Scottish actress Ashley Jensen was cast as Christina McKinney, a seamstress and Betty's confidante. Shortly after acquiring an American agent, Jensen travelled to Los Angeles in January 2006 for pilot season. She was sent the script for "Ugly Betty" and later attended a screen test at the studio, which she described as "terrifying". Christina was originally American, but the producers liked Jensen's Scottish accent so much they changed the character's nationality in order for her to keep it. As well as producing the series, Hayek makes an appearance as a maid on a telenovela watched by the Suarez family. Venezuelan telenovela star Lupita Ferrer also appears in the scene.