“Yo Soy Betty, La Fea” made me feel seen then and now

Telenovelas have been a staple in my household since I was a child. I don’t think there was ever a time when at least one of us wasn’t sitting in the living room at the same time Monday through Friday, waiting for the novela to begin. This daily routine cemented my preferred method of escapism and my love for the idiosyncrasies of Latin American novela tropes. Although I thought I had outgrown telenovela watching, here I am, at 22, once again seeking solace in the genre that got me through my formative years. The ultimate telenovela of all time is none other than the iconic Yo Soy Betty, La Fea. It goes without saying that after being broadcast in 180 countries, dubbed in 15 languages ​​and several adaptations (including Ugly Betty with America Ferrera), Yo Soy Betty, La Fea has touched many hearts and is considered by the Guinness Book of Records to be the most successful telenovela in history.

This story will return to our screens in the series. Betty La Fea, The story continueswill be released on Prime Video on July 19. This sequel to the popular telenovela marks the return of the iconic title character along with the original cast – including Ana María Orozco, Jorge Enrique Abello, Julián Arango, Natalia Ramírez and Lorna Cepeda – 20 years after the telenovela ended. In the series, we follow Betty’s struggle to bond with her daughter Mia and her relationship with Armando. With this reintroduction of Betty, I thought about how I myself watched the original telenovela and how much Betty’s story has touched me over the years.

My first encounter with Betty began with the Mexican adaptation of the novella La Fea Mas Bella with Angelica Vale and Jaime Camil (Jane, the Virgin). I still remember watching the finale as a five-year-old; one of my earliest memories of my time as a novelist. A few years later, one day, while channel surfing, I came across Canal RCN and noticed a title that brought me back: Yo Soy Betty, La Fea. I realized that this was the original Colombian telenovela of history that I loved. While memories of my early childhood are hazy, I can clearly remember the lively theme song at the beginning of each episode, Lorna Cepeda as Patricia, who I had seen in other Colombian series, and of course divine tanDon Armando – which quickly made me a fan of Jorge Enrique Abello. While I grew up watching mostly Mexican telenovelas, I recognized the nostalgia that Colombian novelas, especially Betty LaFeamake me feel. This novella in particular takes me back not only to such an early part of my childhood, but also to one of the first times when I felt seen as a young girl.

You can’t talk about it Yo Soy Betty, La Feawithout talking about the title character and heart of the telenovela – Beatriz “Betty” Pinzón Solano, played by Ana Maria Orozco. Betty is the vivacious, friendly and incredibly intelligent protagonist who is deemed “ugly” due to society’s ideal of beauty. She is a woman with glasses, braces and facial hair and not “appropriately” dressed by the standards of Eco Moda, the clothing company she works for as secretary to the handsome but questionable Don Armando. Her workplace is the meeting place for self-pocketed, mean comments regarding her appearance and although she finds community in el cuartel de las feas – her work circle of friends – her perspective as a girl who also felt like an ugly duckling has always appealed to me.

It was in first grade when my friend said to me on the way back to the classroom after recess, “I’m the pretty one, you’re the smart one.” I accepted it at the time, but thinking back on it, I realize how much that brief comment changed my perception of myself. By calling herself the pretty one, I was automatically the ugly one. I felt reflected in Betty, a girl who was praised more for her intelligence than her looks. A feeling I still struggle with today, coupled with the added complications of navigating love and relationships as an adult. Finding myself in a difficult place with my self-esteem, I reconsidered Betty’s character.

One part of the novella that I think is one of the most memorable is when Betty discovers that what she thought was a real, loving relationship with Armando was ultimately a sham. It was all a lie that Armando wanted her to believe. She vents her grief by saying, “I betrayed myself, I withdrew, I didn’t kill myself!” A statement and feeling so deeply heartbreaking and familiar that it haunted me for a while. Even though I wasn’t in her exact shoes, I felt every word and understood more in that moment than I ever had before. There are ideas that I couldn’t comprehend as a five- or eight-year-old watching her novella. Now, as an adult who has experienced similar circumstances and felt like an ugly duckling, I was right there with her. As a plus-sized Latina living in predominantly white spaces, I was sick of feeling less or not beautiful because I didn’t fit beauty standards. What I once heard in first grade became clear to me when I had experiences in life that told me I was not beautiful.

Yet what followed Betty’s heartbreak was her journey of finding her own power and loving herself. Through change and regained self-esteem, Betty began to love who she is – the girl she always was. Seeing that happen gives me a sense of optimism about where I could be. Although I’m not there yet, it was motivating to see her resilience take shape as she flowed back into herself and took up space in her job to figure out how I could possibly make that happen for myself.

Betty’s story is one that transcends generations. Her journey of self-actualization and transformation into a confident woman is a story that resonates with countless people, especially Latinas. As I continue to try to gain that confidence, I will always remember Betty as a nostalgic figure in my formative years and now as an adult when I look back.