Sofia Vergara Reflects On Playing A Drug Lord In 'Griselda': 'Everything Was Challenging For Me'

Netflix will premiere its miniseries Griselda starring Sofia Vergara as Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco on Friday (January 25). The series also marks the first time Vergara has taken on a more serious role in her 30-plus year career.

“Everything was challenging for me,” he says Advertising sign. “Especially in the first month because I was trying new things. I had never acted in Spanish or in a drama or with prosthetics. The three hour hair and makeup was exhausting… It was a lot of different things. I had to wrap my body so it didn't look like me. I think more than one scene that was difficult was episode five. It was very difficult because Griselda was going all the way down and taking drugs, losing her mind a little bit. We were a long way from my home in Los Angeles. We were sleeping in tiny hotels. It was difficult. And the mood that Griselda was in wears me out. He was killing, screaming, crying. It was a lot.”

The series — which chronicles how Blanco (aka “The Cocaine Godmother”) built one of the most profitable cartels in Miami in the 1970s — was co-created by showrunner Eric Newman (Narcos, Narcos: Mexico), directed by Andrés Baiz (Narcos), who directed all six episodes. Vergara is also an executive producer.

“This is a tragedy and when you tell a story about drug trafficking, as we have done with NarcosAnd someone who builds an empire and loses it, it's important not to glorify it and see that there is justice,” says Newman. “What was interesting about this story for us is that she is the last line of defense for her children and she made her story for us really about the mother. When you meet her, you immediately connect with her, and when you watch her build this empire, where the story should end is where that prime directive “protect my children” fails. That, for us, became the journey of the character, and it's all about the character, which Sofia absolutely nailed.”

Griselda It also stars Karol G in her debut as “Carla,” one of Griselda's “mules” who transports drugs across the U.S. For the role, the Colombian superstar spent months in acting and physical movement classes and took in-person and virtual classes that ” It completely opened my eyes to a different perspective. They helped my career as an artist and my development on stage,” he previously said Advertising sign.

“Working with Karol G was amazing,” notes Baiz. “She was so much fun. She was humble on set and hardworking. Just the energy she brought to the set and to her character was very authentic. He's from Medellin, he is paisa, it's the way he talks. She's a performer, so she had it in her. It was great working with her. When he came on set, everyone was happy. Very professional. It was fantastic. I wish there was more Karol G on the show, but it's just a taste.”

“We put on Bad Bunny Narcos And that was a great experience as well, but most of the time when someone who's a superstar in one world comes into the acting world, you never know what you're going to get,” adds Newman. “She was great and her character was great, so it was a thrill and a joy to have her.”

Watch it Griselda trailer below: