Your favorite American television series may have borrowed its storyline from one of your mother's favorite telenovelas. Check out which popular American shows are English-language interpretations of popular Latin American telenovelas.

1. "Ugly Betty"


One of the most popular telenovelas of all time, "Yo Soy Betty La Fea," was brought to American television in September 2006 by ABC and Executive Producer Salma Hayek in the hit series "Ugly Betty."

Honduran-American actress America Ferrera starred in the lead role of Betty Suarez, a Mexican-American Latina who takes on the fashion business. Betty proves herself worthy while staying true to who she is despite being an outsider in a judgemental industry.

The same year that "Ugly Betty" aired, the classic Colombian telenovela was also remade by Canal de las Estrellas in Spanish with actress Angélica Vale in the lead role. The telenovela was called "La fea más bella" and was very successful. The Spanish-language remake aired its first episode on January 2006.

"Ugly Betty" was also very successful, had four seasons on ABC and earned a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series. Ferrera also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress, a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Emmy Award. Ferrera became the first Latina to win a Best Actress Golden Globe.

2. "Devious Maids"


This Lifetime series, which stars Ana Ortiz, Roselyn Sánchez, Dania Ramirez and Judy Reyes, is based on the Televisa telenovela "Ellas son...la Alegría del Hogar."

Like the telenovela, the English-language series depicts the lives of five Latina maids who work for the wealthy and powerful families of Beverly Hills. In classic telenovela style, the plot is filled drama, secrets and deception. The series was renewed for Season 4 in September 2015.

3. "Jane The Virgin"


What may be The CW's most successful show, "Jane The Virgin" may seem like an original idea to many of its viewers but its over-the-top plot and satire are due to it being an adaptation of the 2002 Venezuelan classic "Juana la Virgen."

Just like in the original, young Jane, played by Gina Rodriguez in the American remake, gets pregnant from artificial insemination because of a hospital error. The rest is telenovela gold.

The role has made Rodriguez a television household name and earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress, the first Golden Globe for the network.

4. "Chasing Life"

"Chasing Life" had all the makings of a dramatic ABC Family drama, but the series' concept, of a young woman who learns she has cancer, originally came from the Mexican drama "Terminales."

In the 2008 original series, Abril Márquez learns she is terminally ill and must learn to live her life in ways she hadn't before. "Chasing Life," which starred Italia Ricci and ran for two seasons, followed the same storyline.

5. "Queen of the South"


The upcoming USA drama, "Queen of the South" is an English-language take on the super popular narconovela "La Reina del Sur," which starred actress Kate del Castillo.

"La Reina del Sur" first aired in 2011 and is the most expensive telenovela that Telemundo has ever made. In the drama, del Castillo plays Teresa Mendoza, a woman from Mexico who goes on to become the most powerful drug trafficker in Spain after she must flee the people who killed her boyfriend.

The USA series will star Alice Braga in the role of Teresa. However, instead of heading to Spain, her character will make her way to the United States to seek refuge and establish herself in the drug cartel.

The series will premiere Summer 2016.

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