As a follower deeply moved by stories of resilience and justice, I have to say that Sofia Vergara’s portrayal of Griselda Blanco in the Netflix series is nothing short of remarkable. Her transformation into this complex character is not just an acting feat but a deeply personal journey for her.
Back in January 2024, I found myself utterly captivated by Netflix’s new release, “Griselda.” The show skyrocketed to fame largely due to the extraordinary metamorphosis of Sofia Vergara into the true-life Colombian drug queen. Fast forward seven months, and Sofia is finally sharing her heartfelt motivations behind diving headfirst into such a powerful role.
Talking about the diverse roles she’s taken, Vergara shared that it was her deceased brother, Rafael, who motivated her to portray Griselda Blanco. Back in 1996, when she herself was only 24, tragedy struck as her older brother met his end due to a kidnapping attempt gone wrong by a Colombian drug cartel. She poignantly stated, “That event shattered our family.”
As a dedicated cinephile, I can’t help but reflect on an event that shattered my world. It transformed our lives in ways we never could have imagined. In the midst of it all, we were left bewildered, struggling to comprehend the senseless act that took away my father from us. We yearned for answers about his untimely demise.
After a heart-wrenching event, Vergara, accompanied by her five-year-old son, younger brother, sister, and mother, relocated to the United States. As she explained to Variety, “Taking care of my entire family was challenging.” It wasn’t until a decade later that she discovered Blanco, thanks to the documentary Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami. Her tale fascinated Vergara so deeply that she felt compelled to portray her. However, there was one obstacle: Blanco was still alive at the time, causing Vergara some concern about potential backlash.
Sofia Vergara Waited Until the Right Moment To Make Griselda
Starting in 2009 while she worked on Modern Family, Blanco’s story deeply resonated with Vergara. Given her brother’s tragic murder, it seemed almost destined that one day she would bring this character to life. It took some time for the stars to align, but two significant events – Blanco’s own death in 2012 and the debut of Narcos in 2015 – paved the way for the creation of Griselda.
Produced by showrunner Eric Newman in a leadership role, the initial two seasons of “Narcos” delved into the narrative of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, offering a gripping portrayal of the illicit drug trade beyond our borders. Impressed by how Newman handled Escobar’s story, Vergara felt confident that he was the ideal candidate to breathe life into Blanco’s story. For Vergara, however, her challenge lay in preventing the ruthless drug queen’s tale from being romanticized.
“I found myself questioning my thoughts, realizing that the woman I was studying had taken countless lives, including children. It was challenging to avoid portraying her as a romantic figure or a hero. Instead, she appeared to be a psychopath.”
Following the apprehension Vergara felt about portraying Blanco, the show “Griselda” turned out to be a tremendous success. Not only did this result in the actress receiving a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award this year in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, but it also signified her first Emmy nod outside of the comedy genre. This achievement underscores that when Vergara is determined to excel, she consistently delivers exceptional performances.
It remains uncertain if Vergara will win the Emmy Award for Griselda on September 15th, but if she does, brace yourself for a heart-wrenching acceptance speech as she is likely to honor her deceased brother in some moving way, leaving us all teary-eyed.
Griselda
is now streaming on Netflix and you can check out the trailer below.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-08-14 21:03