'Ugly Betty' star Tony Plana

'Ugly Betty' star is proud of show's growing progress

Rio's Tony Plana is part of shows success

By: Gina Bernal

Posted: 5/16/07

The hit TV show "Ugly Betty" starring America Ferrara and Rio Hondo's former acting instructor and current promoter of Rio's Art Department, Tony Plana, won at this year's Golden Globes for best comedy.

Plana, who plays Ugly Betty's father is ecstatic about the show's profound affect it has had on its audience and even though the show is based on a latino family, it has attracted a main stream audience which Plana attributes to the shows' portrayal of a latino family interacting with people from other backgrounds and not excluding themselves from different cultures.

Plana, an advocate for latinos is a firm believer in the idea of improving race relations by inclusion of all cultures rather than different ethnic groups excluding themselves from others. He also believes that television still has a long way to go and as far as Plana's concerned, "Ugly Betty" is the anecdote for the new "dramady."

With a strong, talented cast, witty dialogue, universal appeal and superb directing, it's no wonder "Ugly Betty's" awards did not stop with a Golden Globe. The show also won best family series, and was nominated for the people's choice award, which Betty's America Ferrera won. The show also won the best director's award given by the director's guild and best costume design.

Although the ensemble cast knew that they had all the right ingredients for a great show, nothing could have prepared them for the tremendous amount of recognition the show received. "We just didn't expect this kind of rousing reception. And we certainly didn't expect the kind of critical acclaim we received. It's historic, what's happening with Betty," said Plana.

According to Plana, "Ugly Betty" is the first Spanish show to be adapted to North American television and out of all the Latino based shows in history, it's the highest rated show ever and it's also the most critically acclaimed show and the most awarded show in its first season.

Only 10 percent of the shows viewers are Latino according to Plana who feels that "Ugly Betty" is the same phenomena as the movie Spy Kids, a story that's about a Latino family and was a mainstream hit.

"Betty is a Latino based show but it's not just about us being Latinos, it's just about us being in the world. People in the world who happen to be Latinos," said Plana who hopes to see more shows on the air that feature Hispanics but don't feature Hispanics only, and that are more inclusive and diverse shows in terms of staying positive and hopeful about the future.

"I think that the lesson for people trying to create Latino shows is that the formula for success needs to be inclusion. Not a show just about us but about everybody and us. And that's the difference with Betty. Betty includes everyone," said Plana.

Ugly Betty isn't about just getting inside a Latino family and what they are about, it's about how the Latin family is affected by others and how others are affected by them according to Plana.

"You have an anglo world at the office, you have an anglo, aristocratic family who's dealing with their own brand of dysfunction and then you have us dealing with our working class dysfunction and that at its very core is a wonderful contrast to the upstairs downstairs kind of dynamic. I think that's part of the attraction," said Plana.

Ugly Betty is well received by all ages and her character especially resonates with young women. According to Plana, in a society where so many young girls are trying to get plastic surgery at thirteen or fourteen, or are overweight or anorexic because of low self esteem and self image, Betty Suarez is a excellent role model.

"We've never seen a protagonist on TV like this…Chubby, beautiful and a Latina that's educated. The fact that she went to college, has ambitions, has the resources to create a wonderful career for herself in a very hostile environment, redefines what is beautiful and what is available to women and especially Latinas who suffer from a high drop out rate and low registration at colleges because the uneducated aspects of our culture don't encourage women to go to college," says Plana.

Plana's own daughter considers Betty to be her role model and the fact that her father is actually on the show intensifies her love of the character. "My daughter loves Betty and she is inspired by her. She dressed up like Betty for Halloween! I think it's a wonderful opportunity for girls to feel better about themselves and be remolded by Betty. She's the underdog and you root for her," said Plana.

Plana is also the co-founder of East L.A. Classic Theatre, a group comprised primarily of Hispanic American theatre professionals. The theatre has been dedicated to serving the Latino community through educational out reach programs, to primary and secondary schools and through bilingual productions of traditional and contemporary classics.

"Our primary focus is to utilize theatre as a practical approach to improving literary skills in under served children and we're using Hollywood actors as collaborators with school teachers," said Plana.

Ninety-five percent of latino actors are unemployed and a majority of them are well educated but are working at menial jobs to survive according to Plana.

"We provided a vehicle where actors are able to be trained by us to help improve speaking, reading, writing and listening in these kids. Especially English learners. I think it's a great partnership and a great way of tapping into this unused resource which are the actors here in the mecca of the acting, and to create a curriculum training where they can connect with the educational community and serve a purpose and address needs that are very pressing and very challenging in terms of these language issues," said Plana.

As an actor Plana has starred in more than 60 feature films, including "JFK," "Nixon," "Salvador," "An Officer and a Gentleman", "Lone Star," "Three Amigos," "Born in East L.A.," "El Norte," "187," "Primal Fear," "Romero," "One Good Cop," "Havana," "The Rookie," "Silver Strand" and "Picking Up the Pieces" (with Woody Allen). Most recently he appeared in "Goal! The Dream Begins" and in "Half Past Dead." "El Muerto," as well as "American East" and "Towards Darkness," with "Ugly Betty" co-star America Ferrara.

Plana has also taught acting at Rio Hondo but has had to take time off because of his busy schedule. "I really miss it. I love teaching there! I love the students. Unfortunately, the last time I was teaching I was trying to work on Ugly Betty and teach at the same time. I wish I could do Ugly Betty and still teach. I still want to maintain a relationship and I have committed to Joanna Downey that I will help promote the arts at Rio Hondo," said Plana.

Not only is Plana a talented actor but he is also a great mentor and teacher for anyone who has ever had a dream or passion no matter what your ethnic background is.

His strong message of universal oneness is something that everyone can learn from.

Plana credits his success to education, which allowed him to turn his natural gift of acting into something pliable.

"I think education has allowed me to develop my skills. A deep belief in yourself and your abilities brings about success.

An education gives you confidence and faith in yourself which allows you to honor the talents you've been gifted with," said Plana.