Sofia Vergara: ‘My boobs opened a lot of doors for me, but I’m still here because I’m not afraid of taking a risk and I work harder than anyone’

Known for playing the unforgettable Gloria Pritchett on ‘Modern Family,’ the 51-year-old Colombian actress produced the series ‘Griselda,’ in which she portrays a bloodthirsty drug trafficker and mother who fled Colombia and created a cartel in Miami. ‘Women are not perfect,’ she says

On Monday, the guests who were having a midday cocktail in the lobby of the opulent Four Seasons Hotel in Madrid, Spain, had no idea what was taking place one floor above them. A team of assistants spent an hour preparing every last detail for this newspaper’s meeting with Sofia Vergara, 51. The Colombian actress was staying there and took a little longer than expected to arrive, as befits an international star of her stature. When she finally arrived, Vergara was stunning with her big eyes, great hair, large mouth, big voice, her laugh, everything. Dressed in a satin gray shirt and pants, with just the right amount of tightness to reveal her figure without bursting at the seams, Vergara did not seem to be in a hurry, nor was she taking a break. At around 3 p.m., we said goodbye as new friends. A few hours later, she ate Spanish TV host Pablo Motos alive on television with her acerbic answers to his stale questions. We tried to ask Vergara about the episode the next day, but it was not possible to speak with her again. The diva was already onto something else. Below is our

Q. In ‘Griselda,’ you play Griselda Blanco, a drug trafficking boss. How much respect did she command?

A. Empowered women are trendy now, but 12 years ago when I was drawn to the story and wanted to produce it, not so much. That was precisely what appealed to me: that the boss was a woman who had to become worse than any man to be the best of them all.

Q. Is that empowerment?

A. Griselda was a very badass woman… Women are not saints, [they’re not] perfect. The interesting and complex thing is that this woman had children, friends, employees. She was loyal to some and implacable with others. She degenerated [as a result

of] power, fear, ambition and insecurities. Just like a man. No more, no less.

Q. Did you prepare for the evil Griselda while playing the hilarious Gloria Pritchett on Modern Family?

A. Yes. I had a huge hit with Modern Family. After the first episode, I became famous all over the world, but I’m a Latina who doesn’t look so Latina, and I don’t have the same opportunities as American actors. I’m not complaining, that would be ungrateful, I’ve done much more than I ever dreamed, but it’s harder for me to find roles. The way I look, I can’t play a scientist, or a judge. So, I decided to seek a life for myself.