One does not have to be a fan of the show to welcome “Ugly Betty” back to Queens. The story has always taken place in Jackson Heights, but until now the hit ABC sitcom was filmed in Hollywood.
Now it will be filmed in Queens with indoor scenes shot in Long Island City's Silvercup Studios.
The cast and crew have relocated to the city. That is at least 200 full- and part-time jobs. Credit goes to the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting, which has been working to lure film and television production back to the city.
The move was made more attractive by the expansion of the state's Film Production Credit tax program, which allows bigger, more expensive shows and films to qualify for a tax break.
There is no place like the city to shoot a film, but for more than a decade, production companies have been running in the other direction because of high costs and taxes.
Hopefully other shows will follow “Ugly Betty” and take advantage of what Queens has to offer.
