Netflix Releases Trailer for Sofia Vergara’s Drama Series “Griselda”

Sofia Vergara is bringing the drama…

Netflix has released the official trailer for Griselda, starring the 51-year-old Colombian actress and television personality. The series will premiere on January 25th.

Sofia Vergara, GriseldaIn the series about Narco queenpin, the titular Griselda Blanco, Vergara flexes her dramatic skills.

From creators Eric Newman, Doug Miro, Ingrid Escajeda and Carlo Bernard, the six-episode series chronicles the life of Colombian-born Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history. In 1970s-80s Miami, Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as “the Godmother.”

Alberto Guerra (Dario Sepúlveda), Christian Tappan (Arturo Mesa), Martín Rodríguez (Rivi Ayala), Juliana Aidén Martinez (June Hawkins), Vanessa Ferlito (Carmen Gutiérrez) also star.

Sofia Vergara, GriseldaGuest stars include Fredy Yate (Chucho Castro), Paulina Dávila (Isabel), José Zúñiga (Amilcar), Camilo Jiménez Varón (Rafa Salazar), Julieth Restrepo (Marta Ochoa), Gabriel Sloyer (Raul Diaz), Diego Trujillo (German Panesso) and Alberto Amann (Alberto Bravo).

New images from the series also reveal Carolina Giraldo, who is better known as Urban Latino superstar Karol G, in the role of Griselda’s friend Carla.

Andrés Baiz directs all episodes of Griselda. Escajeda and Miro serve as co-showrunners. Narcos and Narcos: Mexico showrunner and directing team Newman and Baiz executive produce, along with Miro, Escajeda, Carlo Bernard. Vergara and Luis Balaguer with Latin World Entertainment also executive produce.

Sofia Vergara to Portray Drug Queenpin Griselda Blanco in New Netflix Series “Griselda”

Sofia Vergara is dealing her way to the small screen…

The 49-year-old Colombian-American actress, television producer, presenter and model is set to portray notorious drug queenpin Griselda Blanco in a new Netflix limited series.

Sofia VergaraThe six-episode series Griselda chronicles the real-life of Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history. A devoted mother, Blanco’s lethal blend of charm and unsuspecting savagery helped her expertly navigate between family and business leading her to become widely known as the “Black Widow”.

The series comes from writer Ingrid Escajeda, who is showrunner, writer, and executive producer, as well as Eric Newman, Doug Miro, Andrés Baiz, and Carlo Bernard— the creative team behind Narcos – but it is unrelated to Netflix’s drug thriller franchise.

Vergara will also serve as executive producer of the project with Luis Balaguer for Latin World Entertainment. Colombian native Baiz will direct all episodes.

“Griselda Blanco was a larger-than-life character whose ruthless but ingenious tactics allowed her to rule a billion dollar empire years before many of the most notorious male kingpins we know so much about,” Vergara said. “We are thrilled to have found the perfect partners in Eric, Andrés and Netflix to help us bring this story of her life to the screen.”

Newman added, “Griselda Blanco has long been a passion project for Sofia and we are grateful that she and her partners at LatinWe have chosen us to help her tell that story. Sofia is a brilliant talent and her passion combined with a fantastic story from Doug and Ingrid, and the amazing Andrés Baiz at the directing helm, means we have a very exciting series to share with audiences.”

Peter Friedlander, VP, UCAN scripted series at Netflix, said, “Eric Newman has deftly brought to life among the most dynamic characters and stories on screen today. We’re excited to continue on this creative path with him and for this collaboration with Sofia Vergara — a force in entertainment and a world-beloved talent. With an incredible team at the helm — we can’t wait for the world to see how Ingrid Escajeda, Doug Miro, and Andrés Baiz take on the twists and turns of Griselda Blanco’s epic story.”

Blanco burst onto the pop culture scene after her exploits were highlighted in the 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys and its sequel two years later from Billy Corben. She was portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Lifetime biopic Cocaine Godmother in 2018.

Jennifer Lopez announced she’d portray Blanco in the film The Godmother, a project she is rumored to also direct.

Escajeda Signs Two-Year Overall Deal with 20th Century Fox Television Studios

Ingrid Escajeda has found a new Empire

The Latina television producer/writer, a former supervising producer on FX’s Justified, has sealed a two-year overall deal at 20th Century Fox Television Studios.

Ingrid Escajeda

Escajeda will develop and supervise projects for the studio, with her first assignment being a co-executive producer role on Fox’s hit primetime soap Empire.

Escajeda, whose pilot script about the LAPD bomb squad got the attention of Justified executive producer Graham Yost and led to a four-season stint on the FX series, recently sold a drama to CBS/20th Century Fox Television Studios that kick-started her deal with the studio.

Her first network sale is set in a suburban Texas county where the cold-blooded assassination of the district attorney means the ascension of Gaby Ortiz, a formidable young prosecutor. Under assault by the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, narco cartels and rampant corruption, she must resurrect the county’s crumbling law enforcement effort, with little more than her defiant will and the support of her extraordinary extended family. Escajeda is writing the script and executive producing with Jonathan Levin.

“We’re always on the lookout for the boldest, most original voices, and we had a great development experience with Ingrid earlier this year that convinced us we wanted to be in business with her exclusively,” said Jonnie Davis, the studio’s president of creative affairs. “We introduced her to [Empire executive producer/showrunner] Ilene [Chaikin] and they hit it off immediately, so this deal both helps make sure Empire has the best resources to continue to thrive creatively and allows Ingrid to develop her own projects down the road.”