‘Betty the Ugly One’, the most successful telenovela with the highest ratings of all times, turned 17 since its first episode aired in Colombia on October 25th of 1999, and its last episode was on May 8th of 2001. The show was written by producer and screenwriter Fernando Gaitan and created by RCN; it was included in the Guiness World Records in 2010 as the most successful television novel in history after being released in 171 countries, dubbed in 25 languages and having around 28 adaptations worldwide.
‘Betty the Ugly One’, is currently on the air in the afternoons of RCN, with high audience numbers. This production was directed by Mario Ribero and starred Ana María Orozco and Jorge Enrique Abello, and included in the cast Natalia Ramírez, Lorna Cepeda, Luis Mesa and Julián Arango.
“I´m very happy that it´s been 17 years since the show was released for the first time, it´s a wonderful encounter with the young generations that never saw it and are enjoying it as much as we did back then. This is a product that has filled me with a lot of satisfaction, especially now that RCN is airing it in the afternoon frame and that is a big success. The telenovela is more alive now than ever thanks to the response of the audiences that wait every day to watch it” said Fernando Gaitan, createor, screenwriter of this great story.
On the other hand, Natalia Ramirez, who played Marcela Valencia in the successful show, talked about how this character changed her life. “‘Betty the Ugly One’, is a before and after for me, it marked the difference of my career, it was the perfect opportunity to go international and be allowed to work in other countries. It was the dream of every artist for me, leaving your comfort zone, that´s what Betty brought for me. I hope the views never forget Marcela Valencia, I adore that character, it was wonderful for me, not only because of the doors it opened, but also because I was able to show what I´m capable of doing, the challenge of playing the villain that didn´t seem to be one, I loved that about her”, she concludes.