“Ugly Betty” comes home

One of television’s most popular Queens residents, Betty Suarez, will leave California behind in favor of the borough of her roots to film “Ugly Betty.”
Although Betty Suarez, the main character of “Ugly Betty,” lives in Queens and works in Manhattan, until now the show has been filmed almost entirely in Los Angeles, although its pilot was filmed in New York. As the filming relocates to New York, it will find a home at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City.
“We are thrilled to welcome back ‘Ugly Betty’ to Silvercup Studios,” said Silvercup CEO Alan Suna. “It’s not just a boon to the television and film industry, but this production will also bring several hundred high quality jobs to Queens, not to mention the ancillary service businesses that will benefit. From restaurants to costume makers and everything in between, ‘Ugly Betty’s’ filming will bring a much-needed economic boost to Queens and to New York City.”
In the ABC show, which premiered in 2006, America Ferrera, who won an Emmy for the role, plays Suarez. A native of Queens, Suarez gets a job for the fashion magazine “Mode,” where she is quite different from her co-workers.
“While there’s no better backdrop than New York City for virtually any television show, a show about a young woman from Queens whose job combines publishing and fashion was made to be ‘Made in New York’,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
A driving force behind the show’s relocation is a 35 percent tax credit from the city and state as part of the Empire State Tax Credit program. It is estimated that the show will bring more than 200 jobs to the city.
“New York is an integral part of the creative storytelling of ‘Ugly Betty’,” said Mark Pedowitz, the President of ABC Studios. “These new tax incentives have made it possible to bring Betty Suarez back to her hometown. We appreciate the support from the state and local government and their forward thinking incentives that have helped the series’ creative vision and bottom line.”
Set building for “Ugly Betty” will begin at Silvercup Studios in June, with filming scheduled to start over the summer.
“We are thrilled that Betty is coming home to the city where she began,” said Pat Swinney Kaufman, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office for Motion Picture & Television Development. “Three years ago, the pilot for ‘Ugly Betty’ was shot in New York, but the series itself was pulled back to LA where it has been filmed for two seasons. We are pleased that New York will again play itself in this hit series and that our talented actors and crews, many vendors and great infrastructure will be here to service the show.”