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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).

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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Ugly Betty adapted for South Africa

Latin American comedy-drama series Yo Soy Betty, la Fea (aka Ugly Betty) is being adapted for South Africa and will feature the show’s first black lead.

uBettina Wethu will air on SABC

Pre-production will begin next month on uBettina Wethu (Our Betty), the South African remake of Yo Soy Betty, la Fea, the megahit Colombian telenovela that inspired the America Ferrera-fronted ABC series Ugly Betty.

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, to debut in April 2021.

Our Betty is the story of a naive rural girl who gets a job working for one of Johannesburg’s most eligible bachelors. Despite the challenges, she succeeds in winning his heart and excelling in business beyond her wildest dreams.

Producer Tshepiso Sello said: “Acquiring the rights and putting the finance together for uBettina Wethu has taken four years but thankfully we are there now.

“It’s a wonderful, universal story that has been told in more territories worldwide than any other franchise and we are so happy to be bringing it to life in South Africa.”

Genevieve Hofmeyr, MD of Moonlighting, said: “KAE has a great depth of experience in development and financing, which will allow us to focus on our core competency: physical production. The partnership will allow two entrepreneurial companies to work together at a time when the global market for entertainment content is hungry for new perspectives, and we are well placed to deliver on this opportunity.”

Joel Phiri, exec producer at KAE, added: “Any growth strategy has to involve an alignment with the right kind of partners. We couldn’t be more delighted to be working alongside Moonlighting, a company that has played a key role in putting South Africa on the international coproduction map and who leads the field in servicing Hollywood productions.

“It marks a new chapter for KAE as we are releasing our new joint slate together, one that celebrates compelling storytelling, identity, diversity and youth culture across a range of genres. We’re so honoured to launch this collaboration, and I truly believe we can co-develop some great film and TV projects together.”

Other projects on the two companies’ joint slate include the Gaumont coproduction 418, a limited series set in Europe and South Africa in the 1980s about two South African patriots on opposite sides of the Cold War.

Another show on the slate is 76, a limited series from producer Rebecca Rivo about four students who join a peaceful protest in apartheid-era South Africa, only to see their lives torn apart when the government responds with violence.

Desert Run, meanwhile, is an action-drama series about four young gamers whose lives are turned upside-down when they are recruited as drone pilots by the US military.

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