This novela explores an issue raised in BETTY LA FEA: Society's obsession with beauty and how this obsession hurts.
Juliana is the ugly daughter of the beautiful (and extremely vain) Regina, who had once been a fashion model. Regina makes fun of her daughter's homeliness and awkwardness when she is a child and forever shortchanges her emotionally throughout the story. Juliana's kind aunt Mercedes dies and later appears to Juliana to offer her protection and to lead her to the mirror that enables her to appear to be beautiful and glamorous during the day. During the day, Juliana masquerades as "Maritza" and parlays her way into Research and Development at the cosmetic company owned by Gabriel Muti. Gabriel's stepson Marcos falls for her like a ton of bricks, but since she goes back to her homely self after dark, Juliana has to maintain some distance. This stressful situation eventually moves Juliana to wish for a solution... whatever that is.
Paola Rey and Juan Alphonso Baptista, who had fabulous chemistry in PASION DE GAVILANES, are the two lovers in this story. Javier Gomez as Gabriel is the perfect picture of the mature leading man who is the object of several women's obsession. Christina Lilley gives a gutsy performance as the narcissistic Regina; you don't know whether to pity her or feel contempt for her. The villains are quite over the top in their snobbery and sense of entitlement, and you never know what's waiting around the corner. As usual, the photography and production values are first-rate.
This novela forces us to examine our feelings about beauty and ugliness and how we treat people who are one or the other. Here's hoping we all learn something from this.
Juliana is the ugly daughter of the beautiful (and extremely vain) Regina, who had once been a fashion model. Regina makes fun of her daughter's homeliness and awkwardness when she is a child and forever shortchanges her emotionally throughout the story. Juliana's kind aunt Mercedes dies and later appears to Juliana to offer her protection and to lead her to the mirror that enables her to appear to be beautiful and glamorous during the day. During the day, Juliana masquerades as "Maritza" and parlays her way into Research and Development at the cosmetic company owned by Gabriel Muti. Gabriel's stepson Marcos falls for her like a ton of bricks, but since she goes back to her homely self after dark, Juliana has to maintain some distance. This stressful situation eventually moves Juliana to wish for a solution... whatever that is.
Paola Rey and Juan Alphonso Baptista, who had fabulous chemistry in PASION DE GAVILANES, are the two lovers in this story. Javier Gomez as Gabriel is the perfect picture of the mature leading man who is the object of several women's obsession. Christina Lilley gives a gutsy performance as the narcissistic Regina; you don't know whether to pity her or feel contempt for her. The villains are quite over the top in their snobbery and sense of entitlement, and you never know what's waiting around the corner. As usual, the photography and production values are first-rate.
This novela forces us to examine our feelings about beauty and ugliness and how we treat people who are one or the other. Here's hoping we all learn something from this.
