Sofia Vergara, 49, is taking her latest TV role very seriously. The Emmy-nominated actress is playing “Cocaine Godmother” Griselda Blanco in an upcoming six-episode limited series on Netflix titled Griselda. The streaming service released a first-look photo of Sofia in character via Twitter on Jan. 19, and it’s quite shocking to see how different the Modern Family star looks as the infamous drug lord.
Sofia Vergara stars as Griselda Blanco in a new limited series inspired by the Colombian businesswoman who created one of the most profitable cartels in history, which led to her being known as the “Godmother” — FIRST LOOK: pic.twitter.com/43ftcEZN57
— Netflix (@netflix) January 19, 2022
In the image, Sofia is wearing a long-sleeve printed top and is smoking a cigarette while sitting at a desk. She ominously looks to the side, making for a spectacularly dramatic first-look at the upcoming series. Alongside the photo, Netflix wrote, “Sofia Vergara stars as Griselda Blanco in a new limited series inspired by the Colombian businesswoman who created one of the most profitable cartels in history, which led to her being known as the ‘Godmother.’ ”
Netflix also announced the rest of the Griselda cast members. The show will star Alberto Guerra as Dario, Vanessa Ferlito as Isabel, Alberto Ammann as Alberto Bravo, Christian Tappan as Arturo, Diego Trujillo as German Panesso, Paulina Davila as Carmen, Gabriel Sloyer as Diaz, Juliana Aidén Martinez as June, Martin Rodriguez as Rivi, and José Zúñiga as Amilcar, according to Entertainment Weekly. The show is being directed by Andrés Baiz (Narcos). A premiere date has yet to be revealed.
Griselda is infamous due to her cocaine trafficking. She helped get large quantities of Colombian cocaine into the US from the 1980s until the early 2000s, and she quickly rose to the top ranks of the infamous Medellín Cartel. She earned nicknames like “Cocaine Godmother,” “Queen of Cocaine,” and “Black Widow.” Griselda was shot and killed in September 2012 at the age of 69.
Catherine Zeta-Jones previously played Griselda in the 2018 Lifetime biopic, Cocaine Godmother. There’s been plans for Jennifer Lopez to play Griselda in a biopic on HBO, though there’s been no updates on the project for some time now.