Sofía Vergara

Early Life

Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara was born on July 10, 1972, in Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia, to a large Catholic family. Her mother, Margarita Vergara de Vergara, was a homemaker, and her father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo, was a cattle rancher for the meat industry. She was nicknamed "Toti" by her five siblings and many cousins. Vergara has Spanish and Italian ancestry.

Vergara grew up in Barranquilla, a coastal city in northern Colombia known for its vibrant Carnival celebrations. She attended a Catholic school and later studied dentistry at the National University of Colombia, where she was just two semesters away from earning her degree when she decided to pursue a career in entertainment full-time.

Her entry into the entertainment industry happened serendipitously at age 17, when a photographer discovered her while she was walking on a beach in Santa Marta, Colombia. She was quickly presented with offers for modeling and television work. Vergara was initially apprehensive about doing her first television commercial, but her Catholic schoolteachers gave her personal permission to take the assignment. She made her first appearance in a Pepsi commercial aired throughout Latin America.

Career

Early Career in Spanish-Language Television (1990s)

In 1992, Vergara won the Look of the Year contest in Colombia and competed at the International Finals in New York. Although she did not win, this opened doors for her in the modeling world in New York, Miami, and London. She was soon hired by Univision, the largest Latin television network based in Miami, where she worked as a model for variety shows such as Sábado Gigante, Lente Loco, Fuera de Serie, and El Blablazo. She also served as a celebrity correspondent on Primer Impacto and El Gordo y La Flaca.

In 1995, Vergara began hosting Fuera de Serie, a travel show, which increased her visibility across Latin America. She also hosted the Spanish-language game show A que no te atreves ("I Dare You"). Following the tragic murder of her older brother in 1998, her family relocated to Miami, where Vergara continued to build her career in entertainment.

Transition to Hollywood (2000s)

Vergara made her English-language film debut in the crime comedy Big Trouble (2002), followed by a starring role in the romantic comedy Chasing Papi (2003). She appeared in the action-crime film Four Brothers (2005) alongside Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson, playing Sofi, the girlfriend of Angel Mercer. She followed this with roles in Tyler Perry's comedies Meet the Browns (2008) and Madea Goes to Jail (2009).

During this period, she also had guest roles on television series including Entourage and Dirty Sexy Money, gradually establishing herself in the American entertainment industry.

Modern Family and Global Fame (2009–2020)

In 2009, Vergara was cast as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family, created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan. The series followed the lives of three interconnected families, with Vergara's character as the vivacious Colombian wife of Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill). Her energetic performance, impeccable comic timing, and distinctive accent made Gloria one of the most beloved characters on the show.

Modern Family was a massive critical and commercial success, running for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2020. Vergara received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2010–2013) for her role. The ensemble cast won four Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

During her time on Modern Family, Vergara became the highest-paid woman on U.S. television, earning $19 million for the 2011–2012 season, according to Forbes. At the peak of the show, she reportedly earned $500,000 per episode.

While on Modern Family, she appeared in several films including New Year's Eve (2011), The Three Stooges (2012), Machete Kills (2013), Fading Gigolo (2013), Chef (2014), and Hot Pursuit (2015) alongside Reese Witherspoon. She also voiced characters in the animated films Happy Feet Two (2011), The Emoji Movie (2017), and Despicable Me 4 (2024).

On May 7, 2015, Vergara received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, cementing her status as one of the most recognized Latin actresses in Hollywood.

America's Got Talent and Griselda (2020–present)

In February 2020, Vergara was announced as a new judge on America's Got Talent (AGT) for its fifteenth season, replacing Gabrielle Union. Her warm personality, humor, and occasional emotional moments quickly made her a fan favorite on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel. Two of her "Golden Buzzer" selections went on to win the show: the Mayyas dance group in 2022 and Jessica Sanchez in 2025. She earned a reported $10 million per season for her role on AGT.

In January 2024, Vergara took on the most dramatic role of her career, portraying Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco in the Netflix biographical crime miniseries Griselda. The role required a dramatic physical transformation and a departure from her comedic persona. The series was a massive success, reaching number one on Netflix's Global Top 10 for three consecutive weeks.

Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in 2024, making her the first Latina born in a Latin American country to be nominated in that category. While she did not win, Vergara humorously acknowledged the loss, joking that she had been "robbed" for the fifth time. The role was deeply personal for Vergara, as her older brother Rafael was murdered by a Colombian cartel in 1996, a tragedy that motivated her to take on the role despite its challenges.

In 2026, Vergara celebrated her 54th birthday and continues to serve as a judge on America's Got Talent, now in its sixth season with her on the panel.

Business Ventures

Beyond acting, Vergara has built a significant business empire. In 2011, she signed endorsement deals with Pepsi and CoverGirl, and appeared in campaigns for Comcast's Xfinity and State Farm. She launched a clothing line for Kmart in 2011, followed by a fashion line for Walmart, which she continues to design. In 2013, she launched a furniture collection with Rooms To Go. In 2014, Vergara released her first fragrance, "Sofia by Sofia Vergara", and has since released four more fragrances. She also became a brand ambassador for Head & Shoulders.

In June 2023, she launched the beauty brand Toty (named after her childhood nickname), offering cosmetics and skincare products. In 2024, she launched Dios Mio! Coffee, a coffee brand devoted to elevating female Colombian growers. Vergara has also endorsed McDonald's, Bally Total Fitness, and other major brands, often structuring her deals to include profit-sharing arrangements rather than flat fees. According to Forbes, she earned seven figures from her Kmart line alone through this approach.

Personal Life

Vergara was married at age 18 in 1990 to her high school sweetheart, Joe Gonzalez. They had a son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, born on September 16, 1991, in Colombia. The couple divorced in 1993. Manolo has since appeared with his mother at various events and manages aspects of her career.

Vergara was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2000 at age 28. She had her thyroid removed, underwent radioiodine therapy, and made a full recovery. She takes daily medication to prevent hypothyroidism and has been cancer-free since.

In 2011, her younger brother Julio was deported from the United States to Colombia following a long battle with drug addiction. Vergara has spoken publicly about the pain of watching her brother struggle with addiction.

She became engaged to businessman Nick Loeb in 2012 after dating for two years, but the engagement was called off in May 2014. Later that year, she began dating True Blood star Joe Manganiello. They became engaged on Christmas Eve 2014 and were married in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 21, 2015. In July 2023, the couple announced their separation and divorce, which was finalized in February 2024. Since 2023, Vergara has been dating orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman.

Vergara became a naturalized U.S. citizen in December 2014, revealing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she scored a perfect score on her citizenship test. She maintains a residence in Los Angeles, California.

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

Film

• Big Trouble (2002) — Nina
• Chasing Papi (2003) — Cici
• The 24th Day (2004) — Isabella
• Lords of Dogtown (2005) — Amelia
• Four Brothers (2005) — Sofi
• Grilled (2006) — Loridonna
• Meet the Browns (2008) — Cheryl
• Madea Goes to Jail (2009) — T.T.
• New Year's Eve (2011) — Ava
• Happy Feet Two (2011) — Carmen (voice)
• The Three Stooges (2012) — Lydia Harter
• Machete Kills (2013) — Madame Desdemona
• Fading Gigolo (2013) — Selima
• Chef (2014) — Inez
• Wild Card (2015) — D.D.
• Hot Pursuit (2015) — Daniella Riva
• The Emoji Movie (2017) — Flamenca (voice)
• Bottom of the 9th (2019) — Angela
• Despicable Me 4 (2024) — Valentina (voice)

Television

• Fuera de Serie (1995) — Host
• A que no te atreves (1998) — Host
• Primer Impacto (1998–2002) — Correspondent
• El Gordo y La Flaca (1998–2002) — Correspondent
• Entourage (2005) — Village Girl
• Dirty Sexy Money (2008) — Sofia Montoya
• Modern Family (2009–2020) — Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
• Family Guy (2012) — Hispanic Woman (voice)
• America's Got Talent (2020–present) — Judge
• Griselda (2024) — Griselda Blanco (also producer)

References

External Links

Knowledge Platforms

• Wikipedia — Sofía Vergara
• Britannica — Sofía Vergara
• IMDb — Sofía Vergara
• Wikidata — Sofía Vergara

Social Media

• Instagram — @sofiavergara
• Facebook — SofiaVergara
• Twitter/X — @SofiaVergara
• TikTok — @sofiavergara