At the end of the series' second season, ABC moved production of Ugly Betty from Los Angeles to New York to take advantage of the new 35 percent tax rebate for all film and television projects primarily shot in the city. Not only does this mean that Betty finally gets to showcase the real New York after two years of studio back lots and green screens, but the new season got a fitting premiere party for more than 200 with an authentic skyline as a backdrop.
Taking advantage of the waning summer weather, ABC and the Diamond Information Center held the party at Midtown’s Highbar. Modestly decorated by Derrick Roberts Productions, the roof echoed the streetlights of the show’s new promotional images, and waitresses greeted guests with signature blue cocktails, including a cosmopolitan called “The Betty.”
Since Ugly Betty revolves around an unlikely assistant at a fashion magazine, clothing is often the focus of the series. The move to New York allowed the show to bring back original stylist Patricia Field to revamp the wardrobes, so those looks also found a place at the party. Between the DJ booth and the outdoor grill, mannequins sporting the different characters’ styles stood on display for guests to inspect.
And for most who arrived early, this was all they saw of the cast for quite a while. Stars like America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams, and Becki Newton gave interviews on the 48th Street red carpet for the particularly boisterous group of press for over an hour. Lindsay Lohan, who appears in a few of the new season’s early episodes, was also in attendance.
Those who didn’t endure the flash of bulbs and repetitive questions got to eat. Chefs in Highbar’s al fresco kitchen cooked up spanakopita, goat cheese profiteroles, and beef skewers with olive-pepper relish that floated around for much of the night before hamburgers started to fly off the grill. When the cast finally made it up to the busy rooftop, many of them opted to just relax in the private indoor lounge.
