Michael Urie Says He Made Less Than HisUgly BettyCostars on Season 1 — and His Agent Knew: 'What the Hell?'

Mar. 15, 2025

Michael Urie as Marc on ‘Ugly Betty’.Photo:Andrew Eccles/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Andrew Eccles/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Michael Urie played assistant Marc St. James onUgly Bettyfor four seasons from 2006 to 2010The actor said on the Feb. 11 episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson’sDinner’s on Mepodcast he “made like $3,000” for his initial episodes of season 1Urie also revealed that he “ended up firing my agents and my manager the same day” after they mishandled negotiating him a deal whenUgly Bettygot picked up to seriesMichael Uriefound out through the grapevine that he’d become a series regular onUgly Betty.“I thought, maybe they’ll have me back. Who knows?” Urie, 44, said on the Feb. 11 episode ofJesse Tyler Ferguson’sDinner’s on Mepodcast. “And then, but then I was like, but don’t get your hopes up.”The Broadway star explained that he started out as a guest star in season 1 and “made like $3,000” before ABC picked up the show to series.“And I was happy as a clam,” he shared. “I covered rent for three months.”From left: Becki Newton, America Ferrera, and Michael Urie on ‘Ugly Betty’.Patrick Harbron/ABC via GettyBut then Urie heard from a friend ofAmerica Ferrera’s then-boyfriendRyan Piers Williamsthat he’d been promoted to a full-fledged cast member.“My friend Graham, who was tight with Ryan, America’s boyfriend then, he came to visit. And he was staying and he was like, ‘Hey, congratulations onUgly Betty.’ And I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Urie recalled. “And he said, ‘Oh, it got picked up and they’re making you a series regular. Didn’t you hear?’ And that’s how I found out.”America Ferrera and her husband Ryan Piers Williams at the world premiere of ‘Barbie’ in L.A. on July 9, 2023.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicFrom there, Urie, who played assistant Marc St. James, called his agents who “were panicked” because he didn’t have a contract with the show.“I called my agent and I was like, ‘Uh, hey guys, what the hell?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we, we did hear about this and … and they were, they were spiraling because I had no deal, right?” theShrinkingactor said.Urie explained, “I was a guest star for the first 13 episodes. And then when we got picked up for the back nine, I, well, they didn’t even give me a deal then. I was in such a bad position.”As a result, Urie let go of his team. “I ended up firing my agents and my manager the same day because I knew I was stuck,” he told Ferguson, 49. “I was stuck with this horrible deal. And everybody else had a great deal, and my role was as big as everyone else’s. I mean, I had a huge role from the beginning. But I was, like, a guest star, and I was getting paid, like, a guest star rate. Yeah, not a lot of money at all, which especially compared to … what like suddenly I had to do.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Becoming a series regular upped his workload, and Urie thought his paycheck didn’t reflect that.“The show was a massive hit. And it was a big out of the gate hit,” the Texas native said.Ugly Bettyran for four seasons between 2006 and 2010 and won three Emmys and one Golden Globe.Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie on ‘Ugly Betty’.Karen Neal/Disney General Entertainment Content via GettyUrie credited his on-screen bossVanessa Williamswith helping him score the recurring gig.“I had this idea that I would emulate her physically,” he said. “I would like, I would like mimic her and try to like, I wanted to be her, wanted to be like her. So she would do … if she would do something I would do it. She would sit down, I would sit down. And she didn’t know I was doing it.”The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Eventually, “somebody ratted me out,” Urie said. But Williams, 61, didn’t mind.“She’s like, ‘Hey, I hear you’re doing me behind me.’ And I was like, well, this is it getting [me] fired," Urie said onDinner’s on Me. “And I said, ‘Yeah, sorry.’ And she goes, ‘What else can I do that you can do?’ And so suddenly I’m pitching her physical ideas and she liked me immediately and was like … and she was so cool and easy, down to earth.”PEOPLE exclusively announced on Feb. 6 that Urie and costarBecki Newton, who portrayed receptionist Amanda Sommers, will be launching anUgly Bettyrewatch podcastcalledStill Uglylater this month.“This is an idea that has been in the back of our minds for a long time,” Urie told PEOPLE. “We’d thought about it and every time I’d see another show doing it, I get really jealous.”Urie said he and Newton, 46, “have remained in very close contact” since the show wrapped nearly 15 years ago.“People talk to us about the show all the time,” Urie added. “How much the show meant to them, whether it’s the queer representation, female empowerment or seeing a Latina woman overcoming odds. The world still needs those examples.”

Michael Uriefound out through the grapevine that he’d become a series regular onUgly Betty.

“I thought, maybe they’ll have me back. Who knows?” Urie, 44, said on the Feb. 11 episode ofJesse Tyler Ferguson’sDinner’s on Mepodcast. “And then, but then I was like, but don’t get your hopes up.”

The Broadway star explained that he started out as a guest star in season 1 and “made like $3,000” before ABC picked up the show to series.

“And I was happy as a clam,” he shared. “I covered rent for three months.”

From left: Becki Newton, America Ferrera, and Michael Urie on ‘Ugly Betty’.Patrick Harbron/ABC via Getty

Patrick Harbron/ABC via Getty

But then Urie heard from a friend ofAmerica Ferrera’s then-boyfriendRyan Piers Williamsthat he’d been promoted to a full-fledged cast member.

“My friend Graham, who was tight with Ryan, America’s boyfriend then, he came to visit. And he was staying and he was like, ‘Hey, congratulations onUgly Betty.’ And I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Urie recalled. “And he said, ‘Oh, it got picked up and they’re making you a series regular. Didn’t you hear?’ And that’s how I found out.”

America Ferrera and her husband Ryan Piers Williams at the world premiere of ‘Barbie’ in L.A. on July 9, 2023.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

From there, Urie, who played assistant Marc St. James, called his agents who “were panicked” because he didn’t have a contract with the show.

“I called my agent and I was like, ‘Uh, hey guys, what the hell?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we, we did hear about this and … and they were, they were spiraling because I had no deal, right?” theShrinkingactor said.

Urie explained, “I was a guest star for the first 13 episodes. And then when we got picked up for the back nine, I, well, they didn’t even give me a deal then. I was in such a bad position.”

As a result, Urie let go of his team. “I ended up firing my agents and my manager the same day because I knew I was stuck,” he told Ferguson, 49. “I was stuck with this horrible deal. And everybody else had a great deal, and my role was as big as everyone else’s. I mean, I had a huge role from the beginning. But I was, like, a guest star, and I was getting paid, like, a guest star rate. Yeah, not a lot of money at all, which especially compared to … what like suddenly I had to do.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Becoming a series regular upped his workload, and Urie thought his paycheck didn’t reflect that.

“The show was a massive hit. And it was a big out of the gate hit,” the Texas native said.

Ugly Bettyran for four seasons between 2006 and 2010 and won three Emmys and one Golden Globe.

Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie on ‘Ugly Betty’.Karen Neal/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Karen Neal/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Urie credited his on-screen bossVanessa Williamswith helping him score the recurring gig.

“I had this idea that I would emulate her physically,” he said. “I would like, I would like mimic her and try to like, I wanted to be her, wanted to be like her. So she would do … if she would do something I would do it. She would sit down, I would sit down. And she didn’t know I was doing it.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Eventually, “somebody ratted me out,” Urie said. But Williams, 61, didn’t mind.

“She’s like, ‘Hey, I hear you’re doing me behind me.’ And I was like, well, this is it getting [me] fired,” Urie said onDinner’s on Me. “And I said, ‘Yeah, sorry.’ And she goes, ‘What else can I do that you can do?’ And so suddenly I’m pitching her physical ideas and she liked me immediately and was like … and she was so cool and easy, down to earth.”

PEOPLE exclusively announced on Feb. 6 that Urie and costarBecki Newton, who portrayed receptionist Amanda Sommers, will be launching anUgly Bettyrewatch podcastcalledStill Uglylater this month.

“This is an idea that has been in the back of our minds for a long time,” Urie told PEOPLE. “We’d thought about it and every time I’d see another show doing it, I get really jealous.”

Urie said he and Newton, 46, “have remained in very close contact” since the show wrapped nearly 15 years ago.

“People talk to us about the show all the time,” Urie added. “How much the show meant to them, whether it’s the queer representation, female empowerment or seeing a Latina woman overcoming odds. The world still needs those examples.”

source: people.com