FROM the moment Becki Newton read the script for the pilot of Ugly Betty, she knew she had to get the role of the sublimely conniving and bitchy receptionist, Amanda Tanen.

‘‘All I had ever done was TV commercials, but I read the script and I said to my husband, ‘I absolutely have to get this part’. There was something about Amanda that was so funny and tragic,” says the 30-year-old actress.

Petite and pretty in a short floral dress, grey cardigan and pumps, Becki is looking fresh-faced for someone who was partying the night away at the Glamour Magazine Women of the Year awards only a few hours before.

“I was so excited, I’ve never won anything in my entire life,” she says of the award she picked up for Best Comedy Actress.

But she needn’t be so modest, for the comedic genius behind the character of Amanda is very much down to Becki.

“On the page, Amanda wasn’t a very fleshed-out character,” Becki says, attempting to balance a cup of tea on top the pillow she has resting on her knees.

“The creators just wanted a supermodel who was a bitch and who would be mean to Betty every time she walked in.

“I thought, ‘OK, I’m not a supermodel, I’m 5ft 3in, but wouldn’t it be funny to play Amanda like a girl who wanted to be a supermodel, but failed.”

Ugly Betty follows the trials and tribulations of the enthusiastic, but less than polished, Betty Suarez at trendy Mode magazine.

After two seasons filmed in LA, the third series marked a move back to New York, where the pilot was shot.

“My husband (fellow actor Chris Diamantopoulos) and I lived in New York originally, so when they moved the show back to New York, I moved right back into my home,” says Becki.

Ugly Betty is all about fashion, and Patricia Field, the woman responsible for the fabulous Sex And The City wardrobe, rejoined the show in New York.

‘‘I’ve developed an appreciation for more avant garde clothes,” admits Becki.

“I prefer to be a little more comfortable in real life, but Amanda doesn’t care if she’s comfortable. She doesn’t understand what the word means, it’s irrelevant.”

Take the rubber dress Becki was required to wear in one episode. “It sounds amazing and sexy, but it really wasn’t at all. I needed about ten people to help get me into it and they had to actually purchase whatever strippers use to get their latex costume on and off.

“It was horrifying. I couldn’t take the dress off for 16 hours straight, so you can imagine how lovely that was at the end of the day.”

Becki says there are a lot of girls who will wear anything as long as they’re told it’s “amazing”. Raising her eyebrows, she adds: “Even if it’s ugly and way too small.”

She goes on: “When I used to go into auditions, I’d see these girls who just seemed to look perfect. They seemed to know what to say and what to do and they were sort of snobby and mean to everybody.

“I thought of all those girls who are so good at intimidating people, put them together and made Amanda.”

AMANDA wouldn’t be the same without her equally cruel sidekick, Marc St James, played by reallife best friend Michael Urie.

“I’ve been so fortunate that all this Ugly Betty stuff happened simultaneously with meeting Michael. We love working together.

“The problem is we start laughing so much it gets very irritating for the crew, especially about 2am on Friday when everyone wants to go home. No one thinks we’re as funny as we do”

When Ugly Betty first aired it was unlike anything else on TV. “A quirky drama comedy that’s demented and funny” is how Becki describes it.

“We had such a great first season. It was like we aired the pilot and the next minute we’re all standing at the Golden Globes. Michael and I couldn’t believe it because we were standing next to Brad and Angelina in the lobby and we thought, ‘What are we doing here, someone’s going to kick us out any second.’”

Unashamedly stylised, the show has lent itself to famous cameos from the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Victoria Beckham and Naomi Campbell.

“I was expecting Victoria to be 25ft tall and was shocked at what a normal person she is.

She was just this mom with three perfect little children running around kicking Michael in the butt,”

says Becki.

“And she was really good at laughing at herself. I love that quality, especially in someone like her who has this larger-thanlife persona.”

Season three has already aired in the US and the consensus appears to be that the cast and crew have hit their stride once again.

As for the future, Becki says she has no idea what to expect. ‘‘I don’t think anyone does. All you can really do is focus on the quality of what’s right in front of you.

That’s why the show has done so well until now and will hopefully continue to do so.’’