Netflix

Released on January 25, 2024, the new Netflix drama series dives into the criminal world of a notorious drug lord, Griselda Blanco. A savvy and ambitious Colombian businesswoman who went from being unknown to becoming the “Black Widow” or the “Cocaine Godmother” of the underworld, creating one of the most powerful cartels in history. Set in 1970s-80s Miami, the six-part series with hour-long episodes stars Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara. This excellent new series was co-created by Eric Newman and director, Andres Baiz, who created Narcos and Griselda, both shows full of the criminal underworld tension. Vergara herself served as an executive producer on the show. 

Griselda tells the story of a devoted mother who built one of the most profitable cartels ever. The show portrays her as a cunning mix of brutality and charm, effortlessly balancing the worlds of underground business and family. The show brings the suave scenery of the ’70s and ‘80s Miami amidst the city’s drug war led by Griselda herself and more notorious figures such as Pablo Escobar and the Ochoa family. The journey from Medellín, Colombia to Miami for her fresh start with her sons eventually gave her the chance to seize her own business. It’s known that at the height of Blanco’s trafficking success, she had an income of $80 million per month. Her estimated net worth was as high as $2 billion, Blanco owned a mansion and flew on private jets to maintain her luxurious lifestyle. 

In the process of becoming Griselda Blanco, Sofia Vergara had to go to extreme lengths to capture Blanco’s distinctive features. Director, Andres Baiz explained that Vergara’s physical transformation was the toughest aspect of the show. They went through many different wigs, noses, eyebrows, and makeup to perfect the look. She was nearly unrecognizable after all the changes, thanks to her amazing hair and make-up team. This is what Eric Newman had to say about her transformation: “She sat in makeup every day for hours! Not only did she wear five different wigs for the time jumps from the ’70s into the ’80s, but she also wore prosthetic eyebrow covers and false eyebrows glued on top. She wore a prosthetic nose and a plate of teeth”. According to the two, the main goal was to transform Sofia into Griselda, with the help of prosthetics so she could embody her character more. 

There is some controversy over the show, as some lawsuits are involved. Griselda Blanco’s son Michael Corleone Blanco is suing Sofia Vergara and Netflix over the series. He claims it’s unauthorized and violates their rights by using their family images without permission. Though the real Griselda Blanco was assassinated in 2012 at the age of 69, she had seemed to give up on her life of crime. She returned to Colombia after her prison sentencing of 20 years but was then killed. This gritty, violent, and chaotic series reveals the mastermind behind the gruesome drug-related business in South Florida during the ‘70s and ‘80s; a woman who made her mark on the streets of Miami.