Sofía Vergara Undergoes Dramatic Transformation for First TV Role Since Joe Manganiello Divorce

Becoming newly single isn't the only transformation Sofía Vergara has been through recently.

The Modern Family alum is debuting a dark new makeover for her role as infamous Miami drug lord Griselda Blanco in Netflix's new limited series Griselda.

In the below first-look photos, the 51-year-old actress rocks dark curly hair and dons period costumes from the '70s and '80s. With the help of some expert makeup and styling, Vergara barely looks like her typical red carpet-ready self.

According to series creator Eric Newman, the Emmy-nominated star has been wanting to show a different side of herself by portraying Blanco since before Modern Family ended in 2020.

"She had collected tons of images and stories and people who knew her," he recently told Entertainment Weekly. "And she had really gone deep on someone who felt the pressure that she felt. I think that she really understood what it was like. She's got a son and she came to this country as a young mother with not much of a plan."

Director Andrés Baiz also praised Vergara's desire to attempt her most dramatic role to date.

"This was a chance to reinvent herself and step out of her comfort zone, which was very brave of her," he told the outlet. "She knew she had to dive in completely into this role and feel insecure and afraid, but she knew that all she had was her work, that she had to push herself to the limit."

Griselda, which premieres January 2024, will be the America's Got Talent judge's first TV role since she and estranged husband Joe Manganiello announced in July they are divorcing after seven years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the cause of their split.

Keep reading to see every photo of Vergara's surprising Griselda transformation.