Ralph Macchio Will Be Back On Ugly Betty!
January 19, 2009 by Tom
Ask and ye shall receive, Ugly Betty fans. Many of us have wondered if Ralph Machhio on Ugly Betty had been a case of drive-by casting, or if he’d be back as character Archie Rodriguez. We now have an answer directly from the source!
Kelly West of Cinema Blend ran into Macchio at the 7th Annual Ray-Ban Visionary Award ceremony and party. He was in town for the Slamdance Film Festival where he’s among the cast of the film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead and was on the red carpet tonight to support this year’s Visionary Award honoree, Ewan McGregor.
West asked Macchio about Ugly Betty, and he replied that the producers had asked him back for at least one episode (maybe more).
When asked about a possible romance with Betty’s sister Hilda, Ralph said that he couldn’t say for sure, but he admitted what we all knew: the two had some chemistry. He didn’t know if Ana Ortiz’s pregnancy would be written into the show (although all indications are it will not).
Macchio didn’t know the date of his return, but it’s good to know it’s at least in the works!
Image: Bauer-Griffin
I love that Ralph Macchio is back in the game; Karate Kid and My Cousin Vinny are great movies, and I know we’ve all missed little Daniel-san! Go Ralph!! I love Hilda and him together!
i actually liked archie. i’m glad that ralph is returning to the show and i’m looking forward to archie’s developing relationship with hilda. fingers crossed, the writers will not screw up this character and make him dislikable.
Yay! I love Macchio’s character on UB. I’d love for Ana’s pregnancy to be written into the storyline. How crazy would it be to have a new Suarez baby in the family and have it be an unplanned pregnancy with a politician! Scandalous
I am happy that we FINALLY get to see him back. I have no idea why the ABC people took all the pains to hire Macchio and shout it to the world (knowing he would be a favorite among viewers) just to give him a few lines in two episodes. The way it sounds it’s like they don’t know what to do with his character and Hilda. But I hope that’s just that they haven’t told him much of what’s planned for him in UB.
I like him. In my opinion I see more potential as him as a guest star than… let’s say, Lindsay Lohan was. Maybe, a long-arc love story for Hilda, for a change!
Am I the only one who doesn’t really understand all the love towards Archie? He didn’t seem like a particularly developed character or anything, just someone to throw a loophole in the Hilda’s salon story, which seems to have spiralled a huge fan base for him, which doesn’t make much sense to me. I’d rather see Randy come back to develop the Justin storyline, we’ve had Hilda love interest plotlines, but the Justin idea could be a much meatier story.
Yah!! So happy to hear this news. Yes, his character needs more development but I think the outpooring of support for Macchio comes from his credibility as a great actor and someone we all grew up rooting for. There are so many unlikable celebs that always get their shot… here’s a cheer for one of the good guys we love! Bring on Archie and happy for Hilda… we’ll see
Lee, let me explain why I like Archie. Of course, there’s the longtime respect for Macchio (my favorite role of his was actually in the movie “Crossroads”), but along with that is Archie’s graciousness when Hilda blew up at him (both times). He even helped her out. She has her business license because of his suggestion of starting a boutique.
That’s likeable to me, although I’ll agree I’d like to know more about this character.
And I still think it would be cool if S. Horta took my advice and turned Ana Ortiz’s pregnancy into an onscreen scandal for Archie and Hilda.
I agree with most of the posters. The main I am rooting for Archie is mainly because I like Macchio as an actor. But anyway, Archie Rodriguez, even if he has got just so amazingly little screen time, is still so likable and nice that you can’t help but root for him and Hilda. To see her have a nice relationship for a change. Which is why I think Horta will punish us to the end. Like Cliff, Gio and now Archie… they are normal next-door guys with a heart of gold. We love them and then he takes them away from us. That’s the UB lovers curse, I think.
And about your comment, Tom. I really have NO IDEA how they can’t take advantage of Ana’s pregnancy to improve Hilda’s story. But instead they keep faking Christina’s pregnancy (though that story is leading nowhere this season). What are they going to do with Hilda? The same thing they did to Alexis?! Give her less screen time until she gives birth to her child?
*trying really hard not to sound as angry and bitter as I actually feel*
I think the show sizzles with Ralph Macchio on Ugly Betty. He’s perfect for Hilda! What I would really like to see though is Mrs. Meade hook up with someone. Why not Papi? They could have a really cute cast (bring back Gio!) if people put a little more effort into characters and not so much the styles they wear. This season isn’t working for me because the characters are completely inconsistent from how they were last fall or 2006. Its like the new producers or staff sit in the office like Billy Madison’s dumb friends thinking it’d be funny to see what they can get away with knowing they don’t gotta watch the show every week since its been giving up its timeslot so much. Talk about a manufactured way to slowly try and get rid of a program by being “nice.” Isn’t that what Jim Belushi’s character got his cutthroat boss in trouble for doing in Mr. Destiny, secretly selling out to Japanese (*incredulous tone*…the Russians?! j/k) when he laid the prick out at the film’s climax during a board meeting? I’ve seen this kind of undermining before: it starts with going back to where things start and instead of elaborating or witnessing magic, Chinatown Borg come in to try and stop First Contact because it might pose a threat to Pleasantville.
THE OUTSIDERS ROCK!