News Americas, NEW YORK, NY., Weds. Jan. 8, 2020: Caribbean roots ‘Ugly Betty’ creator, Silvio Horta, has been found dead from an apparent suicide. He was 45.
The Cuban American creator of the popular ABC series was reportedly found dead in a Miami motel room on Tuesday in an apparent suicide.
Variety magazine quoted sources as saying that Horta died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A representative for Horta confirmed his death, but declined to comment on the nature of it.
The American version of “Ugly Betty,” which starred America Ferrera, ran for four seasons on ABC from 2006 to 2010 and was adapted from the hit Colombian telenovela “Yo soy Betty, la fea.” Horta served as showrunner and head writer on the comedy-drama.
Ferrera posted on Instagram about his death, saying: “I’m stunned and heartbroken to hear the devastating news of Ugly Betty creator, Silvio Horta’s death. His talent and creativity brought me and so many others such joy & light. I’m thinking of his family and loved ones who must be in so much pain right now- and of the whole Ugly Betty family who feel this loss so deeply.”
And one of his former teachers, Barbara Malmet, tweeted: “I am sad to see my former film school student, Silvio Horta has passed away. He was very special to me. RIP Silvio.”
Horta was born in Miami to Cuban parents and majored in film at NYU. His big break came in 1998 when he wrote the screenplay for horror-thriller “Urban Legend.” The script was turned into a successful feature starring Jared Leto and “Dune” star Alicia Witt.
He moved into TV in the early 2000s with the Sci Fi series “The Chronicle,” wHe moved into TV in the early 2000s with the Sci Fi series “The Chronicle,” which ran for a single season and starred Octavia Spencer, among others and became a writer and producer of Ugly Betty in 2006.
Horta’s most recent credit was for writing the 2015 TV movie “The Curse of the Fuentes Women.”
