Sofía Vergara’s Griselda Blanco is carving out a distinct spot for female cartel leaders in Netflix’s upcoming series “Griselda,” starting with 1980s Miami.
The limited drama series, which was created by “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico” creator and EP Eric Newman alongside Doug Miro, Ingrid Escajeda and Carlo Bernard, centers on the infamous cartel leader known widely as “the Godmother” as she rises in the ranks to become a threat to the city’s prominent cartels.
“For three years, Griselda Blanco has owned Miami, distributing cocaine,” Blanco’s prosecuting team says in a legal proceeding in the trailer. “Mrs. Blanco’s operation has been efficient, deadly and incredibly successful.”
Blanco’s domination did not come easily however, as the series winds back to 1978 when she recruits a group of sex workers — including her close confidant named Carla played by Karol G — from Medellín to join her in Miami and help smuggle product into the States.
“This is the country of dreams,” Vergara’s Blanco tells the group in Spanish. “We have the power to bring excitement back into their boring lives.”
As expected, Blanco’s rise to the top angers leaders content with the status quo, as one of her male foes exclaims, “this woman, I want to cut her head off,” while another tells her directly “I’m gonna tell every dealer in Miami not to touch your coke.”
Still, Blanco continues to fight to maintain her power, leaving a trail of destruction in her path, despite a warning from a friend who tells her, “This is what that life does, you convince yourself, a little more money, a little more juice, then people get hurt.”
“After all that I have been through, I’m not gonna give it away for nothing,” Blanco says decisively.
In addition to Vergara, who also executive produces the limited drama series, the cast for the series is rounded out by Alberto Guerra as Dario Sepúlveda, Christian Tappan as Arturo Mesa, Martín Rodríguez as Rivi Ayala, Juliana Aidén Martinez as June Hawkins and Vanessa Ferlito as Carmen Gutiérrez.
Karol G guest stars alongside Fredy Yate as Chucho Castro, Paulina Dávila as Isabel, José Zúñiga as Amilcar, Camilo Jiménez Varón as Rafa Salazar, Julieth Restrepo as Marta Ochoa, Gabriel Sloyer as Raul Diaz, Diego Trujillo as German Panesso and Alberto Amann as Alberto Bravo.
Miro, Escajeda and Bernard and Luis Balaguer with Latin World Entertainment also executive produce, with “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico” co-creator and EP Andrés Baiz directing all six episodes. Philipp A. Barnett, Alfredo Septién, Turi Meyer, Gina Lucita Monreal, Brenna Kouf and Cassie Pappas also serve as co-executive producers.
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