Becki Newton's Journey from 'Ugly Betty' to 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

The actress has gone from playing a snarky receptionist to a fierce legal aid in two very different shows.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Becki Newton first gained fame for her role as the sarcastic and fashionable receptionist Amanda Tanen on the hit sitcom Ugly Betty. Now, over a decade later, she's starring as Lorna Crane, the loyal legal aid and ex-wife of the lead character, in the Netflix legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer. While the shows are vastly different in premise, Newton's characters share similarities in their sharp wit and growth arcs.

Why it matters

Newton's transition from a comedic supporting role in Ugly Betty to a more dramatic lead in The Lincoln Lawyer showcases her versatility as an actress. It also highlights how she has been able to maintain a steady career over the past 20 years, going from a breakout role to now headlining a major Netflix series.

The details

In Ugly Betty, Newton played the snarky and fashionable receptionist Amanda Tanen, who often bullied the show's protagonist Betty. However, the character evolved over the series' four seasons, revealing more layers to Amanda beyond just being the office mean girl. Now in The Lincoln Lawyer, Newton plays Lorna Crane, the second ex-wife of the lead character Mickey Haller. Lorna is a fierce legal aid who is fiercely loyal to those she loves, and she has her own backstory of overcoming trauma from an assault in law school.

  • Ugly Betty aired from 2006 to 2010.
  • The Lincoln Lawyer premiered on Netflix in 2022.

The players

Becki Newton

An American actress who first gained fame for her role as Amanda Tanen on the sitcom Ugly Betty and is now starring as Lorna Crane on the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.

Amanda Tanen

The sarcastic and fashionable receptionist that Newton played on the sitcom Ugly Betty, who started out as the office bully but evolved into a more complex character over the show's four seasons.

Lorna Crane

Newton's current role on The Lincoln Lawyer, where she plays the fierce legal aid and second ex-wife of the lead character Mickey Haller.

Michael "Mickey" Haller

The lead character of The Lincoln Lawyer, a defense attorney in Los Angeles who frequently works out of the back of his chauffeured Lincoln Navigator.

Ugly Betty

The hit sitcom that aired from 2006 to 2010, based on the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, and following the story of a Mexican American woman named Betty who lands a job at a high-fashion magazine.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Fans of Becki Newton will be eager to see how her character Lorna Crane continues to evolve in future seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer.

The takeaway

Becki Newton's transition from playing the snarky receptionist Amanda on Ugly Betty to the fierce legal aid Lorna on The Lincoln Lawyer showcases her impressive range as an actress, allowing her to take on more dramatic and vulnerable roles while still maintaining the sharp wit that made her a standout in her earlier comedic work.