals with Wilhelmina... just don't.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Wilhelmina does soften slightly throughout the series, especially to Marc, Daniel and sometimes Betty.
    • The finale implies she learned her lesson since being nice actually earned her what she wanted.
  • The Dragon: Early On to Alexis. Also during her life as Wanda, Fey Sommers' assistant.
  • Heel–Face Revolving Door: Can be plotting Daniel's downfall in one episode to being his ally in another very often.
  • Heel–Face Turn / Heel Realization: In the finale, especially after Marc chews her out.
  • Icy Blue Eyes: To reflect her cold, icy demeanor.
  • It's All About Me: She really wants the magazine to succeed. As long as she runs it, of course.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: Her antagonism towards Daniel (and Betty by proxy) rises from the fact that she has worked decades at the magazine, has ruled her department with an iron first and was obviously the most competent eligible person to take over after Fey's demise. But job was given to Bradford Meade's son (someone younger than her with no experience) out of blatant Nepotism. She had every reason to be bitter about it, but her questionable methods are obviously too much.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She can be nice, deep down.
  • Manipulative Bitch: It's usually scheming or manipulating people in order to oust Daniel and Betty and take control of the magazine.
  • Modeling is Glamorous: Wilhelmina Slater was a rich girl turned supermodel, who was able to parlay her successful career into a high-powered fashion magazine executive. Her taste for the finer things in life has remained constant throughout, as has her imperious personality.
  • Ms. Fanservice: She's a seductress that often wears glamorous and revealing outfits.
  • Must Make Amends: When she protects Claire from Tyler at the end of the penultimate episode.
  • Pet the Dog: Rare in earlier seasons, but quite often in Season Four. Usually to Marc, Daniel or even Betty. In the finale, she even admits that she will miss Betty.
  • Rich Bitch: Rich, check. Bitch, oh so check. Lampshaded
    Claire: You may wanna rethink your wardrobe, Wilhemina. Gonna have a little trouble convincing them you need money wearing mink.
    Wilhemina: It's not mink, darling, it's chinchilla!
    Claire: Well, whatever it is you look like a Rich Bitch!
  • Silver Vixen: She is a middle-aged woman and is still very Miss America beautiful and has even performed the role of The Vamp a few times.
  • Taking the Bullet: An unusual example; she didn't really intend to take the bullet from Tyler for Claire (in fact, Tyler accidentally fired the gun), but she did save her life. She gets better.
  • The Vamp: She played this role, initially, to seduce Bradford.
  • Villain Decay: While still a danger at times, her backstabbing and scheming wane significantly as the series goes on. She undergoes the Heel–Face Revolving Door several times per season due to personal hangups, familial conflicts and the old "my career" vs "my soul" conflict.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: Zig-zagged in that whenever it seems things couldn't go wrong they do. Invoked in "Bananas for Betty". She gives expensive designer clothes to homeless people, sings to sick children, and makes sure TV cameras happen to be there to let everyone know what a good person she is. It turns out to be All for Nothing when later that night, she slams Betty White's finger in a car door and callously states "I'm Wilhelmina Slater and I don't get wet."
  • Visionary Villain: She really, really cares for and loves MODE and will do anything to have a permanent share of it. As of Season Four, she has succeeded and has an equal 50% control with Daniel. At the end of the series, she has complete control, but not by treacherous means.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Inverted. She and her father used to be pretty close but her ambitions is what made them grow distant.
  • When You Coming Home, Dad?: Her daughter Nico got herself Expelled from Every Other School as a cry for attention from her emotionally distant mother.

     Marc St. James 

Marc St. James (Michael Urie)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/marc.jpg

Wilhelmina's Battle Butler and Camp Gay assistant. Marc takes pleasure at being catty to friends and enemies alike though he too has the occasional Pet the Dog moment.

  • Battle Butler: Not afraid to get his hands dirty to get the job done.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Mark always is shown to be very friendly and supportive of Justin. Giving him advice and encouragement when needed.
  • Camp Gay: Very much so. He behaves in a stereotypically flamboyant manner and makes puns and witty jokes on suggestive terms like "flaming" and "out."
  • Deadpan Snarker: Most of his dialogue is this, especially when paired with Amanda.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Male version - no gay jokes, please. Marc becomes quite close to Betty come to the end of the series, and even Daniel in his own way.
  • The Dragon: As the personal assistant of Big Bad Wilhelmina.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Marc draws the line at hiding evidence that could exonerate Claire.
    Marc: I do a lot of morally questionable things for Wilhelmina, but none of it is technically criminal.
  • Gay Best Friend: For Amanda, a lot of the show's humor comes from their dynamic and they even got their own spin-off web-series.
  • Hidden Depths: Who would have thought the snarky, gay assistant, who picks on people's dreams, would want to own a magazine one day?
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Marc really is a nice guy behind his cattiness.
  • Mentor in Queerness: To Justin.
  • Morality Pet: To Wilhelmina, especially in the finale.
  • Parental Substitute: To Justin, more so as the series goes on (though he still thinks Justin is Betty's son), which eventually got Hilda jealous.
  • Pet the Dog: With Amanda, Justin, and occasionally Betty.
  • Platonic Life-Partners: With Amanda. They have a co-dependent relationship; she often pretended to be his girlfriend to help him hide from his mother that he was gay, and he has taken risks to protect her job from Wilhelmina. They even starred together on their own spin-off web-series "Mode After Hours".
  • The Rival: To Betty, as he's Wilhelmina's personal assistant just like Betty is Daniel's.
  • Yes-Man: Until about season 3 and 4 where he becomes more vocal about his discontents.

     Amanda Tanen 

Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amanda_tanen.jpg

A Sassy Secretary (technically a receptionist) at MODE who serves as Marc's Fag Hag and tags along with him whenever it involves pranking or demeaning others. Though she's conniving and catty she's not too intelligent (i.e. not knowing what wrath means) and is highly impulsive. Despite this she is not completely bitchy and, like every other main character, has plenty Pet the Dog moments. In more recent episodes, she, Marc and Betty seem to have formed some kind of loose trio.

  • Adopted to the House: Amanda gets kicked out of her apartment after going deep into debt and maxing out her credit cards. When Betty finds her living at the MODE offices, she invites herself to become Betty's roommate in her new apartment, where she's generally a pest but has her Pet the Dog moments (like getting a second job at a Burger Fool with a Bad Job, Worse Uniform when she loses the rent money).
  • Ambiguously Bi: Later in the story, Amanda seems to have something of a girl crush on Betty.
  • Attention Whore: Amanda is often desperate to become famous and the center of attention.
  • Bad Job, Worse Uniform: After she loses the rent money in "Bad Amanda", she gets a second job at a Burger Fool to help pay her share. She rushes out of the office, hiding her uniform under a coat.
  • The Brainless Beauty: Downplayed, as she may not be the smartest, however, Amanda is more of a sensitive genius, often being very emphatic when the situation truly requires it, she's also shown to have some degree of street smarts and is a very competent stylist.
  • The Beard: Played this role often for Marc.
  • Big Eater: Mainly when under stress.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Not as much as Marc, but it's still there.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: To Betty throughout the series.
  • Fag Hag: Mostly to her Gay Best Friend Marc, but being a secretary in a fashion magazine has her hang around many gay men. She even turned a few.
  • Friends with Benefits: Becomes one with Daniel in Season 4, though she was sleeping with him as early as Season 1.

     Christina McKinney 

Christina McKinney(Ashley Jensen)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/christina_mckinney.jpg

Betty's best friend at work, Christina is a Funny Foreigner from Scotland, which means she drinks a lot and uses all that hilarious Scottish slang. Her purpose on the show was originally being Betty's only friend among the Modies, making her The Artifact from the days when the show was more of a Fish out of Water comedy. As a result, Christina was Out of Focus a lot in later episodes. She was Put on a Bus at the end of the third season, and returned in the third-to-last episode when Betty, Hilda, and Amanda visited London.

  • The Artifact: Christina doesn't really fit into the show during her last few episodes. Granted Betty doesn't either, but she has more reason for being there.
  • Best Friend: She's Betty best friend and ally at Mode at the start of the story.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Often gets into some Snark-to-Snark Combat with Marc and Amanda.
  • Funny Foreigner: Christina is often mocked for being Scottish, but is also a humorous character herself.
  • Only Sane Employee: She's the most normal person at Mode.
  • Out of Focus: At some points, Christina only existed to pop up and give Betty advice.
  • Real Life Writes the Plot:
    • Christina was originally written as an American and was only made Scottish after Jensen was cast.
    • Also, one of the main reasons for Christina becoming Out of Focus (and then being Put on a Bus) was because the show relocated production from Los Angeles to New York, causing a conflict for Ashley Jensen who was then residing in California and unable to relocate.
  • Scotland: Has that gorgeous accent.

The Suarezes

     Ignacio Suarez 

Ignacio Suarez (Tony Plana)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ignacio_suarez.jpg

Betty's elderly dad. He's an illegal immigrant from Mexico, but not one who was just looking for a better life. No, that would be too boring. Instead, he was on the run after having killed a man (a rather unpleasant man, though, who later turned out to be not-quite-so-dead).

  • Day Time Drama Queen: Ignacio seems to have nothing else to do but hang around watching Telenovelas.
  • Doting Parent: Almost overwhelmingly so to his girls, to his grandson Justin, and usually to Betty or Hilda's love interests.
  • Morality Pet: Somewhat this for both Betty and Hilda.
  • Open-Minded Parent: He is pretty open when it comes to his daughter's dating lives (unlike the usual stereotype of Latino men being the Macho Latino who commits Twerp Sweating) and very accepting (and encouraging) about his teenage grandson being gay and dating a boy.
  • Papa Wolf: He's extremely protective of his daughters and grandson.
  • Supreme Chef: He has great cooking. As we find out, this is how he met Rosa, as he used to work as a chef in the restaurant.

     Hilda Suarez 

Hilda Suarez (Ana Ortiz)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hilda_suarez.JPG

Betty's rather shallow sister with whom she's embroiled in The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry. Hilda may or may not be Miss Yo-Yo Knickers, but she at least dresses like her.

     Justin Suarez 

Justin Suarez (Mark Indelicato)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/justin_suarez.JPG

Hilda's son and therefore Betty's nephew. Justin is Ambiguously Gay for most of the series, but he eventually comes out as The Twink when he hits his teen years. Largely used as a plot device for the Marc character, who serves as a mentor for the kid.

The Meades

     Claire Meade 

Claire Meade (Judith Light)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/claire_meade.jpg

Daniel and Alexis' mother. Originally introduced as Lady Drunk, she now just wants her family back together and serves as a reluctant mentor for Betty, who often is scared of Claire's cold-blooded side. In the first season, she admitted to murdering Fey Sommers and was sent to Cardboard Prison, which she escaped from, of course. Later on, it was Ret Conned that she hadn't meant to kill Fey, enabling the others to Clear Her Name.

     Alexis Meade 

Alex/Alexis Meade (Elizabeth Penn Payne / Rebecca Romijn)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alexis_meade.jpg

Daniel's Transgender sister. She was The Woman Behind The Woman in early episodes, but then had a Heel–Face Turn, leaving Wilhelmina to pick up the evil slack. Alexis is not very consistently written and as a result her personality seems to repeatedly switch between "loving sibling with a competitive streak" and "evil bitch". Put on a Bus at the start of the third season. Not seen after that, but occasionally mentioned.

  • Aloof Big Sister: To Daniel, though she does warm up.
  • Bandaged Face: Was always seen with once in her early appearances.
  • Big Bad: Was briefly built up as this in the early episodes, but had an Heel–Face Turn and become more of a The Rival towards Daniel until she was Put on a Bus.
  • Broken Ace: While Daniel always thought their father treated Alexis like the golden child, Alexis informed him that the real reason Bradford spent so much time taking part in characteristically masculine activities was to try and "cure" Alexis's desire to be a woman, which caused her a lot of trauma.
  • Depending on the Writer: Alexis could either be a total bitch, or genuinely nice.
  • Faking the Dead: She faked her death while she underwent her sex change and plotted to take control of Mode from her father.
  • Heel–Face Turn: She does this a few times.
  • The Man Behind the Man: For the first half of season one, Wilhelmina appeared to be working for her.
  • Man, I Feel Like a Woman:
    • Alexis used to be Alex.
    • Actually made into a plot point. Alexis gets hit with amnesia, making her forget that she underwent her transition and that for all she knows, she's still Alex but suddenly put in a female body. While the amnesia lasts, she reverts back to her previous male personality: her speech patterns are rougher and more masculine, she goes to the men's room, and she overdoes her make-up (although she becomes better over time).
  • No Doubt the Years Have Changed Me: Well she started off male, and came back female.
  • Old Friend, New Gender: Obviously with her sex change.
  • Put on a Bus: Eventually left the show with her son, DJ.
  • Sobriquet Sex Switch: Goes from "Alex" to "Alexis".
  • Tomboyish Name: Of a unisex variety, as "Alex" could be a shorter form of Alexander or two letters off from "Alexis".

     Bradford Meade 

Bradford Meade (Alan Dale)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bradford_meade.jpg

Daniel and Alexis' dad who died in the second season. He was the one who hired Betty in the first place, under the twisted logic that since Betty was ugly, his son would not have sex with her and actually get work done.

  • Abusive Parents: Most of Daniel and Alexis's issues were born from the pressure he put on both of them.
  • Character Death: Died in the second season, but appeared as a vision to Betty later on.
  • Fake American: Alan Dale is a New Zealander.
  • Guess Who I'm Marrying?: Wilhelmina, of course.
  • Hypocrite: Despite giving Daniel a hard time for his womanizing, he almost ruins their company when he marries Wilhelmina.
  • I Kiss Your Foot: He has a foot fetish, and Wilhelmina takes advantage of it to seduce him.

Other

     Fey Sommers 

Fey Sommers (Christine Jones / Becki Newton)

A Posthumous Character who died shortly before the pilot. Bradford was having an affair with her, but Claire found out and murdered her - or at least that was the story until it turned out it wasn't Claire's fault. At the end of the first season, Amanda discovered Fey was her biological mother. After this occurred, Becki Newton, who plays Amanda, started portraying Fey in Flash Backs.

Love Interests

     Standard Betty Boyfriend 

Standard Betty Boyfriend

The Standard Betty Boyfriend is a curious specimen. He starts off as a lovably quirky guy, but Sex Changes Everything and he immediately turns into The Obstructive Love Interest if they ever hook up. After the fans become annoyed enough, the writers give Betty a new boyfriend and the Great Cycle Of Love repeats again.

  • Walter (Kevin Sussman, early season one) - An entity of pure evil who was was Put on a Bus in shame after fifteen episodes. As he was introduced after he had already reached the obstructive stage, he ended up being The Scrappy. Betty tended to be Mistaken for Cheating by him (even though he expected her to ignore the fact that he cheated on her) and he showed her No Sympathy when her ridiculously convoluted work and home life prevented her from spending time with him. Seriously, what were the writers thinking?
  • Henry Grubstick (Christopher Gorham, late season one through season two) - A cute nerd and Betty's first real love. At first a breath of fresh air after Walter, but then it turned out he got some other girl pregnant and things went downhill from there. He's had at least four tearful goodbyes with Betty where he was moving back to Tucson "forever", but still proceeds to show up in NYC whenever the writers need some pointless drama.
  • Gio Rossi (Freddy Rodriguez, season two to early season three) - Immediately formed a Henry-Betty-Gio Love Triangle when he first appeared on the scene, and the season finale forced Betty to choose between them. She chose neither, and he was Put on a Bus only to make one last appearance in the final season. Despite being the most different from Betty and kind of a dog, he's also pretty much the only one of Betty's boyfriends who is a consistently positive influence in her life, he's insanely devoted to her, always looking out for her physical and emotional well-being, readily forgives her whenever she's rude to him (Which is often) and constantly pushes her to abandon fashion and pursue her true dreams.
  • Jesse (Val Emmich, early season three) - You know that sensitive, self-absorbed musician you dated in college? THIS GUY. Fortunately, this didn't get very far.
  • Matt (Daniel Eric Gold, late season three to mid season four) - A Lonely Rich Kid with a Corrupt Corporate Executive for a father and a Rich Bitch for a mother. His main character trait was never finishing what he started and constantly changing his life's ambition. He and Betty were getting really serious when Henry inexplicably dropped in for an episode and gave Betty another farewell kiss right when Matt happened to inexplicably be watching from afar. He promptly became her Jerkass boss and attempted to make her life a living hell, before getting back together with her for a few episodes and then deciding to move to Africa. Detty shippers noted the similarities to Daniel and dubbed him "Daniel-lite".

     Daniel's Girl Of The Season 

Daniel's Girl of the Season

Despite being a rich playboy, Daniel will fall in love like no one has ever loved before only to have his heart completely mutilated when he finds out her deep, dark secret.

  • Sofia (Salma Hayek, season one) - Strong, sexy, career woman who won Daniel's heart by rejecting him. She was the first woman he ever truly loved and he proposed to her after only two months. Turned out to be a publicity stunt for her new article, "Fling to Ring in 60 Days", which she revealed to him on live TV.
  • Renee (Gabrielle Union, season two) - Wilhelmina's sister, who found out her evil plans and thus had to be taken out. As she suffered from mental illness, Wilhelmina had Marc mess with her medication, thus making her go crazy with jealousy, attempt to kill Betty, and light Daniel's apartment on fire. In the end she was committed to an asylum, which for some reason meant Daniel could never see her again. She and this storyline were never mentioned again.
  • Molly (Sara Lafleur, season three) - Elementary school teacher and the first "normal" girl Daniel was attracted to, who was considered "Betty-lite" by the Detty shippers. Drama came from her being the fiance of his friend and CFO, Connor. After some endless pining and angst, she broke up with Connor, got together with Daniel, and died of cancer.
  • Natalie (Jamie-Lynn Sigler, season four) - Manic Pixie Dream Girl helping Daniel get over Molly's death. The support group she brings him into turns out to be an evil cult.

     The Mostly Bad Boys Of Hilda 

The Mostly Bad Boys of Hilda'

Hilda likes dating bad boys, often with disastrous results. Ignacio is so displeased by this.

  • Santos Reynoso (Kevin Alejandro, season one) - Knocked Hilda up in High School, resulting in Justin. Starts to make amends in the first season, but dies.
  • Coach Tony Diaz (Eddie Cibrian, late season two to early season three) - Justin's gym teacher. Hilda continues to date him after finding out he's married, but don't worry, he's leaving his wife. Really, honestly!
  • Archie Rodriguez (Ralph Macchio, season three to season four) - A city councilman and the lone respectable guy in Hilda's dating history. Yes, the most respectable guy she's dated is a politician.
  • Bobby Talercio (Adam Rodriguez, season four) - An old flame who got Hilda pregnant while she was supposed to be dating Archie. It later turned out the pregnancy failed, but nevertheless Hilda ended up marrying Bobby in the Grand Finale. Well, actually the second-to-last episode, but close enough.

     Other Characters' Love Interests 

Other Characters' Love Interests

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