Sofia Vergara and Netflix are facing a lawsuit from the family of Griselda Blanco, the Colombian drug lord whom the actress is set to portray in an upcoming miniseries slated for release on the streaming service.
The highly anticipated debut of ‘Griselda’ is set for this Friday, January 25. Nevertheless, the family is seeking to halt the series from being broadcast, claiming that they did not give authorization for the use of their images.
Michael Corleone Blanco, Griselda’s son, shared his perspective in an interview with Colombian media outlet ‘La W.’ He expressed gratitude for having an actress of Vergara’s caliber portraying his mother but conveyed that it feels like a “slap in the face” since there was no consultation with the family beforehand.
“I’m left wondering, if she genuinely wanted to fully embrace the role and portray it authentically, why didn’t she reach out to the family or get in touch with me, the youngest son? I was the one who spent days and nights with her, the one who knew how she talked, how she walked. My mom and I had a very close bond. So, I can’t help but feel a bit offended, much like my mother would if she were still alive,” he expressed.
Blanco has spoken with others
Blanco, identified as Michael Sepulvedablanco in the lawsuit, revealed that he has been giving interviews to interested parties for a project on his mother’s life since 2009. Griselda, known as the “Cocaine Godmother,” operated a drug ring in Miami before her death in Colombia in 2012. Catherine Zeta-Jones previously portrayed her in a 2018 movie on Lifetime.
Vergara, who is also an executive producer on the current project, is among the seven defendants named in the lawsuit, where Michael and his wife Marie are listed as plaintiffs. The Blanco family made it clear in September through their attorney Elysa Galloway on Instagram that they have no association with or connection to the promotional project ‘Griselda’ set to air on Netflix.
“Michael Corleone Blanco, nor any other member of the Blanco family, has been consulted or taken any part in the ‘Griselda’ project. All legal rights reserved.”