In recent times, Netflix has unleashed the latest trailer for “Griselda,” portraying the life of the late “Cocaine Godmother” Griselda Blanco in a gripping manner. Sofia Vergara, at 51 years old, takes on the role of the notorious Colombian drug queenpin as she maneuvers through Medellín to Miami, overseeing her deadly narcotics enterprises. Within the trailer, Blanco addresses a gathering of women, including Karol G, aged 32, who portrays the role of the queenpin’s friend, Carla, proclaiming, “This is the land of dreams.”
Amid depictions of drug transactions, suitcases brimming with cash, Blanco’s offspring eagerly anticipating her return, and, tragically, killings, the Black Widow declares, “After enduring all that, I’m not willing to give it away for free.”
The intense and riveting new trailer has undoubtedly heightened our anticipation for the show’s premiere on January 25. Nevertheless, despite the copious wealth, opulent 80s ensembles, and title cards such as “Pioneer” within the trailer, executive producer and lead actress Vergara vehemently refutes the idea that the show glorifies Blanco’s existence.
According to Vergara, the series does not seek to romanticize or exalt Blanco in any manner. “Despite Griselda shattering barriers, she is unequivocally not a champion and must not be venerated,” she expounds.
Vergara Voices the Challenges of Executive Producing Griselda and the Vigilance Against Idolizing Blanco
Crafting “Griselda” posed a “challenge,” and she was “cautious to deify” Blanco
In a conversation with Netflix, Vergara unveiled her journey into becomingGriselda Blanco, the Colombian cocaine kingpin who formed a narcotics domain in Miami during the 1970s and 80s.
Vergara, the creator of “Griselda,” invested 10 years in researching Blanco’s life and getting ready for the project. “It was an extensive process for me,” Vergara recalled. “Once during a flight, I came across an article about this Colombian woman, who, despite coming of age in Colombia during the ‘70s and ‘80s, I had never heard of.”
“As a Latina and someone with a similar tone to mine, there are not many roles that are fitting for me,” she revealed. “I believed this was a persona I could portray.”
Today, Vergara depicts working on “Griselda” as a “challenge” for her, given Blanco’s standing as a “complex figure” in history. Although Blanco was undeniably complex, Vergara clarifies: “She’s not a heroine.”“A lot of the things [Blanco] did were very dreadful,” the actress remarked, acknowledging it is a “delicate” subject. “As a cartel leader and a daring businesswoman in Miami during the ‘70s, and obviously, as a
woman, as a mother. That was not a very typical combination.”
Even more uncommon? As Vergara illustrates, the reality that Blanco was “one of the only women in history to have gone as far as she did.” Additionally, the drug queenpin “did whatever it took to protect her family,” returning from cocaine trafficking operations to make lunch for her children.
“A drug lord managing a shipment of cocaine from Colombia and then coming home to care for her three kids is something we haven’t seen before,” Vergara expressed. “It’s like envisioning Tony Montana preparing a lunch box.”
Despite Blanco’s journey to becoming a cartel leader being undeniably engrossing, Vergara steered clear of romanticizing her life. “Most people are familiar with Griselda as the heartless, violent drug lord she was,” the “Modern Family” actress elaborated. “So we took” great caution to not romanticize her in the series.
As the showrunners refrained from idealizing Blanco, they aimed to uncover the complexities of the Black Widow’s role as a mother and drug lord.
“We also strived to delve into the deeper storyline of Griselda,” conveyed Vergara. “How, despite all odds, an impoverished uneducated woman from Colombia succeeded in establishing an extensive, multibillion-dollar enterprise in a male-dominated field, in a foreign country.”
“What I treasured about the project was exploring Griselda’s backstory, the birth of a monstrosity,” she added. “During Griselda’s time, the idea of a woman leading a cartel… was absolutely absurd.”
“Her combination of femininity and the most extreme facets of masculinity is enthralling for everyone. It’s like a catastrophic collision on a highway; we all instinctively turn to witness.”
Vergara’s premiere in Spanish and Karol G’s inaugural foray into acting in “Griselda”
In a remarkably unexpected twist, Vergara, born in Barranquilla, Colombia, has not extensively acted in Spanish before. Primarily acknowledged for her portrayal of the iconic Gloria Delgado in “Modern Family,” and her roles in English-speaking blockbusters such as “Chef” and “Hot Pursuit,” the actress explained: “I had never really acted in Spanish before, or done anything that wasn’t comedy.”
Describing the filming of “Griselda” as a “roller coaster ride,” she admitted, “When you try something new, you have a lot more doubts. So I was anxious the entire time.” Nonetheless, she also characterized the experience as an “enjoyable challenge.”
Vergara encountered another first: working on set alongside numerous other “Latin American actors and a Latin director.” She expressed to Netflix, “I had never previously had that opportunity.”
“I have never had the chance to perform in such a manner in Spanish with actors from Latin America whom I have always held in high regard,” the 51-year-old artist.revealed. “Being present on a set with people from my background was truly significant to me.” Uniting Latino talent was one of her main goals in bringing “Griselda” to life, as articulated by Vergara.
“We seldom have many compelling roles,” she stated. “So I always aimed to create something that could bring together all the actors for the production of such an expansive series.”
“This project allowed me to showcase Latin talents both on and off the camera,” Vergara contributed. Like Colombian director Andrés Baiz, Cuban co-star Alberto Guerra, Vergara’s own relative and guest star Paulina Dávila, and of course, the formidable La Bichota, Karol G.
The new trailer for “Griselda” offers us a glimpse into Karol G’s character in the series, portraying Blanco’s companion and confidante Carla.
Overall, Vergara hopes that her portrayal will capture the “tragic, terrifying” essence of Blanco’s life, and how a woman rose to the peak of the drug conflicts. However, the actress asserts, “[Blanco’s] victims’ lives will be eternally altered”— and the show creators did not shy away from that.
“We were honest about her impact and the terrible events that arose as a result of her actions,” Vergara expressed. “Omitting them would have disregarded the victims’ story.” She added, “The series does not condone or romanticize”Griselda’s life decisions.”
Image Source: DFree @ShutterStock
