First Images of Sofia Vergara in ‘Griselda’

The ‘Modern Family’ star here plays Griselda Blanco, a real-life businesswoman who built one of the biggest cartels in Colombia’s history.

Sofia Vergara as Griselda in 'Griselda.'

We know Sofia Vergara best as the outspoken Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the long-running, successful comedy series ‘Modern Family’, which ended in 2020.

Yet even before the show concluded, Vergara has been expanding her career out beyond it, appearing in movies such as ‘Hot Pursuit’ and ‘Chef’, and working as a producer on a variety of projects.

She’s combining both for new Netflix drama ‘Griselda’, starring as the complex, ambitious title character, co-creating and helping to shepherd the show as an executive producer.

It promises something quite different from Vergara, who hasn’t had the chance to showcase her dramatic chops in recent years.

The first images from the series, featuring Vergara and more, are now online.

What’s the story of ‘Griselda’?

The limited series is inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Colombian businesswoman Griselda Blanco, a devoted mother who created one of the most profitable cartels in history.

Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as “the Godmother.”

The show is run by writer Ingrid Escajeda.

Who else stars in ‘Griselda’?

The cast also includes Alberto Guerra, Rosa Ochoa, Vanessa Ferlito, Martin Rodriguez, Alberto Ammann, Christian Tappan, Diego Trujillo, Paulina Dávila, Gabriel Sloyer, Juliana Aidén Martinez and José Zúñiga.

The creators speak about ‘Griselda’

Sofia Vergara as Griselda in 'Griselda.' Cr. Elizabeth Morris/Netflix © 2023.

Here’s the co-creator and executive producer on the connections between the star and her character:

“As a Colombian immigrant and single mother who came to America and built an empire, Sofía shares that personal aspect of this character and her passion for telling her story was undeniably the driving force behind this project. What will really surprise viewers is how she encompasses this complete darkness in her performance — a far cry from the beloved comedic star she’s known as. Finding her way to that place was her great challenge on this show, and seeing the successful transformation was a privilege.”

And director and executive Producer, Andrés Baiz explains the story:

“When we meet Griselda, she is a woman overrun by the male-dominated world around her. We also see her evolution as she makes use of her oppression as a means of terror –– these images provide just a peek into the duality. The duplicity is what I find so fascinating about Griselda, and Sofía Vergara captures her essence fiercely.”

So, forget ‘The Godfather’. The “Godmother” is coming to our screens. The six-episode limited series will arrive on Netflix in January.