Sofía Vergara has disclosed the unexpected skill she had to acquire before filming Griselda.
At the beginning of the year, the much-awaited series – for which Vergara completely transformed herself – debuted on Netflix, quickly captivating viewers who began binge-watching it.
The show is inspired by the life of Griselda Blanco, a Colombian drug trafficker and businesswoman famously known as the ‘Black Widow’.
The synopsis states: “Griselda tells the story of a devoted mother who created one of the most profitable cartels in history.
“As the series dramatizes, her lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her to navigate between the worlds of underground business and family.”
Unsurprisingly, the series includes numerous drug-related scenes; something with which Vergara apparently needed assistance.
In an interview with Variety about her role, Vergara shared that Griselda director Andrés Baiz had to guide her in learning some of her character’s vices – like drug use.
“I had never smoked in my life,” the 52-year-old told the publication. “[Griselda director] Andy [Baiz] would come to my house the month before we started. We would talk about the script, and he would teach me how to smoke and do cocaine and crack.”
Vergara also mentioned the daily physical transformations she underwent to accurately portray Griselda – a process that required spending three hours a day in the makeup chair.
One specific challenge the Modern Family star faced was altering her physique to better resemble her character.
“She was maybe not a Barbie doll, but the real Griselda Blanco had something — she had some kind of sex appeal that I needed to show,” Vergara explained.
“I didn’t want the bouncing that is natural for Latin women to show. I would have to wrap myself so that my butt wouldn’t jiggle. I had to wear a really bad bra.
“I had to cover my arms, because I have very skinny arms, and you don’t look threatening when you have this stupid little arm.”
Vergara’s extensive work on set has ultimately paid off, as the series has become a hit with fans, earning her a Primetime Emmy nomination.
The mother-of-one has previously received Emmy nods for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Gloria Pritchett in Modern Family, but this marks her first Lead Actress nomination.
Vergara is the second Latina to be nominated for lead acting in a limited series.
Anya Taylor-Joy, who has Argentinean ancestry, was the first Latina to be nominated in the same category in 2021 for The Queen’s Gambit.