Ugly Betty: Burning Questions Answered!

Are Betty and Henry ever going to get together?
Have faith! "It all comes to a head by the finale [May 17]," says Christopher Gorham, who plays Henry. "By the end, there will be some resolution between Henry and [girlfriend] Charlie and a new complication with the love triangle. Henry really steps up for Betty — and pays the price. The thing is," he adds, "Henry and Betty needed to break up. By taking herself out of the picture, Betty made him realize how great she is. They are going to move toward being together."

Hope this isn't rude, but we really want to know: Is Betty still a virgin?
"Uh… no," says the show's executive producer Silvio Horta. The only guy she's ever been with is Walter, a fact alluded to in the episode called "The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe."

Are we ever going to find out what prompted Betty's desire to be a writer?
The reason behind Betty's career dreams was explained in the very first episode, but those scenes were cut for time before the show aired. The scoop on what you didn't see: Dad Ignacio used to work at a newsstand. After her mom died, Betty visited her papa every day after school. She spent hours poring over magazines, which led to her yen for journalism.

Is Hilda really Ignacio's daughter, or is she the daughter of her mother's first husband?
The Suarez family tree is a hush-hush subject. "I can't discuss that," Horta says. He will reveal that he based the character of Hilda on his own older sister. Horta grew up in a Cuban-American family in Miami, and describes his sis as outgoing and popular.

Claire Meade is one of TV's craziest, most complex characters. But now that she's in jail, is Judith Light leaving?
Horta worked with Light last year on a pilot that wasn't picked up. "Ever since, I've been a huge fan and wanted desperately to work with her on something else," he says. "She is as wonderful a woman as you could ever imagine. She's so perfect for this part." So expect this messed-up mama to keep up her bad parenting for a while.

Will Salma Hayek's character, Sofia, be back?
While the sizzling Ms. Reyes has not actually left the building — she's still the editor in chief of "MYW" ("Modern Young Women")— don't expect to see her torturing Daniel any time soon. "But that doesn't mean Salma won't show up somewhere down the line," adds Horta. Off screen, Hayek, one of the show's executive producers, is engaged to dashing French businessman François-Henri Pinault and expecting their first child later this year.

We love tap-dancing, fashion-obsessed Justin. Will the topic of his sexuality ever be addressed?
Because Justin is 12 and is portrayed by an actor (Mark Indelicato) of the same age, the issue won't be dealt with directly for a while. Horta just enjoys the fact that the Broadway-musical-loving kid is "such a different character for television." One idea he's toying with: putting Justin in the "Mode" offices more often.

Has Betty's attire been toned down lately? She doesn't look quite like a sugar-high 5-year-old who dresses herself anymore.
Ugly costume designer Eduardo Castro says Betty's wardrobe has been evolving, but her mix-and-match skills still need work. "By themselves the pieces might be attractive, but as put together by Betty they look a bit off," Castro says. His recipe for a classic Betty fashion disaster: a bold-print blouse that "may be silk but has that polyester-y texture," layered with a knit vest and a nubby wool pencil skirt.

Why doesn't Christina help Betty out style-wise?
"Christina sees beyond the clothes to a young woman who is a positive individual — strong, independent and bright," says Ashley Jensen, who plays the no-nonsense fashion-closet keeper at "Mode." "Betty is happy in her skin, so Christina feels it would be wrong to impose style ideas on her." And Jensen herself doesn't think Betty's outfits are all glamour don'ts. "I personally like some of her wardrobe," she says. "She has some sassy little blouses!"

Is Amanda really over Daniel, or do they have a future somewhere down the line?
"She's putting on a big front and trying to move past him," Horta says. "There will be some potential love interests in her future." But is our sexy receptionist destined to hook up with a devil we know (maybe Daniel's hot photojournalist friend Becks), or one we don't? Horta won't tell, but he's interested to see how Daniel will react when Amanda hearts someone else.

Why do Betty, Hilda and Ignacio all have very different accents?
Because although America Ferrera grew up in the U.S., her family is Honduran; Ana Ortiz (Hilda) is of Puerto Rican descent; and Tony Plana (Ignacio) is Cuban. "They do have different accents," Horta says. He wanted to make the Suarezes a "prototypical New York Latino family" without mentioning their home country, but to make the immigration story line realistic, they had to choose a specific nationality (Mexican).

Will Daniel and Alexis make up and be friends?
"We're going to see their relationship progress. But like any family, especially one this complicated, there are going to be many ups and downs," Horta says. So get ready to see the siblings on an emotional seesaw. And based on the maturity level these two have demonstrated so far, lots of other playground-level stuff, too.

What is the telenovela that's always playing in the Suarez living room?
There are actually two. Both are parodies of Latino soaps and were created just for Ugly Betty. "Vidas de Fuego" ("Lives of Fire") is set on a cattle ranch and features a priest who has more than one reason to be called "father." "Muchas Muchachas" ("Lots of Girls") takes place in a strip club and includes an exotic-dancer diva threatened by a pole-dancing ingenue. "It's our homage to Showgirls!" Horta says. You can watch both shows on the Ugly Betty website, complete with bad dubbing in English.

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