Sofia Vergara will play drug queenpin Griselda Blanco in a limited series at Netflix.
There was some thought the drama would be a spinoff of the streaming service’s “Narcos” franchise, as it’s from “Narcos” showrunner Eric Newman, but it is a standalone project.
Andrés Baiz will direct all episodes of the limited drama and also serves as executive producer. Ingrid Escajeda is showrunner, writer and executive producer. Luis Balaguer, Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard will also executive produce.
“Griselda” chronicles the real life of savvy and ambitious Colombian business woman Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history. A devoted mother, Blanco’s lethal blend of charm and unsuspecting savagery helped her expertly navigate between family and business, leading her to become widely known as the “Black Widow.”
“Griselda Blanco was a larger-than-life character whose ruthless but ingenious tactics allowed her to rule a billion dollar empire years before many of the most notorious male kingpins we know so much about. We are thrilled to have found the perfect partners in Eric, Andrés and Netflix to help us bring this story of her life to the screen,” Vergara said.
“Eric Newman has deftly brought to life among the most dynamic characters and stories on screen today. We’re excited to continue on this creative path with him and for this collaboration with Sofia Vergara — a force in entertainment and a world-beloved talent. With an incredible team at the helm — we can’t wait for the world to see how Ingrid Escajeda, Doug Miro, and Andrés Baiz take on the twists and turns of Griselda Blanco’s epic story,” Peter Friedlander, vice president of scripted series for Netflix in the U.S. and Canada, said.
“Griselda Blanco has long been a passion project for Sofia and we are grateful that she and her partners at LatinWe have chosen us to help her tell that story. Sofia is a brilliant talent and her passion combined with a fantastic story from Doug and Ingrid, and the amazing Andrés Baiz at the directing helm, means we have a very exciting series to share with audiences,” Newman said.
Jennifer Lopez is set to play Blanco in a movie called “The Godmother” with STX Films.