Ugly Betty star America Ferrera is putting every spare minute of the show’s offseason to good use.  She’s in in LA, filming an as yet unnamed comedy film about two families who clash while trying to throw together a wedding in two short weeks.

It was just announced recently that Lance Gross is the leading man in the Fox Searchlight project.  The House of Payne star will apparently be the groom to Ferrera’s bride.

Already announced as part of the project are Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia.  I think it’s a pretty good assumption to say they are playing the fathers who don’t like each other.  This is some first rate talent!

I am really glad that Ferrera is FINALLY working on a comedic film.  I really do appreciate her more serious works, but we Ugly Betty fans are quite aware of America’s comedic talent (think Odor in the Court), and I think it will be wonderful that she’s giving comedy a go on the big screen.

With such a great cast, if this Rick Famuyiwa comedy could be a huge hit.  The theme is a time-tested one, and usually makes for great comedy.

It’s also funny that Ferrera is once again filming a scene with a baseball glove on her hand.  This is becoming a habit!

Image: SplashnewsOnline.com

Today, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera turns 25!  Ahh, to be young and famous in New York!

She shares April 18th as a birthday with James Woods, Conan O’Brien, Melissa Joan Hart, and even Kourtney Kardashian.

I hope she takes it easy with partner Ryan Piers Williams, or parties it up with Becki Newton, or does whatever she wants today.  And hopefully, she’ll get back to filming the final episodes of Ugly Betty season 3 very soon.  I miss the NY set photos!

As many of you have noted in the comments here, this has been a very confusing year for Ferrera’s character Betty.  Her direction has been so scattered, almost schizophrenic, it has to be the result of a disagreement amongst the writers/producers. I can tell you this, if the show wants to survive season 4, the writers HAVE to come up with a direction and stick to it.

But, enough of my Ugly betty whining.  Today is Ferrera’s day, and I hope she enjoys it fully.

Image: Bauer Griffin

Here are some pics of America Ferrera making her annual appearance at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on March 28.

This is a very, very good color for Ms Ferrera.  Wow. 

Just as a side note, I wonder if Ferrera will attend next year’s awards.  Considering the fact that iCarly won Favorite TV Show, and Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) won Favorite TV Actress, perhaps at 25, Ferrera will be considered  “old”, at least for the Kids’ Choice Awards.  But then again, Dwayne Johnson hosted, and he’s, like, ancient :)  .

If you want to know the full list of winners, you can read them here.

If they ever have one of those makeover reveal scenes on Ugly Betty (which will really tick me off) – but if they are going to do one of those scenes, I hope Betty emerges looking something like this.

More pics after the jump!

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Well, this is interesting.  Here are a few Ugly Betty set photos (taken yesterday), in which America Ferrera is absolutely adorable.  There is one in particular of Ferrera on the phone that makes me keenly aware that she is young enough to be my daughter

Anyway, nestled in these photos was this one:

If my eyes do not deceive me, that is the tastefully three-named Daniel Eric Gold.  So, we must assume this is Matt.  Betty is not-so-tastefully dressed in pink and orange (good heavens!)  And she’s hanging onto Matt’s arm.

Unless this is a between-takes photo (in which case also tastefully 3-named Ryan Piers Williams, Ferrera’s boyfriend, should have something to worry about), then we must assume that Matt is NOT going to be Henry 2.0, fashion wise.  Nothing about the way he looks could be described as nerdy.  He looks like a typical college kid.

Of course, as I know from my own life, nerdy is a state of mind. 

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the photos, after the jump!

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Here are some pics of America Ferrera and Ana Ortiz leaving a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

Talk about sisters on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  The two witnessed a bit of history.  The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant broke the record for points scored at the venue, a record previously held by Michael Jordan.

I’m beginning to think America Ferrera is bad luck for the Knicks. 

It would also seem that Michael Urie and Becki Newton aren’t the only pair of besties on the Ugly Betty set.  You can tell from joint interviews that Ortiz and Ferrera really get along well.

On the show, as much as I thought SOTVOANB was an Emmy-worthy performance for both of them, It’s definitely time for the sisters’ relationship to get a little more lighthearted.  Much of the feedback I’ve seen says that the drama was overly long (for Ugly Betty, at least), and that it really was a departure from the campy feel of season 1.  Me? I would have put the scene earlier in the episode, and let the Suzuki St Pierre situation help us get back to Funnyland.

Nevertheless, I didn’t think the drama went on too long - it was perfect.

Images: splashnewsonline.com

Here are some photos of America Ferrera at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles last night.

Having covered Ferrera’s every move for a couple of years, something in the back of my mind tells me that this dress is a re-working of a dress Ferrera has previously worn. I’d swear I’ve seen it before. Now, if this were some other, snarky site, that would be considered a bad thing. But, if Ferrera is actually wearing designer dresses more than once, well, in this economy, she’s gone up in esteem in my eyes even further than before.

But, I could be wrong. Y’all tell me if you think you’ve seen it before.

Anyway, as for The Overexposed, Oh-So Hip Television Actress Award Outstanding performance by actress in comedy, America once again stayed in her seat while Tina Fey accepted the award. Peh.

One final “man-aside”. Kate Winslet had the best looking cleavage I have ever seen at one of these things. She needed a sign that said “my eyes are up here”.

But, back to the lovely Ms Ferrera. she looked fabulous, as usual.

More photos after the jump.
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Here are some new photos from recent filming of Ugly Betty in NYC! 

These are from an outdoor scene with America Ferrera and Michael Urie.  A few of them seem to be taken during the actual filming of the scene, others appear to be between takes (especially the ones with America Ferrera out of her Betty glasses).

I wonder what’s up?  Is Marc actually cooperating with Betty?  Or is this some plot of his to get ahead in YETI?   We’ll just have to wait and see.

As for the style, it’s typical Betty.  The various pieces are wonderful, some even spectacular. But the combinations are hideous.  I STILL love that purse!

For those of you who were crazy about Michael’s curly hair earlier in the season, he’s gone to a more sculpted look here.  Is he carrying a manbag, or is that some kind of whacked out briefcase?

If these were taken yesterday, Urie says at his blog that they took a break from filming to watch the inauguration yesterday.  He’s even got a pic!

Speaking of pics, there are many more after the jump!

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Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera looked awesome on the red carpet of the Golden Globes last night, didn’t she?

America Ferrera at 2009 Golden Globes

She mentioned in her interview Tuesday on The View that she hadn’t picked a dress yet. I’d say she did pretty well for just “throwing something together”. I know Ferrera is fond of Monique Lhuillier, but I don’t know if that’s who she turned to yet. Stay tuned…

As much as I love when America wears form-fitting dresses in defiance of the Hollywood zero worship, I think this dress is extremely flattering. Compared to some of her earlier red carpet appearances, it’s obvious that Ferrera displays more confidence, and that Vanessa Williams‘ mentoring is paying off.

America Ferrera 2009 Golden Globes

As for the awards themselves, I thought the broadcast was a trainwreck. It made me pine for last year’s strike-caused news conference show.

I probably would have felt better if America had won the semi-annual Tina Fey award, er, award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, but we all knew the Hollywood Foreign Press Association would go with Fey.

I so wished Tina Fey had spoken to me when she jokingly addressed her internet detractors.

Regardless, just seeing America look so beautiful and done-up made the evening worthwhile.

Images: Newscom

Here is the promo for Ugly Betty episode 3.12, Sisters on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.  The promo aired last night after episode 3.11, Dress For Success.

Thanks to B&B for the clip.

Wow - all drama.  Heavy drama.  I have no doubt there will be comedy in this episode (remember, episode 2.01 was quite heavy, and still had lots of comedy).

I do love this story line, though.  Topical without being political.  And who amongst us hasn’t struggled with the kind of choices Betty is faced with?  As much as I begged her last night, “answer the phone, answer the phone…” when she saw Hilda was calling, I completely understood where she was coming from.  I know that in the end, Betty will make the right choice.

The choice between family and work should be pretty easy, now.  She’s facing a more difficult choice, between living on her own and taking care of her family.  I wouldn’t blame her for making either choice.

I’ll predict that episode 3.12 might be the episode ABC submits for an Emmy.  From the looks of things, not only will it be stellar for America Ferrera, but this one might merit a Best Supporting Actress nod for Ana Ortiz.  And it’ll be about time.

America Ferrera has put her Hollywood Hills home up for sale, just 8 months after purchasing it. 

Now that Ugly Betty is filming in New York City, America is following suit and becoming a full-time New York gal.  In the meantime, you can her Hollywood home for $1.685 Million. 

Dang.  I thought real estate had stopped appreciating in California; I had heard it’s actually worse there than the rest of the US.  If America can get what she’s asking for, just dang.

The 3 Bedroom, 3 bathroom home has an architectural open floor plan with lofty vaulted ceilings. Ferrera paid $1.415 million back in April 2008.   It’s an absolutely beautiful home. 

You think these are beautiful?  You should see the bathroom!  (I’m not a total journalistic sleazebag, you’ll have to find those pics elsewhere - but they ARE beautiful!).

Just 1.7 million, give or take a few hundred thousand!

All kidding aside, this just shows that the move to NYC was a tumultuous change for the entire cast and crew.

Images: splashnewsonline.com