Ugly Betty Mystery: Do You Think Fey Sommers Is Alive?
June 11, 2009 by Tom
One of the hot topics during the second half of Ugly Betty season 3 was – will Fey Sommers return? It’s actually amazing how much heat the topic generated here and at other UB blogs and message boards, considering the idea seems to be totally confined to those discussions. As far as I know, Silvio Horta in his various end-of-season interviews has not mentioned a thing about the subject. Yet, the message board discussion continues unabated.
As a refresher, Fey Sommers was the “just-deceased” editor-in-chief of Mode as the pilot of Ugly Betty aired. It turns out that Bradford Meade was having a longtime affair with Sommers. As a twist, Fey poisoned Claire Meade using tainted perfume, which ironically drove Claire to murder Fey. In yet another twist, Fey Sommers turned out to be Amanda’s biological mother (father unknown, although Gene Simmons pretended to be for a while).
In the middle of all of that is something most Betty fans have forgotten: Fey’s casket, it turns out, was empty. Since that moment, in season 1 I believe, the writers pretty much dropped the subject.
Some have speculated that Fey was the person Wilhelmina saw in the season 3 finale – whomever it was, it shocked her. That WOULD be an interesting way to bring back the character.
Several actresses have portrayed Sommers (including Becki Newton!), but I am going to watch closely this summer to see if a middle-aged woman is cast in a recurring role. OR, they could just let Newton play her. THAT would make for some interesting episodes.
If it happens, I believe it will be solely because of internet chatter. Trust me, when Gene Simmons said he “Googles himself every morning”, he wasn’t too far from the truth. You’d be amazed when you comment here and other places who is listening.
Be that as it may, I hope it happens, mainly because it will help return some of that wonderful season 1 intrigue to Ugly Betty.
Image: Newscom
I REALLY hope it is fey sommers. The perfect person to play Fey would be Anna Wintour (Vogue Magazine’s editor-in-chief I believe) because they look SOOOOOOOOOOOO alike. But, Anna Wintour is not an actress so that would be kind of impossible but still, it’s cool to see how much alike they are. Anyway, I loooooved season 1 and i wish that they could make the 4th season with that season 1 spirit and the best way to do that (i think) that it would be by bringing back Fey. And it would be insteresting to see how Amanda would react around Fey, and i really wanna see a diferent side of Amanda, darker side maybe? I would love to see how Becki would play that.
Great, now I’m freaking excited to see if it is Fey.
First, I am one of those that actually have NOT forgotten that Fey’s casket was empty. That leads to my sort of obsession with the idea of her return. I’m SURE that sooner or later she’s meant to come up. She’d bring so many thing to the show, it’s definitely a great occasion for writers to put new lymph in the show. If there is a God, the person who saw Willie HAS to be Fey. (Ok, maybe it’s a little exaggerate, but I really hope so).
Maybe that true,but if Fey Sommers is alive and we will find out before October.Bradford Meada still believe she still alive until 1 season.
I think Fey is alive. Although I do not believe that is who Willie saw. Willie’s expression was startled, irked by a sudden appearance, not a reaction to seeing someone who believed dead. Why would you ask a ghost “what are you doing here?” Unless Willie is a conspirator that made Fey disappear in the first place and *KNOWS* she is still alive. That plot is very unlikely, as she already co-conspired with Alexis. Doing it again just too cliche and unbelievable, and repeating the same plot again.
Bringing Fey back needs a purpose, which is going to be hard to justify. Too many WHYs. What gain does she possibly have by faking death and hiding out in 3 years? And certainly won’t be about Betty. It may just be too much distraction.
I love the idea of Becki play Fey though, will give her more things to do, and show her range as Fey had to be dramatic, while Amanda is comic.
to Bia, the reason Anna Wintour looks just like Fey is because the show deliberately modeled Fey after Anna.
Yes, why not? Daytime and Prime time Soaps do it all the time. Why can’t Betty? Plus, just like Tom and other Ugly Betty fans have said:
Fey’s casket was empty and when Fey’s funeral took place her casket was CLOSED not OPEN. Yes, most funerals have closed caskets; but Bradford seemed shocked that Fey wanted a closed casket. Fey was larger then life wouldn’t she want a funeral that reflected that?
Plus: If Fey’s NOT dead…. DOUBLE JEOPARDY applies here. If Claire kills Fey for REAL this time she most likely won’t have to go to jail for it and that would really bring a NEW SIDE of Amanda out.
If it’s not Fey that Wilhelmina saw I still say it’s either: Connor Owens or Victoria Hartley.
i think whillie saw matt! now that would be a great-and realistic- twist
I def think Fey is alive and kicking somewhere, and have since the beginning. I’ve been waiting patiently for her to pop back up, and IMO if the writers want to clean up after that sloppy all-over-the-place Season 3, Fey would be the perfect device.
I think it possibly could have been fey she saw, but from what geek said regarding wili’s reaction as to who she saw & what she said (what are you doing here?)I think she saw Conner or Victoria Hartley…and if fey sommers is alive what would make her come out of hiding after 3 years. They both would have a motive to hook up with Wili & try to take control of Mode/Meade. But I read somewhere that Christine Baranski who plays VH is going to be in a new show this fall so she may not have time guest so, I’m guessing it’s Conner.
I think it’s funny that MNG said it’s Matt, altho that would be interesting. I don’t know what his motive would be and the only people he actually came in contact with at Mode other than Betty is Daniel/Marc/Amanda..And I don’t think his personality would dictate that..Hopefully we’ll hear some chatter soon as VW said in an interview that UB will start shooting again during the 2nd week of July..(they sure don’t get that much time off between seasons, don’t they? I guess that’s why everyone is trying to cram in projects in between & it seems like they can’t do anything long-term.)
I have been keeping tabs on this site for a while. This site is an incredible resource for Ugly Betty fans! I love it so much! Keep up the EXCELLENT work Tom! I love reading all the comments as well. Tom, you have a fantastic bunch of followers and commenters!
Regarding the posted topic, I don’t think that Willie saw any of the Hartleys since Willie wouldn’t react with so much shock if it was one of them since she interacted with all of them so recently. Usually Willie takes surprises pretty well and so that’s what makes me think that it is someone that she hasn’t seen in a while. If she saw someone that she saw recently, I think she would react more with “Willie style” attitude. It has to be someone pretty shocking in order to get that kind of reaction from Willie. I don’t think that it is Matt since nothing about Matt’s character has indicated that he would go to Willie for any kind of help. If he did, it would be to get back at Betty and he doesn’t seem like the kind of person that could be that angry at her. He seems to calm down pretty quickly after he gets angry.
I really hope that it is Fey Sommers since her appearance would affect almost all of the characters and Willie wouldn’t necessarily be reacting to a ghost since she might know that Fey Sommers wasn’t really dead (she was very close to Fey). However, some things make me hesitant to say that it is Fey Sommers: 1) In an interview, I think someone from the show (Silvio?) said that the problem with the Alexis and Willie plotline in the 1st season was that there were two villans which didn’t work out well for what the show wanted to do, and 2) Fey Sommers started off the series and so I think that she is the type of character that would be used to give closure to the series- I don’t think that it would make sense to bring her back in the middle of the series (assuming that the series continues for a few more seasons), unless the series needs more viewers. The best way to get more viewers, I think, is to bring back some elements from season 1. Another reason why it might not be Fey Sommers is because that plotline would involve Claire a lot and she already has a big plotline of her own (her “secret” child).
Nevertheless, I think that Fey Sommers would be the most exciting possibility. If it was her, it would be exciting to find out why she returned at the time that she did and what she has been doing all these years.
Hi Tom, just to let you know that Becki Newton just graced the cover of Lucky Magazine! http://www.luckymag.com/magazine
What if it is someone even closer to her? like Niko perhaps? they’ve been estranged since season one. though that was a pretty harsh reaction to seeing your own daughter, even if you’re wllhelmina.
Or maybe her sister? the pyromaniac that is supposedly locked in a nuthouse? that would be a shocker for willie.
If it wasn’t Fey in Willi’s apartment, she had better turn up somewhere soon. That empty casket has been bugging me this whole time!
marisa raises a good point, what if it is her sister she saw? That would be interesting, i haven’t thought of this. But i still hopes Fey comes back one way or another in this season because i haven’t forgot the empty casket from season 1 and the writers have a wonderful storyline here, if they drop this, they definitly suck…
Gorgeous pic of Becki, Tom! I think it would *awesome* if Fey came back. Add to it, the whole issue with Bradford’s will should be resolved too. I mean the audience was left guessing… his D? His darling? His devoted? If the inheritance rightfully belongs to Claire, wouldn’t that make Matt’s family’s buyout null in void? I mean that worked in the climax of Tommy Boy. Imagine her and Fey getting into it with Claire in charge of Mode? Oh shit, can you say Dynasty revisited? O.O;;; THAT would be *THE* show to watch on Thursdays and ABC would make themselves a MINT! Not only that, Betty in charge as an editor? Oh man, now that would shake things up to break things up! No more miss nice Lisa Simpson. j/k
I think its bullshit I get no messages through to this thing! Ok, so I say great pic of Becki, Tom! I think its wonderful that Fey might be alive. Also I believe that the whole issue about Bradford’s will should be resolved. A paintball war while mom is in jail does not solve anything. That’s like saying half a season of a reality show counts for season 3. Its bullshit, its been caught now deal with the consequences. Bradford’s d? his darling? his devoted? Wouldn’t Claire being found out as the bequeathed heir to Meade Publishing Empire make Matt’s family’s buyout null in void? It worked in Tommy Boy. Can you imagine Claire in charge and Fey coming back then? Oh shit, can you say Dynasty revisited? That would be *THE* show to see on Thursday nights. Roaring back to life taking out 30 Rock and Hulu in its wake. Alien snakes ain’t got shit on real Eagles.
Then with Betty as an editor? That’d shake things up to break them up. No more miss nice Lisa Simpson.
Well, whatever anyone says, I sure hope that it is Fey! I feel as if they keep bringing Fey back into the show’s spotlight (Amanda’s mother, and the whole of Season 1), and then the drop the issue completely! I am 100% sure that Fey Sommers is coming back… on the Ugly Betty wiki page, it says: Fey Sommers: Played by: TBA….???
Furthermore… I copied this off the ‘Fey Sommers wiki page’ for your convienence…
The mystery about Fey’s death continues to leave a lot of unanswered questions. In a press release, Executive Producer Silvio Horta announced that although Wilhelmina and Alexis were trying to convince Bradford he was going insane, this sub-plot failed. Horta stated, in response to an inquiry made as to whether Fey was truly dead, “Um, no?”
As of 2009, Horta revealed to “Ugly Betty” fans a hint of minor details that Fey’s “death” might have been staged all along, leading to indications that in the upcoming fourth season, her presence will really be felt in more ways than one.
In conclusion, I am 99% confident that she’s alive, and she was the person in Willie’s apartment, but the 1% of me has a extremely odd feeling that it is Justin dancing to ‘Everybody Dance Now’ in a pink and red miniskirt, topless, with Marc… God I’m werid!
Thanks for reading…!
Yes course she’s alive!! I think Fey wants to kill Claire and Claire has locked her up or Fey excaped the crash. I (L) ugly betty best program on!!