Elyfer Torres as modern day Betty
There's clearly big appeal to a story about an unconventional girl who stands up for who she is.
A girl who's seen as an "ugly duckling" who proves she's beautiful, despite what others believe about her physical appearance.
There's also BIG appeal in telenovelas so when you put these two concepts together, you get a burst of remakes that have lasted for over 20 years.
This is the situation with Telemundo's latest novela Betty in New York, which premieres on Monday, 15 July at 20h00 - once
My Perfect Family ends.
It's a modern remake of the uggers Betty story, which achieved international fame with the American series starring America Ferrera.
But it all started in South America, seven years before Ugly Betty, with the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, translated as: "I am Betty, the Ugly one".
It aired between 1999 and 2001 and is credited as being the first telenovela to be remade internationally.
Countries who've made their own versions include Germany, Greece, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Beligium, with many of them changing Betty's name e.g. she's called Maria in the Greek version and Pet in the Thai one, ha!
Telemundo's new version was filmed in late 2018 and stars TV newcomer Elyfer Torres as Beatriz "Betty" Aurora Rincón. The action is set at the V&M Fashion company where Betty lands a job after months of being rejected because of her physical appearance.
She's a bright spark with university degrees but these don't count for her in a world where image is most important so she's forced into taking a job that's beneath her capabilities.
She becomes secretary to V&M's president and her adventures, misadventure’s and battle against her judgemental colleagues and the system begins from there.
Here's a link to the first teasers:
New! Betty in New York Teasers - July 2019