Sofia Vergara is taking over the position of late Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco – and the son of the real-life ”Cocaine Godmother” isn’t joyful.
The previous ”Trendy Household” actress is starring in Netflix’s ”Griselda,” the place she additionally serves as an govt producer. The sequence explores the rise and downfall of Blanco, a single mom of 4 who rose to infamy as a cartel chief earlier than she was gunned down in 2012 at age 69. Blanco, who led a cocaine-fueled empire with an iron fist through the ‘70s and ‘80s, has usually been labeled as ”the feminine Pablo Escobar.”
Blanco’s surviving son slammed the sequence, labeling it ”disrespectful.”
COCAINE GODMOTHER’S SON EXPLAINS WHY HE’S PURSUING REALITY TV FAME WITH ‘CARTEL CREW’
Sofia Vergara stars as late drug lord Griselda Blanco in ”Griselda.” (Netflix)
”Sofia Vergara didn’t seek the advice of with any members of the Blanco household as an indication of respect or elicit household particulars in portraying my mom,” Michael Corleone Blanco claimed to Fox Information Digital.
”After I discovered of the ‘Griselda’ mission, my group reached out to Sofia’s camp and provided my session companies,” the 45-year-old alleged.
Michael additionally alleged that following an invite to take a seat with Vergara’s group, he was informed ”there was no room on the mission.” He claimed the sequence was made with out involvement from any members of his household.
Griselda Blanco was killed in Colombia in 2012. (ALAMY)
”Sofia’s camp and the Netflix creators have been disrespectful and finally produced the ‘Griselda’ mission on their very own for industrial achieve, with out key particulars from the Blanco household,” he claimed. ”After the sit-down on the desk, my attorneys formally despatched a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix and Sofia’s camp. As of as we speak, Netflix nor Sofia’s camp has made any try and reconcile.”
”No matter public data, primary respect is warranted,” Michael continued. ”I’m Griselda’s solely dwelling son that has life rights agreements signed by Griselda herself during which she supposed I perform her life story. I’m a businessman within the leisure business and comprehend the significance of movement photos as I’ve a ebook to be launched, based mostly on the true story.”
Michael has written a memoir, ”My Mom, The Godmother.” He additionally introduced a YouTube podcast, ”The Actual Griselda with Michael Corleone,” which goals to inform ”the true story.”
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Sofia Vergara reportedly underwent two hours’ value of prosthetics to rework into Griselda Blanco. (Netflix)
A spokesperson for Vergara, 51, and Netflix didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
In an interview with the U.Ok’s Each day Mail, Michael hit out on the present for portraying his mom as ”ugly.” In keeping with the outlet, Vergara needed to endure two hours’ value of prosthetics to rework into the matriarch.
”My mom was a lovely lady, and it’s loopy that lots of people say, ‘No, you’ve received to look extra like a drug addict’… The truth that they referred to as her ‘ugly,’ that basically offends me. Folks see the mug photographs and simply go from that, however once you learn my ebook, you’ll see that my mom was referred to as the porcelain doll in her youth.”
Griselda Blanco was among the many first Colombian ladies to visitors cocaine to america within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties. She had been deported again to Colombia in 2004 after serving almost 20 years behind bars within the U.S. for drug trafficking and three drug-related killings. She was a topic of the 2006 documentary ”Cocaine Cowboys,” which targeted on the Miami drug commerce. (ALAMY)
”All I’ve to say is that if my mom was alive, she wouldn’t have gotten away with it,” he mentioned, referring to Vergara. ”It doesn’t matter what, it’s essential to respect my mom sufficient to hunt the session of [her] youngest son – her greatest pal who visited her 5 occasions per week throughout her… incarceration.”
Michael beforehand claimed he turned his life round after his mom was killed by a motorcycle-riding murderer. He has spoken about his mom through the years and appeared within the VH1 actuality TV sequence ”Cartel Crew” in 2019.
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Pablo Escobar, the godfather of the Medellín Cartel in Colombia in February, 1988. Escobar reportedly took inspiration from Griselda Blanco. (Eric Vandeville/Gamma-Rapho)
In keeping with the community, the sequence aimed to take a look at the lives of eight cartel descendants ”as they navigate maturity and the consequences the legacy has had on their upbringing.”
Blanco, who grew up within the slums of Medellín and was murdered there, commanded a ruthless crew that shipped a mean of three,400 kilos of cocaine per 30 days to the U.S., the Miami Herald reported. She is alleged to have impressed and even groomed Pablo Escobar.
Blanco’s reign of terror began within the ’70s, Newsweek reported, noting that unofficial tallies hyperlink her group with not less than 250 murders. She is believed to be the mastermind behind the drive-by motorbike taking pictures and earned the nickname ”Black Widow” for allegedly killing her three husbands. Two of her sons have been later assassinated.
A bunch of vacationers go to the grave of Griselda Blanco, often known as the ”Godmother” of cocaine. (Daniel Romero/image alliance)
Police caught up along with her in 1985, leading to Blanco spending 19 years in U.S. prisons earlier than reducing a deal in 2004 and being deported. She reportedly saved a low profile in her last years earlier than her demise.
Shortly earlier than the premiere of ”Cartel Crew,” Michael informed Fox Information Digital that he wasn’t fearful about placing his life in entrance of cameras.
”So far as being concerned, there’s a sure aspect you all the time must consider,” he defined on the time. ”We have been educated to all the time be in conditions the place it’s important to be alarmed. That’s simply life. That’s how we grew up, that’s how I grew up. That being mentioned, we’re dwelling in a brand new time. We’re dwelling in a brand new period. That is the period of social media. That is the period of TV reveals, and films, of ‘Narcos’ on Netflix. So I believe that anyone’s entitled to inform their story.
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Catherine Zeta-Jones beforehand portrayed Griselda Blanco in a Lifetime movie. (Chelsea Lauren/Selection/Penske Media)
”Worry? No, worry doesn’t stay right here. I worry the wrath of God, that’s what I say.”
In 2012, the Miami New Occasions reported mom and son offered the rights to their life tales to First Born Movies after Blanco was the topic of a 2006 documentary, ”Cocaine Cowboys.” In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter introduced Jennifer Lopez was poised to play Blanco in an HBO film. Then in 2017, Catherine Zeta-Jones starred as Blanco within the Lifetime TV movie, ”Cocaine Godmother.”
”I’m all for J. Lo enjoying my mom,” mentioned Michael. ”She was considered one of my authentic selections. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ mission was nice as properly. I’m all for it. Something that I can lend session on my life. So long as it’s a profitable mission.… So long as the story is informed appropriately from the horse’s mouth. Which means from myself and different members of the family.”
In 2016, it was reported that Jennifer Lopez was set to star as Griselda Blanco in an upcoming HBO biopic. (Gilbert Flores/WWD)
Michael was given the center identify ”Corleone” after Al Pacino’s character in ”The Godfather.” The movie, which premiered in 1972, chronicles how an getting older patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers management of his empire to his reluctant son.
”I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” mentioned Michael. ”My mom wasn’t a saint, I’m conscious of that. However the reality is, she was my mom. She took care of me.”
Michael mentioned he was 5 years outdated when he realized his household was totally different.
SOFIA VERGARA GETS HONEST ABOUT DIVORCE IN THE PUBLIC EYE: ’THAT’S PART OF BEING A CELEBRITY’
Sofia Vergara mentioned she noticed Griselda Blanco as Tony Soprano from the HBO sequence ”The Sopranos.” (Netflix)
”I understood we had greater than anyone,” he recalled. ”I understood my father wasn’t the boss. My mom was telling all people what to do and that she was the boss. We’d transfer after she moved. I understood my mom was the queen of the fortress. I understood she wasn’t a daily particular person.”
In keeping with experiences, Blanco first grew to become concerned within the drug commerce as a determined means to assist her youngsters. Vergara informed ”CBS Mornings” that she noticed Blanco like Tony Soprano from ”The Sopranos.”
”A personality that individuals didn’t hate,” mentioned Vergara. ”Though he was a nasty man.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.