Sofia Vergara has been named in a new lawsuit alleging that her Netflix series Griselda did not seek authorization to use the family's image and likeness.
The actress stars as the infamous Griselda Blanco, who was once one of the world's most prominent drug lords, in the Netflix series but the real Griselda's family has filed a suit calling on a judge to halt the release of the series which is set to drop next week on January 25, 2024.
Netflix has pitched the show as "fictionalized dramatization inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most powerful cartels in history".
"Set in 1970s-80s Miami, Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helps her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as 'the Godmother'," the synopsis reads.
But the filing alleges that Griselda's son Michael has been taking part in interviews for many years – between 2009 to 2022 — with producers who were hoping to develop his mother's story into a film or TV series, and in 2016 they began shopping the idea to Hollywood executives.
According to the suit, which has been seen by TMZ, "Michael claims he was then told Netflix was interested" but that the streaming service did not want to use any of his own personal details from the interviews or include him as a consultant.
Michael, however, now alleges that the new series does use many of his own anecdotes and family stories, and so he and his siblings are suing the streaming service – and Sofia, who is an executive producer on the project.
Netflix and reps for Sofia have not yet responded to a request for a comment.
Sofia, 51, is most famous for playing the lovable Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the comedy Modern Family – a role she had for 11 years. But she recently spoke about her new role, and admitted that she "didn't want to create a story where there was a happy ending, I wanted change".
"There were many things that I loved about that character because as an actor getting the opportunity to be someone so complex was fascinating," she mused. "I don't understand many things about her but I took on the role because I'm Colombian, I'm a woman, I'm a mother and I'm an immigrant."
"I don't feel like I need a man. I mean, no, I want one but I don't need one," she said with a laugh, referencing herz 2023 divorce from second husband Joe Manganiello.