Sofia Vergara Transforms Into Infamous Kingpin in New Trailer for 'Griselda'

Netflix dropped the trailer for Griselda on Thursday, introducing fans to a version of Sofia Vergara they've never seen before. The actress is completely transformed to play the role of Griselda Blanco – a real life drug lord who ruled Miami in the 1970s and 1980s. The series premieres on Jan. 25, 2023 on Netflix.

Griselda comes from the team behind the Netflix original series Narcos, Eric Newman and Andrés Baiz. It is based on the true story of Griselda Blanco, but the trailer promises plenty of dramatization to fill in the gaps the public isn't familiar with. It's also a serious shift for Vergara – best known for playing the comical Gloria on Modern Family – as she steps into an intense and violent role. The trailer refers to her as a "queenpin" rather than a kingpin, and also highlights Blanco's nickname "The Godmother."

That may be a lot to live up to, but the showrunners think their story can bear the weight. In Netflix's press relase, Newman said: "From the earliest days of my research for what became Narcos, [Griselda] leapt out at me as a fascinating character. I have always endeavored to humanize complicated people, many of whom have been considered evil, and Griselda offered both the greatest challenge and opportunity."

Newman also had the utmost confidence in Vergara, saying: "She is a force of nature and there is no doubt in my mind that whatever she sets her mind to she can accomplish. She was perfect for the role not only because she, like Griselda, is a single mother who came to America from Colombia with nothing and built an empire, but because it was unexpected of her to do. Sofia has been thought of one way, a beautiful and brilliant comedic actress, and she is so much more than that."

Blanco's story is already a fixture in pop culture – particularly in her native Colombia. It has been told in the 2018 Lifetime movie Cocaine Godmother where Blanco is played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, while Blanco's son Michael Corleone Blanco told his story twice on TV. He first appeared in the Investigation Discovery documentary Evil Lies Here in 2018, then in the VH1 docu-series Cartel Crew the following year.

Viewers may want to hold off on watching these older productions if they'd rather see Blanco's story fresh in January. Griselda premieres on Jan. 25, 2024 only on Netflix.