THE DESTROYER
Wilhelmina Slater (Ugly Betty) played by Vanessa Williams
“Sorry, I sometimes blackmail people when
I'm nervous.”
The reason I am in love with Wilhelmina Slater so much is
that she is just one of those characters we all secretly wish we could be. The
writers of Ugly Betty penned some of the juiciest lines that Vanessa Williams
delivers with such conviction and acid that is truly is hard to believe they
aren’t her own thoughts. It wasn’t just with rivals that she was ‘forthright’
with either; even her long time love interest Connor Owens was victim to some
of Wilhelmina’s best lines.
Now, there are 2 reasons Wilhelmina stands out for me amongst
all the TV bitches (and let’s face it, that have been a number…). The first is
her humanity. It’s a common trait amongst the ‘bitch’ that we must discover
their human side after so long. We are first introduced to Wilhelmina’s
humanity when she confesses she is ageing in an industry that she controls. But
it is Wilhelmina’s loneliness that truly humanises her. She has sent her
daughter, Nico, away to boarding school only for Nico to return and try and con
Wilhelmina. She is estranged from her father who rejected the ‘monster she had
become’ and even Connor Owens leaves her when she chooses to throw away her
career to be with him. Every so often we see the loneliness explode out of her
and we are reminded of the fact that, whilst she is regretful, this is the path
she constantly chooses in life.
The second reason Wilhelmina stands out for me is her
acceptance of herself. She knows exactly what kind of character she is and,
whilst others see the reason and potential to change in her, she sees the
truth. In order to succeed in the publishing business she works in, she has had
to create a hard exterior and demand perfection from everyone around her to
stay on top. With her high demands and catty attitude she brings out the best
in others. Many people can relate to the hatred of the boss and that
relationship is often so clichéd in television, but Wilhelmina unapologetic
attitude to who she is makes her so unique.
For me the episode which highlights Wilhelmina and
Vanessa Williams is episode 7 of series 3 entitled, “Crush’d”. It’s one of the
first instances we see Wilhelmina uncomfortable in the workplace with arrival
of Connor Owens and the final scene of the episode where Wilhelmina sits with
Betty is so small and yet so heart-breaking it’s impossible to not empathise
with her.
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