The Netflix show's co-creator and executive producer Eric Newman, who is also the mastermind of 'Narcos', suggests that he's not entirely taken off guard by the lawsuit.
- January 26, 2024
AceShowbiz - Sofia Vergara has responded to a lawsuit leveled at her and Netflix over her new series, "Griselda". The actress, who portrays the late Colombian drug queen pin on the show, shared in a new interview the behind-the-scenes preparations she did before playing the character.
"I'm trying to understand her from the beginning," the "Modern Family" alum told Entertainment Tonight. "I started from being fascinated by her, because she achieved many things that it was impossible for a woman to achieve, even though they were horrific."
The show's co-creator and executive producer Eric Newman, meanwhile, suggested that he's not entirely taken off guard by the lawsuit, which saw Griselda's children accusing them of unauthorized use of likeness. "It's not my first rodeo. The Escobar family made similar claims," he said, referring to Pablo Escobar who was made the main character on his TV show "Narcos".
"We had a very specific story we wanted to tell. I believe we told it, and I don't think it in any way prevents someone else from telling their own version of it," Eric continued.
In the lawsuit, Griselda's son Michael claimed that the show used materials from his interviews between 2009 and 2022 when he was trying to develop his and his mother's life story into a book and a show. He claimed that Netflix expressed interest in making a series based on the life of his late mother, but refused to use his interviews or other materials provided.
Michael said that he didn't receive compensation from the streaming giant even though it allegedly used his material for the new show. He asked a judge to halt the release of the series, but "Griselda" premiered on Netflix on January 25 as planned.
He also slammed Sofia for not consulting "with any members of the Blanco family as a sign of respect or elicit family details in portraying my mother." He added, "When I learned of the 'Griselda' project, my team reached out to Sofia's camp and offered my consultation services. Sofia's camp and the Netflix creators were disrespectful and ultimately produced the 'Griselda' project on their own for commercial gain, without key details from the Blanco family."
