‘Griselda’ Netflix Miniseries Stars Sofia Vergara: Premiere Date & Everything We Know About Her New Show

The ‘Modern Family’ alum looks nearly unrecognizable as the late real-life drug lord. 

Sofía Vergara is stepping into a role that’s a stark contrast to what we’ve seen of her before. The America’s Got Talent judge portrays the real-life cartel leader, Griselda Blanco, — a.k.a the “Cocaine Godmother” and “The Black Widow” — in Netflix’s upcoming miniseries Griselda. 

“Griselda is inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Colombian Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history,” the show’s synopsis reads. “In 1970s to 80s Miami, 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.”

Keep reading to learn everything we know about Sofia’s intense role in Griselda. 

Who Is Griselda Blanco? 

The late cocaine lord was known for the drug wars in Miami throughout the 1970s. She was arrested in 1985 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2004, Griselda was released and deported back to Medellin, Colombia. She was shot dead by an unknown assassin in 2012.  

What Has Sofia Vergara Said About Her Role in ‘Griselda’? 

Apart from Sofía, other well-known actresses have portrayed the late drug leader. Catherine Zeta-Jones played Griselda in Lifetime’s biographical television movie Cocaine Godmother. In 2020, reports surfaced that Jennifer Lopez was in talks to play Griselda in an unreleased film titled The Godmother, per Variety. 

Sofía has not opened up about her dramatic role yet. However, the trailer was released on September 21, and it featured the New Year’s Eve star appearing as a younger version of Griselda. 

The teaser opens with a scene between Griselda and several other men who appear to be fellow drug traffickers. 

“You’ve thought about me a lot, haven’t you?” Sofía asks in the trailer in a raspier voice compared to her usual smooth and upbeat tone. “I heard that you like my product. We can make a lot of money together.”  

After one man asks, “Who is the one in charge?” the camera cuts to the Emmy Award winner staring intently at him. 

In addition to the trailer, film stills of Sofía were released, including one of her appearing to be smiling with bloody cuts on her face, per Entertainment Tonight. 

When Does ‘Griselda’ Start Streaming on Netflix? 

The six-episode miniseries — which was executively produced by the creators of Narcos — will premiere on January 25.