Sofia Vergara appeared on Monday’s episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s (THR) Awards Chatter podcast and spoke about her experiences growing up around Colombia’s cartel wars.
Vergara spoke about her personal connection to her latest role and her past growing up in Colombia. During the podcast, Vergara reflected on the harsh realities of growing up in Colombia during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, when the drug trade was at its peak. according to To THR.
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“I grew up in Colombia in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, and as we all know, that was a time when the drug trade was unfortunately affecting everyone’s lives in Colombia. It was a really tough time for the country and for my family,” she explained, according to THR. “It was heartbreaking, but it didn’t just happen to me, it happened to a lot of people in Colombia.”
Vergara’s recent portrayal of notorious Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, known as the “Godmother of Cocaine,” in the Netflix limited series “Griselda” drew particular resonance given her background: Though initially skeptical of a woman so deeply involved in the drug trade, Vergara was drawn to the project due to her own firsthand experience.
MADRID, SPAIN – JANUARY 9, 2024: Sofia Vergara attends the premiere of Griselda at the Callao Cinema in Madrid, Spain on January 9, 2024. (Photo by Pablo Cuadra/FilmMagic)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Sofia Vergara attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
“What are they saying? There’s no way a woman could do what these wicked men could do. It’s impossible,” she told THR. Though she couldn’t believe it at first, Vergara’s familiarity with the names and stories of some of the biggest names in the drug trade from her youth sparked her interest in the role. But she approached it cautiously, wanting to avoid glamorizing Blanco’s criminal acts. (Related article: Colombian gangster family sues one of America’s most popular actresses, Sofia Vergara: reports)
“I was nervous because I didn’t want to romanticize this character, this woman,” she told THR , “but like I said, I knew who these men were and I was really curious about them.”
