Not Born Beautiful

Not Born Beautiful is a telenovela filmed in Russia, directed by Alexander Nazarov and shown from 5 September 2005 to 7 July 2006 by the Russian network STS. It is a Russian spin of the Colombian Yo soy Betty, la fea (I'm Betty, the Ugly One) telenovela, which has fostered more than a dozen versions in other countries. The telenovela reached success in Russia and boosted the ratings of the TV network STS. Nelli Uvarova plays the role of a charming ugly girl, Yekaterina (Katya) Pushkareva. This became a breakout role in Nelli's career and brought her national love and fame. During the broadcast of the series she became a real star of Russian television. Nelli's American counterpart America Ferrara also became widely known for her portrayal of the namesake of Ugly Betty. The show attracted viewers who were not in the traditional viewing audience of telenovelas. In fall of 2005, fully one-third of Russian TV viewers, and 58% of Ukraine viewers, were tuning in to watch the show. According to TV's Betty Goes Global: From Telenovela to International Brand, Not Born Beautiful is likely the closest and most faithful of "Yo soy Betty, la fea"'s international adaptations.