WILHELMINA SLATER

'Wilhelmina Slater' is a fictional character in the American dramedy series ''Ugly Betty''. She is played by Vanessa Williams, who received a supporting actress nomination at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards for her portrayal of the character.

Contents

Background

Family life

Fashion and style

Minions

Trivia

Connections

External links

Background

Wilhelmina is a conceited, self-absorbed diva and former fashion model who lives for two things: MODE and Botox. She is also the Creative Director of MODE magazine. With Fey Sommers' sudden death, she was next in line to become the magazine's chief editor. However, she was passed over in favor of the less experienced Daniel Meade, the son of the Chairman of MODE's publishing company Meade, Bradford Meade, who thinks she is not qualified for the job.
It is for that reason that Wilhelmina has launched a series of attempts to derail Daniel, but because of Betty Suarez, Daniel's assistant, many of her plans were thwarted. In her many years as Creative Director, she has acquired many minions in the fashion industry (including one from a rival magazine) that she uses in order to reach her goal of becoming Editor-In-Chief.
Wilhelmina was also in league with a mysterious bandaged woman, as the series progressed, many clues link this woman to be Fey Sommers but it has since been revealed to be Alexis Meade, Daniel's older (m-f transgendered) sister.
Wilhelmina's plan was revealed when Alexis told her of someone calling her from Wilhelmina's office. After learning that her assistant Marc was the caller Wilhelmina was ready to fire him, but she found herself backed into a corner after she let slip her takeover plans. As a result Wilhelmina agreed to give him financial perks in order to keep him from spilling the beans.
Wilhelmina also keeps a secret bulletin board in her office of people who she wants to keep on board when she takes over MODE. The board is divided into two. One side is labelled "In" and has a picture of Wilhelmina. The other side is labelled "Out" with pictures of Daniel and Betty being on the list of people she wants out, as is Amanda (Although Marc is lobbying to keep her on; Wilhelmina placed her there because Amanda has slept with Daniel and believes that she still might be attracted to him). Christina was placed in between as Wilhelmina is uncertain of her loyalty. She used Christina to do her dirty work and it is not known if Christina is since been moved to "In". After suggesting that Alexis Meade move into her current office, Wilhemina might have removed her board.
But her scheme to replace Daniel was again delayed because of an injunction as Bradford's will states that Alex Meade would take over Meade publications, but Alex has since become Alexis. Wilhelmina refused to work until she becomes Editor-In-Chief. However the career minded woman could not help but find out the goings on at MODE, so she made Marc carry a pot of orchids in which she has placed a tiny camera around the office of MODE. After she witnesses Alexis and Daniel bury the hatchet, Wilhelmina would later discover that Alexis has turned on her; When Alexis told her that she's keeping Daniel onboard as editor-in-chief, Wilhelmina ended their partnership, as she now sees Alexis as an enemy.
When Wilhelmina found out later that MODE legally belonged to Claire Meade, Bradford's wife, she goes on to visit her at the hospital where she was being detoxed for her hearing in the hopes of manipulating her into signing a Power of Attorney. She also tempted the alcoholic Claire to some liquor on the condition that she makes Wilhelmina the Editor-In-Chief. But when Claire did not relent (Claire told her that MODE "...will always be run by a Meade"), Wilhelmina resorts to seducing Bradford. She believes that by doing this, it will convince Bradford that she can be the next Mrs. Meade, which would allow her to takeover ''MODE''. She also helped Bradford in his scheme to get Alexis out of the country by recommending that her counterpart at ''MODE Brasil'', Rodrigo, romance her.
In the season finale, Bradford gives Wilhelmina a gaudy engagement ring that he designed himself, setting things up for a November wedding. Unknown to Wilhelmina, Claire has just escaped while en route to prison, hoping to stop Bradford from marrying Wilhelmina.

Family life

Wilhelmina is the daughter of a United States Senator, a hard man who is never satisfied with his daughter's achievements. She never addresses him as "father" or "dad" but instead as "The Senator". She also has a strong-willed daughter, Nico, who she sent away to boarding school. She was introduced in the episode ''The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe''. Despite their differences, Wilhemina has shown willingness in improving their relationship. In the second season, look for other members of the Slater family to show up as Wilhelmina prepares to walk down the aisle, and already her mother, Victoria Smith-Slater (played by Betty White), will show up for a visit.

Fashion and style

Much of Wilhemina's sophisticated wardrobe revolves around the colors white, yellow, gold, and brown. In a deleted scene from the season 1 DVD, Wilhelmina is seen looking at her closetful of outfits as she tried to rearrange them by those aforementioned colors.

Minions

★ Marc St. James, personal assistant

★ Amanda Tanen, ''MODE'' receptionist

★ Philippe Michel, freelance photographer

★ Rodrigo Veloso, Creative Director of ''Brasil'' MODE

★ Carlos Medina, assistant editor/mole for ''Isabella''

★ Steve Green, private detective

Trivia

★ The Slaters' first names are based on real names from the world of modeling: The Wilhelmina character is named after the legendary supermodel, who worked with Gia Marie Carangi before her death, and modeling agency of the same name, while the Nico character is named for the famous Warhol superstar icon.

★ It is mentioned in episode 9, ''Lose the Boss'', that she never attended college.

★ Wilhelmina's character is equivalent to Patricia Fernández de Brickman, as they have nearly a similar appearance.

Connections

★ Nico Slater - Rebellious teenage daughter.

★ Alexis Meade - Was her partner in her takeover scheme, but now sees her as a nemesis after turning on her when Alexis decided to repair her relationship with Daniel.

★ Marc St. James - Her Personal Assistant who knows about her takeover plans.

★ Bradford Meade - Her boss at Meade Publications; Tried to have him framed for Fey's murder, but when that failed after learning that Claire was the real culprit, she decided to "romance" him as his wife prepares to face jail time.

★ Daniel Meade - Editor-In-Chief at MODE; Main enemy. Plans to drive a wedge into his riff with his entire family.

★ Betty Suarez - Daniel's assistant. Considers her as an enemy as she stands in Wilhelmina's way on reaching her goals. Attempted to bribe Betty with a check to help her father but she would have to sell out Daniel; She turned down her offer.

★ Christina McKinney - Seamstress at MODE but Wilhemina also uses her as her personal seamstress. She is one of Wilhelmina's minions, despite being forced into it, even if it means protecting her friendship with Betty. Wilhelmina controls her future in the fashion industry and described her previous entries of clothing for the fashion show as "a little too bohemian". Christina's response to that statement: " I think your exact words were hippie hideous".

★ Claire Meade - Original owner of MODE; Attempting to manipulate her into taking over the magazine's operations by any means at her disposal.

★ Ted LeBeau - Owner of Beau-Mart (similar to Wal-Mart or K-Mart), a department store chain and single father; Wilhelmina's love interest, who has managed to show Wil's softer side. Ted has since left her in order to work on his relationship with his wife and children.

★ Hilda Suarez - Although she has never come into close contact with Betty's sister, when she did see her and Betty selling Herbalux in the MODE canteen, she described an activist Hilda as "Cesar Chavez in a push-up bra".

★ Justin Suarez - While she was temorarily blinded by a "duck sauce" imjection to her face ala Botox, he served as her temporary "seeing-eye" guide during Fashion Week when Mark left her temporarily to seek out the next hot fashion item for 2007. During a brief exchange between the two, she called him Jason, but he didn't care what she called him since he said he loved her.

External links

★ Wilhelmina's Official Myspace page