Jamie Lynn Sigler recently spoke to TV Guide about her recurring role as Natalie on Ugly Betty.  Much of it we fans already know (although it’s interesting to hear Sigler’s take on it), but there are a few things that have been dangling “out there” that she gives answers about.

What does she know about the role?  “They told me that Natalie is eccentric, spiritual and a little bit out-there. She takes [Daniel] on a wild night around Manhattan to break him out of his shell. And he ends up depending on her enough that he makes her his assistant. They also told me that, throughout whatever’s going to happen, her intentions are always pure. She has no [ill will], though at times it may seem so.”

So, I was wrong.  She won’t be “the bad guy”, but she may lead Daniel down the wrong path, I think.

Also, about that new haircut:  “The look, as we go on, is going to change. She’s going to have a bit of a transformation, not a big makeover, when she starts working at Mode, because I think she realizes what kind of place it is and what it stands for and maybe her look won’t necessarily fit in that well. So she does some adjustments to her look”, she says.

Of course, Sigler hasn’t proven me wrong enough yet, so how about this one, about a Natalie/Daniel relationship?  What does Sigler say?  

“No. They told me that from the beginning. This is not going to be a typical love interest role. Being a fan of the show, I don’t think it would be right so close to Molly’s death for him to meet a woman in a bereavement group and start dating her. All they told me was the plotline for the first episode and where it could go, which I think is more fun when you’re playing a character on episodic television. You can’t anticipate too much.”

(So, Maybe there’s something the writers aren’t telling Sigler )

Jamie Lynn also says that Bennett (from the Community of the Phoenix) will actually start hanging out at Mode.  She also confirms that Natalie has a five-episode arc (tonight is the third).

This is a great interview, and there’s more.  Go check it out, and come back and tell us what you think!

Image: Bauer Griffin

Based on these set photos of America Ferrera and Daniel Eric Gold filming scenes for Ugly Betty, I think it’s safe to say that in some upcoming episode of the show, Betty and Matt will be at the very least, friendly.

This looks like a date to me, and one that’s going well.  But, this could just be a friendly walk, such as we’ve seen Betty take with Daniel many times.

They seem to be walking around somewhere Betty knows, because she’s pointing out something to Matt.

I LOVE these red coats that Betty has been wearing, it is a very good color on her (and America Ferrera).

And Matt doesn’t resemble in any way the disheveled mess of last season.  He looks downright Daniel-like. 

This scene is interesting to me, because I haven’t seen anything in the upcoming episode synopses (and yes, I WILL be posting about them, and the shelved sweeps episode – which deserves its own post) about Betty and Matt getting back together.  So, for all we can tell, this is a (very) friendly walk.

Also, Betty either starts out, or end up, alone in this scene:

I’m guessing “starts”, because she’s headed down the stairs in this pic.  But, she looks upset, or concerned.

I know some of you (OK, most of you) are very against a Betty/Matt pairing, but, knowing the Ugly Betty writers, whatever they are setting up here is either a tease, or temporary.

Plus, where does Amanda (and her designs on Matt) play into this?  I actually kind of like the idea of Amanda and Matt, at least a little.  They do seem kind of made for each other.

Anyway, we’ll keep an eye on the upcoming episodes to see what this is all about!

Images: SplashNewsOnline.com

Here is another sneak peek of Ugly Betty episode 4.05, Plus One.  Betty is third wheel, (or plus one, whatever ) at a lunch with Daniel and Natalie.

Hat tip: B&B

First off, what’s up with Natalie’s Kate-Gosselin-hair?  Yes, it looks wonderful, but it really changes the character, by looks alone.  Maybe that’s on purpose.  As much as I liked her character in Blue on Blue, I’m guessing she’s going to end up being “the bad guy”, and Betty’s going to have to save Daniel from her.

Anyway, in the sneak peek, Natalie cannot eat restaurant food, she is eating “Maca-greenie and cheese”.  She then has a conversation with Daniel about Gloria, a weird woman from “the group”, who wears leg warmers everywhere.  They say she only eats green foods because they help her “phase” better.

Betty is uncomfortable the whole time, obviously out of the loop and feeling a little left out.  It’s kind pf sad – I’ve been there many times before myself, but Betty keeps her good manners and optimism and tries her best to at least appear interested in Daniel and Natalie’s inside conversation.

It looks like in this episode Betty will be jealous both romantically (Matt and Amanda) and platonically (Daniel and Natalie).  We know that things are going to get worse on at least one front, because Daniel is going to hire Natalie as his assistant.

Anyway, this looks to be another good episode!

Here is a sneak peek of Ugly Betty episode 4.05, Plus None.  This one really gets the Detty on.

Hat tip: B&B

Betty and Daniel meet at the elevator; Daniel is heading to his group meeting, we don’t know what Betty is doing, but she seems to be leaving for the day.

Daniel tells Betty how “the group” is helping him cope with losing Molly.  He then says he notices she and Matt have been “chummy” lately.  He asks if “there’s anything (about them) she’d like to report".

Betty hems and haws, then mentions that the two of them (Daniel and Betty) have their first “non-professional, just friends”  lunch.

Betty then tells him that she’s going to help him find a new assistant, and Daniel says “how could I ever replace you?”

Daniel seems a little uncomfortable throughout this clip.  It would be interesting to know the circumstances immediately beforehand.

One other noticeable thing, for me, is the lack of Jeff Beal’s background music.  There is hardly ever a scene, and never a scene where two people meet, where there isn’t music, so I’m assuming the clip was created before post-production. But, that’s just a guess – maybe they’ve had more “music-less” scenes in the past than I’ve noticed.

Anyway, it’s great to see the producers give a tip of the hat to the Detty fans in the episode, airing this Friday at 9/8c.

This is double-interesting news.  According to EW’s Ausiello, Fisher Stevens will join the cast of Ugly Betty in a possibly recurring role as Betty’s new landlord.

You’ll recognize Stevens right away, because he always plays “that creepy guy”.  I remember a recurring role on CSI NY where Stevens was spectacular.  Then, of course, there’s the role he played on Lost (George Minkoski)

On Betty, he will play Mr. Z., a dry and sarcastic landlord.  When they cast the role, they were looking for a "New York actor who could go head-to-head with America Ferrera."

Personally, I love Stevens, and I think I’ll love what he brings to the show.

One thing we know his character will bring to the show is the fact that Betty will move back out of the house again.  We know this because Stevens cannot be the Suarezes landlord, because they bought their house last season.

I wonder, though, is this the apartment Amanda is living in (which supposedly Betty still leases), or will they get Betty another one? (I think she should get her own place in Queens). 

The whole “Betty moves back home” story line, I think was a mistake – especially since Ignacio was better and fooling around with his nurse a few episodes later.  I also believe that the production crew and writers did not all agree that this should happen.

Regardless, if Betty is going to get a new landlord, I can’t think of a better actor to play him than Fisher Stevens!

Image: Bauer Griffin

Here is the latest Mode After Hours (the Ugly Betty webisode starring Michael Urie and Becki Newton).  This one is entitled “Behind The Scenes #3. (Unfortunately, it’s most likely restricted outside the US

Michael and Becki celebrate making it to 20 webisodes (not too humbly, either.  )

Director Richard Heus sings their praises.

Also, Mark Worthington, who says that 80% of what the final product is comes from Michael and Becki’s ideas.

Michael and Becki recount the Wedding Episode, where MIchael had to catch a garter on his tongue (hilarious!)

Heus says that they need to use Becki and Michael’s tongues more. 

The two are just so funny together – I cant wait for the next “scripted” Mode After Hours!

Here is the full recap of Ugly Betty episode 4.04, The Wiener, The Bun, and the Boob.  Based on the comments in my Quick Thoughts post, you guys REALLY liked this episode.

Even though I initially thought too much was going on, it looks like that’s when the show works well – and now that I think of it, what happens on a quick-paced episode is that there isn’t time for the story to get bogged down.  The show has gotten in trouble in the past when the situation was set up, then we had 20 minutes of navel-gazing. 4.04 was better because it kept moving.  As usual, you guys were right.

It’s funny how Daniel made things better by telling the truth, and Betty made things better by lying.

The Amanda kissing scene was even funnier the second time.

Oh, and “the boob” may have referred to Lexie’s, but it could have also referred to Hilda’s impression of Meghan McCain.

This was a great episode!

That being said, the ratings did not improve.  Sigh.

Full recap after the jump.

Read More – Ugly Betty Episode 4.04 Full Recap

 Here are some quick thoughts about Ugly Betty, episode 4.04, The Wiener, The Bun, and The Boob.

• I LOVE Betty’s new attitude.  I wasn’t sure if I would, but it’s not annoying or abrasive, it seems to fit her new situation.
• Marc’s face when he learned he would be Betty’s assistant was hilarious.  So was Betty’s.  At the same time, Wilhelmina’s expression when she thought Marc was going to get info out of Nico was priceless.
• Wilhelmina kissing Claire and Cal’s butt was very funny.  Uncomfortable, but funny.
• Brooklyn Decker was used perfectly.  Beautiful, but totally hideous.  Man, that is one tall woman!
• I can’t believe they told Betty and Marc that the associate editor’s position was settled by a coin flip!  And Marc calling her “tails” was pretty funny.
• I TOLD you who/what the “boob” would be!!!! HA!
• I wish they could have spent more time on Hilda’s sexting episode.  Archie’s original reaction was the funniest his character has been so far.
• Of course, Marc and Betty as hot dog and bun were sublime.  The comedy quickly turned to drama, and that was pretty good, too.
• Matt kissing Amanda morphing into Betty kissing Amanda morphing into Betty as a hot dog and Amanda screaming was the funniest thing on the show this season!  Isn’t it amazing how Becki Newton can be so funny in so little screen time?
• Marc and Betty’s relationship has to be one of the strangest on TV.  But, they are wonderful onscreen together.
• The ending was nice – they really know how to do endings on this show.

OK, one quibble.  Brian Tanen, one of Ugly Betty’s most talented writers, tried to fit too much into this episode, IMHO.  There were five major concurrent story lines.  It’s usually tough to fit in three.  But then again, many times in the past when I’ve thought an episode was too “busy”, it turns out to be one of the most popular, so what do I know?

But otherwise, it was a good episode.  The second half was the funniest on the show in a long time. 

Image: Bauer Griffin

Grant Bowler says the Ugly Betty cast “consider themselves to be a bunch of East Coast theatre geeks who got lucky”.  Well, it would only be natural for Becki Newton (Amanda) to star on the stage, and that’s exactly what has happened.

Newton, along with her husband Chris Diamantopoulos will find love on stage in the Encores! presentation of the Gershwin musical Girl Crazy, under the direction of Tony-winner Jerry Zaks in November.  The two will play lovers Danny Churchill and Molly Gray.  Wayne Knight (Chicago) is cast as Gieber Goldfarb.

The show will run Nov. 19-22 at City Center. Finian’s Rainbow director and choreographer Warren Carlyle will choreograph, with musical direction by Rob Fisher.

Girl Crazy has music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan. According to Encores! notes, "The Gershwins’ fanciful Depression-era musical of 1930 is the tale of a sophisticated New Yorker (Diamantopoulos) marooned in a dusty Western cow town with no one who understands him but the Yiddish-speaking cabbie (Knight) who brought him there and no one to love but the only woman (Newton) within 50 miles."

Becki has shown glimpses of musical brilliance in snippets on Ugly Betty.  Though farce, her performances of My Milkshake and Gene Simmons is My Daddy revealed some pretty good pipes.

Becki and Chris have some pretty big shoes to fill, considering the roles were initially filled by Allen Kearns (Mickey Rooney in the film) and Ginger Rogers (Judy Garland in the film).  Becki, here’s the standard you have to live up to

Seriously, though, this is going to be awesome!  If you are in the New York area Nov. 19-22, you REALLY should go see Becki and Chris in this one!

Image: SplashnewsOnline.com

Here is the promo for Ugly Betty episode 4.04, The Wiener, the Bun and the Boob.

OMG, I’ve been waiting for this one!  It looks to be over-the-top campy, and I mean that in a good way.  As a reminder, here’s the synopsis for the episode:

Betty is overwhelmed with her editorial work, so Wilhemina assigns Marc to be Betty’s temporary assistant. Betty’s story idea to cover the worst jobs in New York goes south when she has to dress up as a hot dog and do a Bollywood dance number. Meanwhile, Marc frets that he’ll never be taken seriously by his idol at Vogue magazine, Hilda gets Archie’s campaign in trouble, Daniel hires a gorgeous but inept assistant (supermodel Brooklyn Decker), and Natalie introduces Daniel to the Community — a group whose charismatic leader (Dylan Baker) zeroes in on Daniel.

(BTW, most have speculated that “the boob” is Daniel.  That’s probably right, but any episode that has “Brooklyn Decker” and “boob”, well…I just can’t help myself )

Anyway, this one appears to be another great episode to showcase Marc (“She-diculous!”), and the fact that Betty’s going to start giving as good as she gets in the insult department will mean there will be even more great quips.

But, Betty and Marc dressed as a hot dog and bun, singing a Bollywood song and dance number, that’s just sublime.  And they are both in pitch, too! (Both America Ferrera and Michael Urie are good singers; the musical talent on this show is amazing, when you think about it).

Add in Hilda getting Archie’s campaign in trouble, and this one might be one of the best.  C’mon Friday!