‘Griselda’ First Look: Sofia Vergara Becomes Cocaine Queen in Netflix Series
Samantha Bergeson
Colombian cocaine queenpin Griselda Blanco is getting the Netflix treatment, courtesy of Sofia Vergara.
The “Modern Family” alum stars in and executive produces the limited series “Griselda,” helmed by “Narcos” showrunner Eric Newman under his overall deal with the streaming platform. See Vergara’s transformation into Blanco above, in a first look at Netflix’s “Griselda.”
Per the official series description, “Griselda” is “inspired by the savvy and ambitious Colombian businesswoman, Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history. A devoted mother, Blanco’s lethal blend of charm and unsuspected savagery helped her expertly navigate between family and business leading her to become widely known as the ‘Godmother.'”
Starring Vergara as the titular Griselda, the project has been in development for eight years at Latin World Entertainment. Fellow Colombian native Andrés Baiz is set to direct all six episodes of the limited drama, while also serving as an executive producer alongside co-showrunners and writers Ingrid Escajeda and Doug Miro.
“Griselda Blanco was a larger-than-life character,” Vergara said of her upcoming role, “whose ruthless but ingenious tactics allowed her to rule a billion-dollar empire years before many of the most notorious male kingpins we know so much about.”
Vergara added, “We are thrilled to have found the perfect partners in Eric, Andrés and Netflix to help us bring this story of her life to the screen.”
Showrunner Newman explained that “Griselda Blanco has long been a passion project for Sofia,” calling the actress a “brilliant talent.”
Alberto Guerra (“Narcos: Mexico”), Vanessa Ferlito (“NCIS: New Orleans”), Alberto Ammann (“Narcos”), Christian Tappan (“The Great Heist”), Diego Trujillo (“Metastasis”), Paulina Davila (“Luis Miguel”), Gabriel Sloyer (“Narcos”), Juliana Aidén Martinez (“Blacklist”), Martin Rodriguez (“Detrás de la verdad”), and José Zúñiga (“American Crime Story, Versace”) round out the ensemble cast. The limited series has yet to announce a premiere date.
The “Black Widow” Blanco was also the subject of Lifetime’s 2018 “Cocaine Godmother” biopic, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and written by David McKenna. Jennifer Lopez was slated to make her directorial debut with true crime drama “The Godmother” in 2020.
