My FIRST guess would be that this was a side excursion, and not part of a scene for Ugly Betty.  Actually, I hope I’m wrong and that this was filmed and will make it to the final cut of the episode.  The two are so cute here (not to mention the dolphin)!

I think Mark REALLY enjoyed this.  On Twitter, on the morning of October 5th, Indelicato tweeted, “starbucks, then swimming with the dolphins with Ana! this willget my mind off of everything. oh by the way i really did write a song ”

Four hours later, he tweeted this: “I had one of the most amazing, emotional, spiritual experiences of my life like 10 minutes ago.”

From what I have heard from other people who have done this, he was definitely talking about swimming with the dolphins. 

Were SO many pictures from this past weekend I can’t possibly show them all to you, for many reasons (it’s complicated).  But, I will try to post the best ones, because there are some amazing photos out there, especially of America Ferrera.  Interestingly, I have yet to find a pic of Michael Urie, but I’m going to keep trying. 

Images: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Runners, walkers, and supporters of the FITNESS Mind, Body, Spirit Games enjoyed live music, massages, and wellness classes.

Ana accepted a check for $10,000 on behalf of Developing Artists Theater Company, which is a nonprofit whose mission is providing multicultural children 9-18 with performing arts opportunities.  Excellent!

This had to have been quite an event.  Bob Harper was there!    Seriously, I love the Biggest Loser star trainer.

I have to wonder who has a more vigorous workout: Ana Ortiz or Vanessa Williams.  Probably Williams, I would say.  It takes a lot more work to maintain a Hollywood body the older one gets.  Of course, that’s taking nothing away from Ortiz.  She just gave birth, and she looks fabulous!

Way to go Ana, for helping out with a wonderful cause, and helping to promote fitness!

Image: Bauer Griffin

Post from: Ugly Betty News

“The sooner the better,” she says.  “We’re definitely looking forward to having a playmate for her.”

She was recently at an event at NYC’s Double Tree Metropolitan Hotel, wheeling little Paloma around.  “I brought her out because I couldn’t get a babysitter,” she says.

Welcome to parenthood, Ana.    I can really relate to how she describes the baby’s effect on her:

“She just started smiling,” Ana says. “She’s like [smiles] ‘a-ha.’ And it’s like [theatrics] melt, melt, melt, melt. That’s her latest thing – smiling. It’s always in the morning, and it’s like she’s trying to laugh. It’s almost like she’s coughing – like a cat coughing up a hairball. It’s so cute.”

As I recall, the funniest baby faces usually meant it was about time for a diaper change.

Having Paloma has also enhanced her relationship with husband Noah Lebenzon.

“It’s incredible,” she says. “It’s so much deeper. Before, you’re together, but there’s never that sense of ‘til death do you part, right? When she came along, I was like ‘oh yeah, now I get ‘til death do you part.’ We are together forever. There’s no one I respect more as a man and as a dad. He’s surpassing my dreams. I’m really lucky. Today is the one day he couldn’t babysit. He’s been changing diapers, he’s been getting up in the middle of the night walking her around, he’s been so hands-on and he still manages to be like ‘baby, you look beautiful. My God, you’re so sexy, you’re so beautiful.’ I’m like ‘are you for real?’”

The baby has also kept Ana close to her on-screen son, Mark Indelicato.  “Mark and I are inseparable,” she says. “His mom has become my fairy godmother because she’s been helping me so much with the baby, too.”

Get to work, Noah!  We expect an announcement soon. 

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

“I think she’s going to be hysterical because she’s very vain, and she likes her tight outfits. She’s such a crack-up, but she also loves being a mother. I think that’s where she gets the most pride, from her son and her family.”

True.  They had a great opportunity at the end of last season, but I understand why Ana’s pregnancy wasn’t written into the show.  With the attention of the plot lines so scattered, not enough attention would have been given to any hypothetical storyline about a Hilda pregnancy.  Would have been cool, though.  Maybe they’ll go with the idea of a Hilda pregnancy being a political scandal for Archie.

Ortiz says she’d love to see Elena back, but it isn’t likely to happen.  She does say, when asked about Hilda playing matchmaker for Papi, “That’s genius! I’m gonna pitch that. That’s hysterical. She could set him up with one of her salon customers and keep trying to do that, and it’s always a disaster.”

She then makes a good point: the Suarez family is stuck in Queens, and never gets to have screen time with the show’s wonderful guest stars.  “Yes! I always tell the producers, ‘They have to come to Queens! Every once in a while, you’ve gotta bring some of these fabulous guest stars to Queens. Or else let us go to Mode once in a while!’ But yes, I get jealous of the guest stars; I get jealous of the clothes they get to wear.”

About working with Ralph Macchio: “It was really fun. I remember him from back in the day, and I was a little starstruck at first. But he’s so normal.”  (Ana, I’ll try not to read too much into your saying “was fun” instead of “is fun”. 

She mentions the move to Friday and implies the storylines will get edgier with Ugly Betty airing Friday nights at 9.  “They’re really going to push the envelope even more.”  Hmmm.  I hope I can still watch the show with my kids.  It’ll be great, regardless, I’m sure.

Then, Kristin reopens the old wounds, asking who Betty should be with.  Ana, plays coy, then picks a side:  “Honestly, I think Betty should be with Betty for a while. It’d be really interesting for her to get back into that Betty groove and leave these guys in the dust for a little while and work on herself—get into a professional groove even more. But if I had to pick…It’s a hard choice. They’re all so juicy. I’m a little partial to Gio because it’s Freddy Rodriguez. I mean, c’mon.”

Besides, it turned out that Chris Gorham has a darker side we didn’t know about.  Those who watched Harper’s Island know what I’m talking about. 

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

“This has been an amazing first week. She is so beautiful it is staggering”, she said, speaking of newborn daughter Paloma Louise Lebenzon.  (Hopefully we’ll have a picture soon!)

Ortiz tells a wonderful story about the generosity of co-star America Ferrera, her on-screen sister.  On Paloma’s birthday, once Ana, her husband Noah Lebenzon, and baby Paloma were alone, after all the friend and family had left she got a delivery to her room of three dozen freshly baked cookies and ice cold milk from Ferrera and her boyfriend, Ryan Piers Williams. 

“How she found a place to deliver freshly baked cookies at 11 p.m. on a Saturday is beyond me, but she did. How cool and thoughtful is that?”, Ana asks.

It’s wonderful to see the cast is still “family” – I think it adds to the on-screen chemistry.  This dynamic means that, even though Ferrera and Ortiz have completely different body types, and even more different accents, they are fully believable as sisters.

I hope Ana is getting her rest, because filming begins soon, and we hear she’s going to be fending off mobsters.  She’ll need all of her strength!

Image: Copyright © 2008 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc./ PATRICK HARBRON 

Post from: Ugly Betty News

They named the girl Paloma Louise (what a beautiful name!).  They waited till the birth to choose the name.  She weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces.  The spokesperson says Ortiz has left the hospital and is now Back home in Broooklyn.

Ana recently told OK magazine that the first thing she’ll have to do with Paloma is introduce her to the family pets.  "I have to get the dog and the baby to know one another so that will be interesting," she explained.  

I can tell you from experience, that sometimes is easier said than done. 

About Paloma’s room:  “The nursery is beautiful and it’s all eco-friendly," explains Ana. "It was designed by a woman named Amanda Moore and she did an amazing job. It’s like this light blue wall and the accent colors are golden and orange and wood. It’s just fantastic.”

Ana thinks she’ll have no problem with work/home balance. 

“I’m excited. I’ve gotten so much support from the cast and so much support from the producers and my mother’s going to come with me to set and help out," she explains. "I couldn’t ask for a better husband, he’s willing to do whatever needs to be done. Everyone’s so excited to have the baby on set that if I even see the baby while I’m working I’ll be surprised.”

In fact, the crew has already set up an on-set nursery for the baby girl in Ana’s dressing room. "There’s a basinet in there and a rocker. It’s hooked up. I’m so lucky!”

Congratulations Ana and Noah!

Image: Bauer Griffin

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Ugly Betty

Ortiz tells OK Magazine, “The bag is packed – mostly.  I need to get some toothbrushes.”

If she’s down to toothbrushes, I’d say Ana is just about ready.  Ortiz also talks about why she’s looking so buff, even at 9 months pregnant:

“Because they didn’t write [my pregnancy] into the show, it was kind of important to me to try to stay as much in shape as possible. It’s the first time I ever worked with a trainer because I didn’t know how far to push everything.”

Wow – like I’ve said before, Ana is made of stout stuff.  Pregnant, in the summer, and she’s working out with a trainer?  I don’t know about how it’s been in New York, but where I live it’s been one of the hottest summers I can remember.  I just can’t imagine being almost about to deliver and still working out daily with a trainer.

Apparently, the pregnancy interrupted Ortiz’s summer plans.  “I was actually gonna audition for [Broadway's' Chicago] and then I got pregnant,” she admitted, adding that she will “definitely” try out for the parts of Roxie or Thelma after she delivers.

Ana can REALLY sing – check this out – a song Ortiz recorded with Kyle Puccia a while back.

If there are any – er – developments, I’ll pass the news along (probably first on Twitter).

She could easily be Roxie or Thelma, if Ugly Betty and her new baby allow her time.

Good luck and blessings to Ana and husband Noah Lebenzon.

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

It seems like the whole Ugly Betty crew was there.  I think America Ferrera is in LA shooting her new film, but otherwise, Ana, Tony Plana and Michael Urie were in attendance.

I’ll be doggoned if she isn’t wearing high heels in these pics.  I have been proven wrong.  (I said several times that Ortiz  would stop wearing heels when she got late in the pregnancy.  She is made of stout stuff).

On top of all that, she looks absolutely gorgeous.  I LOVE this form showing dress.

And, here is one of the cutest pics you’ll ever see, of Ana with Tony Plana and Michael Urie.

Heh.  When the baby gets older, this will be a fun one to look at.  Ana, the boys, and baby makes four!

I think she’s due early in July (and of course, shooting for the 4th season of Ugly Betty starts in early July).  But, like I said, Ortiz is made of stout stuff, so I have no doubt she’ll be in on the shooting in in no time.  At worst, Hilda may be on a “getaway” with Archie in episode 4.01.

Images: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

"Before I found out I was having a girl I dreamt that I was having a girl," Ortiz, 38, told PEOPLE at the Point Honors gala in New York City. "I even dreamt what her name was, so I guess that name should be her real name."

If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s this: never, never ignore female intuition.  If I were Ana’s husband, Noah Lebenzon, I’d go with the flow and be glad that a name for his daughter came from the heavens.

In actuality, Ortiz says, "We have a short list, but when we see her, hopefully, one of those names will fit. I’m hoping at least for a Latina flavor to it. But we’ll see."

When the conversation turns to “losing her baby weight”, Ortiz mentions something that’s a little unrealistic, I think:

"I’m not going to lie," says Ortiz. "I’m immediately going to try to get back into shape. We start work [on Ugly Betty] two weeks after I give birth. The pregnancy was not written in the show, so I wish I could be cool and let nature take its course, but no, I’m definitely going to try to get into shape."

TWO WEEKS???

Yes, I know Ortiz is a health nut and already has a vigorous workout routine.  Yes, I remember Rebecca Romijn’s quick post-baby weight loss.  But, geez…

"They say breast-feeding helps, so I’m going to be doing that, but there is this thing called the belly bandit and apparently that is suppose to help, but I’m going to pull out all the stops”, Ortiz adds.

Just make sure you consult your doctor first, Ana.  Please?  Oh, and please talk to Salma Hayek about the breast-feeding/weight loss thing. 

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

Post from: Ugly Betty News

So, it must be about time for the baby shower.  And guess who’s hosting it?  Not America Ferrera.  Not new mom Rebecca Romijn.  Not Meade Mom Judith Light.  Oh, no doubt they’ll be there.  But this shindig is going to be hosted by Ugly Betty costume designer Patricia Field.

“She told me, ‘I’m going to throw you a baby shower,’ and I started crying,” the 38-year-old recently told OK Magazine.

“That’s how the whole show is — very much a family atmosphere!” The Ugly Betty cast and crew will be joining the celebration at Patricia’s loft for what Ana expects will be a “pretty awesome” affair.

“As long as I don’t have to play those corny games where they wrap me in toilet paper,” she says, “and I’m there with my friends and having a group of drunk people celebrating babies!”

Really?  Wrap the mother to be in toilet paper?  Is this the sort of thing they do a baby showers these days? 

Drunk people celebrating babies – now that’s something I can relate to!

Image: SplashNewsOnline

Post from: Ugly Betty News