Excerpts from ET's interview with Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty's Wilhelmina Slater):

ET: Were you able to exhale with the early pickup of "Ugly Betty"?
Vanessa Williams: Yes, it seemed like an eternity for some reason. In your heart of hearts, you know you are on a great show and you don't want it to end. And the people are anxious to have it back. I was hoping for the best, but it is always nice to hear from above that it is official.

ET: Do you feel any difference in the show now that it films in New York?
Vanessa Williams: Absolutely. Visually it is a whole different aesthetic, because we are shooting in New York on the streets with background that is actually New Yorkers. We do a lot less green screen. I think the only time we do green screen is if there is a special effect or, possibly, interior town car stuff. Other than that, we are shooting on the subways, on the city buses, walking in parks and Times Square. You can't replicate that feeling on a soundstage in L.A. as well as you can do it live in New York.

Also, visually, [costume designer] Pat Fields, again, is a genius in making every character completely different, innovative and fashion-forward. She makes a statement and it is great to be able to have your character go to the next level with her creative team behind you.

ET: Since Wilhelmina Slater owns half of the Meade shares, she seems to have mellowed a lot when it comes to being Daniel's (Eric Mabius) rival. Is that a temporary truce?
Vanessa Williams: Oh, yeah. That is going to change. She is not so mellow anymore because her livelihood is being threatened due to the fact that there are some issues due to the DNA results of her child. Once that starts to crumble, she loses her position in the company and she does not like that.

ET: Why did they decide to check the DNA on the baby?
Vanessa Williams: You will see certain characteristics. For instance, Christina (Ashley Jensen) is really the only one who knows how to settle the child, and people started to remark on that. Also, issues of how the child looked.

ET: What is your favorite thing about playing Wilhelmina?
Vanessa Williams: It is a role where you get to behave badly and get away with it. I have been able to do so many different things: Not be stuck in an office and do the same thing over and over again. This past season, I just finished playing piano and singing with Christine Baranski, which is coming up, and I play tennis and Billie Jean King is in our scene. I speak French with some fabulous visiting advertiser. I am put in situations as Wilhelmina that allow me to stretch and have fun. There is nothing average about the role.

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