Yaya Dacosta Joins ABC's 'UGLY BETTY'

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello reveals that stage and screen actress, as well as runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model, Yaya DaCosta, will take over the recurring role of Wilhelmina's defiant daughter Nico on ABC's 'Ugly Betty' this upcoming season.

Nico first appeared on in season two of Ugly Betty and was played by Jowharah Jones

'Ugly Betty' is a Golden Globe and Emmy winning comedy starring America Ferrera in the title role, along with Eric Mabius, Judith Light, Rebecca Romijn and Vanessa Williams. The series premiered on September 28, 2006, on ABC in the United States. It follows the adventures of the unglamorous and good-natured Betty Suarez (Ferrera), and her incongruous job at the ultra-chic New York City fashion magazine Mode.

'Ugly Betty' returns for its fourth season on October 9, 2009 and will air on Friday nights at 9pm.

Yaya DaCosta is a formidable young actress who is making her mark in film with stand out performances in Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas and Honeydripper where she co-starred along with Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. On television she was last seen in a breakout performance in the Lifetime Network motion picture Racing for Time, as well as a recent featured role on All My Children. Fans of America's Next Top Model will remember her as a favorite contestant in the popular series third season. And while she has graced the pages of many top fashion magazines, her real passion has always been acting. She knew from the age of 11 that it was her true calling, and was soon doing plays and educational films in her hometown of New York City not long after starting her journey as an actor. Yaya studied dance at The Harlem School of The Arts and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and spent junior high school at the magnet performing arts school Manhattan East Jr. High School. She is graduate oF Brown University.

In the Signature Theatre Company's acclaimed recent production of Leslie Lee's drama, The First Breeze Of Summer, Miss DaCosta essayed the pivotal role of 'Lucretia', a lively and free-willed woman who's latter-day incarnation, played by Leslie Uggams, revealed the complicated choices her younger self had to ultimately make to keep her family together.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.