Braces Come Off in Final Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty fans braced themselves for the inevitable end to the hit TV series – an end that saw the ugly duckling turn into a swan as she took her braces off.
It’s been all over the papers – the TV show that became one of the biggest hits for American and UK audiences filmed its final scene recently. And of course, as one would expect from a show whose heroine features metal braces, bushy eyebrows and wacky dress sense, it ends with something of a makeover. The ugly duckling of course was never that ugly underneath those chunky braces – and the actress America Ferrera proves it by appearing in the final scenes without the trademark metal orthodontic wear.
It’s a move that’s prompted a flurry of headlines including ‘Ugly Betty finally gets her braces off!’ (The Daily Mail), ‘Ugly Betty star America Ferrara all smiles as she shows off teeth’ (The Mirror), and ‘Ugly Betty Finally Gets Her Braces Off!’ (Entertainment-wise)
Metal Braces – The Stereotype
Ugly Betty used her metal braces as a visual shortcut to her character – the braces instantly made her ‘ugly’ and a bit of a nerd. It’s a cruel but enduring stereotype in popular culture with its feet firmly in the playground. In reality, a character like Betty working in the fashion industry would have opted for the more sophisticated invisible braces but of course the metal braces were crucial to create her image. Today, luckily people who want to achieve perfect teeth don’t have to undergo the humiliation of metal braces. With invisible braces, adults and teens alike can sidestep the crippling self consciousness that metal ‘railway tracks’ can trigger.
Ugly Duckling to Swan
After four years as the secretary at Mode magazine, Ugly Betty has finally been freed of her metal braces for the final scene. As the Mail reported: “America Ferrera, who plays Betty Suarez in the series, was spotted shooting scenes in New York yesterday with a beaming all-white smile.”
But despite being able to flash a big, white smile the show’s star America Ferrera is said to be ‘in denial’ at the closure of the long-running TV series. She told Parade magazine: “I've lived with this character who I've loved from day one and I have only grown to feel more connected to her. Her entire journey was about a transformation, kind of coming into her womanhood and owning herself both physically and emotionally.” And taking the braces off became a symbolic gesture for the character as she finally transformed from ugly duckling to swan.
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