Casting call for SA’s Ugly Betty
An open casting call has been issued for the forthcoming South African adaptation of Latin American comedy-drama format Yo Soy Betty la Fea (aka Ugly Betty).
The series, the first Ugly Betty adaptation that will feature a black lead, is looking for a young black woman in South Africa aged between 22 and 26 to play main character Bettina Sikhakane. According to the call, the actress should be able to portray the ‘before’ look prior to the character’s makeover as well as the ‘after’ look.
In addition, the producers are also looking for Dingaan, a main character and a love interest of Bettina who must be a black actor between the age of 27 and 30. A black actress between the ages of 52 and 56 is also being sought for Dingaan’s mother.
South Africa’s version of the show, titled uBettina Wethu, follows the journey of a wholesome and intelligent but gawky people-pleaser with a dated, unsophisticated sense of style who finds her self-worth and image challenged when she is hired by a brand management company.
Bettina Sikhakane is described as a “kind-hearted, smart, career-focused woman with a dream of running her own company, but… she has to contend with her colleagues’ assumption that, because of her quirky style and kindness, she must be stupid.”
The casting process will involve a public vote to narrow down the search to the top three actors for each role, after which a closed audition process will determine the final choice.
Interested parties can access the script at ubettinawethu.co.za. The must then send a video of themselves performing one of the parts to the WhatsApp number 087 240 5150.
The show is being coproduced for South African public broadcaster SABC by boutique Johannesburg studio Known Associates Entertainment (KAE) and Cape Town production services company Moonlighting Films. It is being supported by South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and PCCW-backed OTT service VIU Africa.
Ryan Solovei, country manager for VIU Africa, said: “These public auditions are an exciting and appropriate way for us to welcome uBettina Wethu into our lives and onto our screens. This production is already capped with many firsts and, for VIU, it echoes our commitment to developing local productions and unearthing local talent in South Africa.
“We’re excited to see the entries and the final outcome for the three main characters of the story, and we look forward to the public’s participation as they have their say in who get to be the next big stars of Mzansi.”
KAE CEO and show producer Tshepiso Sello added: “The social climate in which we find ourselves necessitates a coming-of-age story with a twist. It is meant to allow the audience the chance to see themselves in the characters of the story – to not only root for their success or downfall but also to see the characters as an extension of themselves.
“The road to achieving this starts with finding the right talent. By engaging the public, we want our audiences to feel part and parcel of the show from the onset of our production process before it even hits their screens.”
The show is set to debut in April 2021.
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