'Ugly Betty' creator Silvio Horta dead at 45; America Ferrera and cast 'heartbroken'
Family members and colleagues are paying tribute to "Ugly Betty" creator Silvio Horta, who has died at age 45.
Horta's mother, Anna Horta, and sister, Hilda Horta, confirmed to USA TODAY that the Cuban-American writer and producer died after "an ongoing struggle with addiction and depression."
"Through his friendships, his love and his work in TV and films, Silvio touched the lives of millions," Anna and Hilda said in a statement. "He was a kind and beautiful man. He may be gone but his light will shine on."
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department said Horta died by a gunshot wound to the head Tuesday. The department added he probably died by suicide, though the autopsy has not been completed.
"Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera wrote on Instagram that she was "stunned and heartbroken" over the news.
"His talent and creativity brought me and so many others such joy & light. I’m thinking of his family and loved ones who must be in so much pain right now- and of the whole Ugly Betty family who feel this loss so deeply," she said.
Horta was "an incredible voice and talent and a rare person, a gay Cuban writer who hit the mainstream as a kid and never could quite keep up with his own success,” Ben Silverman, the executive producer of “Ugly Betty,” told USA TODAY. Silverman acquired U.S. rights to the Spanish-language hit “Yo Soy Betty La Fea” and hired Horta to adapt it. “It’s sad that he wasn’t happy in his own skin.”
Vanessa Williams, who played Wilhelmina Slater on "Ugly Betty," shared another tribute to Horta.
"Still in shock after hearing the tragic news of our #uglybetty creator #silviohorta," she captioned a photo on Instagram. "His creativity and passion will be missed by so many of us that worked with him. May he Rest In Peace"
A post shared by Vanessa Williams (@vanessawilliamsofficial) on Jan 7, 2020 at 5:06pm PST
Co-star Michael Urie, who played Marc St. James, also shared his thoughts on Horta.
"I will be forever indebted to this sweet, brilliant man," he tweeted with a heartbreak emoji.
Chris Gorham, who acted in two of Horta's shows, shared a photo collage and some thoughts on Instagram: "I will be forever grateful for his creativity, his enormous heart, and his friendship."
A post shared by Christopher Gorham (@chrisgorham) on Jan 7, 2020 at 5:27pm PST
Blogger Perez Hilton also mourned Horta's loss on Twitter. "I always felt such a kinship with Silvio Horta," he wrote. "This is devastating!
Noooooo!!!!!!!! NOOOO! His poor family! Poor him! Ugh! I always felt such kinship with Silvio Horta. A fellow gay Cubanito from Miami who, like me, also went to NYU’s Tisch School Of The Arts. And we were around the same age. This is devastating! https://t.co/udfCfN2gWA
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) January 8, 2020
Horta's Emmy-nominated "Ugly Betty" followed Betty (Ferrera) in her humble Queens home, and the swanky Manhattan offices of high-fashion magazine "Mode." The show ran for four seasons, from 2006-2010.
A post shared by America Ferrera (@americaferrera) on Jan 7, 2020 at 4:54pm PST
When it premiered, Horta told USA TODAY that his show's source material "was harsh, it was in-your-face, it was intriguing, and it was funny." And so Horta's "Ugly Betty" veered from satire to over-the-top soap to heartfelt drama.
The writer and producer's other TV credits include "Jake 2.0," a series he created about an NSA computer technician; and "The Chronicle," a show he wrote on about a tabloid magazine. His first major writing credit was the screenplay for the Jared Leto 1998 thriller "Urban Legend."
His family says that services for Horta will be held in Miami and Los Angeles.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts and are in need of support, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255). You can also chat with someone online at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/.
Contributing: Gary Levin, Charles Trepany
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Ugly Betty' creator Silvio Horta dead at 45; America Ferrera mourns