Although best known for his wickedly funny turn as a catty, impeccably clothed-and-coiffed fashion mag underling on the campy dramedy Ugly Betty, Urie's pre-TV credits are nothing to laugh at. While attending Juilliard's prestigious acting program, he won the 2002 John Houseman Prize for excellence in classical theater, then went on to hone his skills in numerous regional Shakespeare productions. With only one notable screen role on his résumé — as a gay photographer dealing with the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the New York-set indie WTC View — Urie landed his breakout Ugly Betty role as the title character's biggest bully. Off screen, Urie is an aspiring director and producer, working on theatre productions like The Fantasticks and a documentary short titled Two Down.