Trivia / Ugly Betty

• Actor Allusion:
  • Zachary Boule dated a Gossip Girl. So did his actor, canonically.
  • Amanda calls Sofia "[Daniel's] Frida Kahlo." Salma Hayek played Frida Kahlo in Kahlo's biographical film, Frida.
• California Doubling: Seasons one and two were filmed in Los Angeles (save for the pilot), even though the show takes place in New York City. Averted in seasons three and four (as well as the pilot) which were filmed on-location.
• Fake Nationality: Honduran-American America Ferrera plays Mexican-American Betty Suarez.
• Friday Night Death Slot: When the show aired for the first half of the fourth season — it escaped to Wednesdays, only to get canceled anyway.
• Hide Your Pregnancy: A somewhat extreme case with Rebecca Romijn; her character Alexis had to be written out of the show when the actress became pregnant, as Alexis is transgender.
• Hostility on the Set: Lindsay Lohan didn't get along with the production, particularly America Ferrera, so Lohan's arc was cut short.
• The Other Darrin:
  • Wilhelmina's daughter Nico was originally played by Jowharah Jones in season 1, but was replaced with Yaya Dacosta in season 4. Marc lampshades this by complimenting her on her nose job.
  • Alexis was originally portrayed by Elizabeth Penn Payne for the first twelve episodes when she was a bit character and credited as "Masked Lady" before Rebecca Romijn took over the role as Alexis.
• Out of Order:
  • "Swag," which should have been episode 4, was the eleventh episode broadcast. Plot events like Walter trying to get Betty to forgive him for cheating, and Wilhemina finding the music box and stealing it from Bradford, were already moot points by then.
  • For some reason, the second and third episodes are switched on the Season 1 DVD set.
• Playing Against Type:
  • Fabia, the hilariously camp cosmetics mogul, is played by... Gina Gershon???
  • Also, Betty's Italian VA would later go on to voice a character in another show with a very similar premise, despite it being basically more of a Soap Opera for kids; the Playing Against Type part kicks in after you realise that the same person who voiced Betty voiced the Alpha Bitch of the other show, that is, the one harassing the main character. Wow.
• Trans Character, Cis Actor: Daniel's transgender sister Alexis, is played by cisgendered actress Rebecca Romijn.