Michael Urie broke into television with his role in ABC’s “Ugly Better,” which ran from 2006 until 2010.
Now, ahead of the show’s 20th anniversary, the “Shrinking” star is opening up about his thoughts on a potential revival series as well as giving an update on his friendship with his former costar, Vanessa L. Williams.
Urie was interviewed by Variety in July 2026 to discuss his return to “Oh, Mary” on Broadway, his second Emmy nomination for “Shrinking,” and more. However, during the conversation, the topic of his role as Marc St. James on “Ugly Betty” came up, with the reporter asking if he’d be open to the idea of a revival.
He shared that there are currently no plans for a new iteration of the iconic show, but that it “would be the greatest. We would all love that so, so much.” From there, Urie stated that a new version of the show “would be so interesting in a woke world.”
The “Oh, Mary” star explained, “Because that show was so ahead of its time. When you watch it back, there’s a couple of cringey things, but for the most part, it was ahead in terms of the way you treat people, in terms of diversity. It was very feminist, very queer-friendly, queer-forward. It was all those things, in 2006.”
Michael Shared His Thoughts On Where His Character Would Be Today
The discussion of “Ugly Betty” continued with Urie musing on where his character from the show would exist in the world today. He began, “I like to think he’s running Mode, but the truth is he’s probably still an underling of Wilhelmenia somehow.”
Regarding the dynamics with the rest of the cast, Urie stated, “He’s definitely still best friends with Amanda. I really wanna know where Justin Suarez is, what’s he doing now? And what has Betty done? What empire is she conquering? Because she was always the brightest and the boldest.”
Regarding the “Ugly Betty” cast, he also gave an update on where he stands with Williams, who is currently starring in the West End production of “The Devil Wears Prada.”
In discussing their history, the 45-year-old said, “She kind of taught me how to be famous.” He continued, “I remember her teaching us how to walk a runway, and she taught me how to find the lens on a camera. I learned so much from her because we had so many scenes together, little things about being on set, and about how to treat people.”
Urie also stated that he and Williams have been texting and plan to have a meetup in London “at some point.”
‘Ugly Betty’ Ended Due to Low Ratings In Later Years
“Ugly Betty” premiered on September 28, 2006, starring America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Tony Plana, and Ana Ortiz, in addition to Urie and Williams. According to TODAY, the show debuted with an impressive 16.1 million viewers, making it the top-rated new comedy for that season.
Unfortunately, the viewership for the award-winning series began to decline in subsequent seasons, with the network moving its time slot on multiple occasions. This led to it being canceled in early 2010, after live viewership reached only just over 5 million, a far cry from the double-digit millions it garnered in its prime. The finale aired in April of that year.
The show won several major awards during its run, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and even a Peabody.
Michael Urie Wants Harrison Ford To Win The Emmy Over Him
The nominations for the 28th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on July 8, with Urie scoring a nom for Best Supporting Actor thanks to his role in AppleTV’s “Shrinking.” He told Variety that he learned of the honor after being FaceTimed by his costar, Jessica Williams.
However, Urie hopes fellow “Shrinking” star Harrison Ford wins. He explained why, saying, “I want him to win. He’s f-cking awesome, and he’s always been awesome.”
He added, “Yes, he’s been given the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Cecil B. DeMille, the SAG Life Achievement Award, but they don’t give him prizes in any of these competitive categories ever.”
‘Shrinking’ Is Returning For Season 4
According to Deadline, Apple TV renewed “Shrinking” for season four ahead of its third season premiere in January 2026. This news came after the show was initially planned for three seasons. Since the renewal, it has been confirmed that the series will have a two-year time jump.
It’s unclear when season four will air, but production is set to begin this summer, meaning an early 2026 premiere is likely.
