Silvio Horta was born on August 14, 1974, and from Miami, Florida, U.S. He was an American screenwriter and television producer widely noted for adapting the hit Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea into the ABC series Ugly Betty. Horta served as head writer and executive producer on the series.
On January 7, 2020, he passed away at the age of 45 and he was found dead in a Miami hotel room on January 7, 2020. Variety reported that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The mother and sister of Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta, who was found dead Tuesday, paid tribute to him today, remembering their loved one as “a kind and beautiful man.”
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother and son, Silvio Horta,” his mother Anna and sister Hilda said in a statement. “Through his friendships, his love and his work in TV and films, Silvio touched the lives of millions. Silvio had an ongoing struggle with addiction and depression, but through it all, he always found a way to turn his struggle into laughter. He was a kind and beautiful man. He may be gone but his light will shine on.”
Silvio Horta Career
Horta penned many as yet unproduced screenplays including “Even Exchange” and “The Furies” (with Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy). Before Ugly Betty, Horta wrote the screenplay for the 1998 teen satirical hit slasher film Urban Legend and he can be heard on the DVD commentary. Before Legend, he was working as a perfume spritzer.
Horta was also the creator of two short-lived sci-fi television show Jake 2.0, which starred Christopher Gorham, who would later join the cast of Ugly Betty, and The Chronicle. In 2007, he accepted the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series Ugly Betty, stating, “Like most of us up here, Betty is an immigrant and The American Dream is alive and well and in reach of anybody who wants it”.
Horta started the production company “Silent H Productions”, named as a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment of the common mispronunciation of the silent H in Horta’s last name. He was a writer and producer, known for Ugly Betty (2006), Urban Legend (1998) and The Chronicle (2001). He died on January 7, 2020, in Miami.
In 2007, Horta was nominated for an Emmy Award in the outstanding comedy series category for “Ugly Betty,” which aired on ABC from 2006 to 2010. The show was an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela, “Yo Soy Betty, La Fea.”
Silvio Horta Age
How old was Silvio Horta? He was born on August 14, 1974, and from Miami, Florida, U.S and he was 45 years old as of 2019. A service will be held in Miami, with a memorial service to be announced in Los Angeles, according to the family’s statement.
Horta, a Cuban American, was born in Miami. He was a popular performer and playwright in high school, attending both International Baccalaureate Theater, and Experimental Theater programs at Coral Gables Senior in Miami. After graduating in 1992, he attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, majoring in film.
