Sofia Vergara reveals she injured herself ‘forever’ while playing Griselda

Sofia Vergara has been highly praised for her performance as Griselda Blanco in Netflix’s new eponymous series. But the Modern Family actress has revealed her portrayal of “The Godmother of Cocaine” came at a price to her health.

The six-part miniseries is based on the real-life story of Colombian drug trafficker Griselda Blanco who ran a cocaine cartel in 1980s Miami. However the show was shot in Los Angeles, where Vergara says she injured herself “forever” during filming.

Credit: Netflix

“I wanted not to walk like me or Gloria, not to stand like that, not to use my hands in any way that was very sexy or very Latin, like how I am,” the 51-year-old Modern Family actress said in an interview with Netflix.

To become Blanco, Vergara changed her posture and walk so drastically she sustained an injury to her back: “After three months, [it] got me into trouble,” she said. “I had to get injected in my lower back from walking in this bad position.

“I think I hurt my back now forever,” she continued. “But I thought that the character needed me to change my body.”

Credit: Netflix

Blanco’s only living son, Michael, and his wife Marie are suing Vergara, who also produced Griselda, as well as taking action against Netflix for the series.

Michael and his wife have claimed the show use an unauthorised “likeness and/or identity” of his family members and are seeking damages of over $50,000, according to TODAY.com.

The lawsuit also claims the show used recorded conversations Griselda’s producers had with Michael, which he had not been compensated for them to use.

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∙ The real Cocaine Godmother’s family are suing Sofia Vergara and Netflix over new show

∙ Fake teeth, prosthetics and wigs: Inside Sofia Vergara’s transformation into Griselda Blanco

∙ ‘I just wanted to be with her’: Griselda Blanco’s ex talks about their prison romance