In Netflix’s most recent real crime drama, Sofia Vergara talks about how she underwent a physical makeover to play infamous crime leader Griselda Blanco, as well as a persistent illness she picked up while filming the show.
With this partnership with Narcos producer Eric Newman, the Colombian-American actor—who is best known for her comedic roles in the popular US sitcom Modern Family—is taking a more dramatic turn.
Wearing prosthetics for the challenging part, Vergara plays as the ‘Godmother of Cocaine’ in the film Griselda, which portrays the turbulent gang battles that afflicted Miami, Florida in the 1970s and 1980s.
Although Griselda was an employee of the Medellín cartel and had personal acquaintance with Pablo Escobar, the new Netflix series deliberately steers clear of any narrative overlap to enhance the focus on the authentic life of Griselda Blanco.
Sofia Vergara’s first television appearance since Modern Family concluded with its 250th episode in 2020 is in Griselda. In Griselda, the four-time Emmy-nominated actress gives one of the most impressive performances of her career, particularly in light of the extensive makeup applied to her character.
Sofía Vergara’s Griselda Prosthetics & Makeup Explained
The makeup crew responsible for Griselda’s arduous task of transforming the alluring Sofia Vergara into a ruthless murderer and Colombian drug lord is to be expected.
Related: Sofía Vergara Opens Up: Navigating The Painful End Of Her Marriage To Joe Manganiello
Before filming, Vergara stated on The Kelly Clarkson Show that the makeup procedure was “arduous” and demanded “hours” spent in the chair (via Today). To accurately portray Griselda, Vergara utilized prosthetics, a wig, and false teeth in addition to applying makeup to her face.
Although Vergara resembles Griselda in the Netflix series, she has a distinct physique unlike the actual queenpin. One of the creators of Griselda, Eric Newman, stated, “We didn’t want her to look like Griselda, especially at the expense of performance, since in many of those prosthetic shows, the nose does the acting.”
Related: Has Cillian Murphy Had Plastic Surgery? ‘Oppenheimer’ Star’s Transformation!
By placing excessive emphasis on Griselda’s appearance in the series, Vergara’s acting capabilities would have been constrained, and a more realistic aesthetic would have been compromised.
How Much Time Sofía Vergara Needed To Become Griselda Blanco?
Vergara estimates that spending “an hour and a half” every day in the cosmetics chair was necessary for her transition into Griselda. A bigger prosthetic nose, artificial yellowed teeth that reflected the real-life Griselda’s smoking habit, and thin prosthetic eyebrows placed over Vergara’s natural ones were all created by the cosmetics department, which employed a total of nine artists. To make Vergara seem less gorgeous than she actually is, her hair is also drastically thinned in Griselda. This contributed to the portrayal of Griselda Blanco’s menacing personality.