The series explores the life of a crime boss who terrorised Miami, Florida.
The life of notorious cocaine trafficker Griselda Blanco is to be dramatised in a brand new Netflix series, with a familiar face in the lead role.
Sofía Vergara became a household name in the smash-hit US sitcom Modern Family, but is stretching more dramatic muscles for this gritty miniseries from the team behind Narcos.
Netflix notes that Griselda is a “fictionalised” version of events, imagining how the so-called Godmother held a tight grip on her illegal trade through a “lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm”.
The action takes place in Miami during the 1970s and ’80s, where Griselda established a major drug trafficking operation that sparked a brutal and bloody gang war in the city.
Here’s everything you need to know about Griselda on Netflix.
Griselda release date
CONFIRMED: Griselda will be available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 25th January 2024.
All six episodes will be released at once, allowing viewers to binge watch if they so please.
Griselda cast: Who stars in the Netflix series?
Sofía Vergara leads the cast of Griselda in the title role as the notorious crime boss, marking a major departure from recent comedy performances in the likes of Modern Family and Strays.
Cuban actor Alberto Guerra (Narcos: Mexico) co-stars as Griselda’s third husband, Darío Sepúlveda, while relative unknown Martín Rodríguez has been cast as Jorge ‘Rivi’ Ayala-Rivera.
The main cast also includes Juliana Aidén Martinez (The Blacklist), Vanessa Ferlito (NCIS: New Orleans) and Christian Tappan (Snowfall), with Marvel’s Maximiliano Hernández and Colombian musician Karol G among the recurring names.
Griselda plot: Is it based on a true story?
The series is loosely based on the true life story of crime boss Griselda Blanco, who became known as the Black Widow and the Cocaine Godmother for her cutthroat reign of Miami’s criminal underworld in the 1970s and ’80s.
Hailing from Colombia, she originally started her business in Queens, New York, but was ultimately forced to flee the United States as authorities closed in on her operation.
When she returned to the country years later, it was further up the coast in Miami, Florida, where her dealings gripped the city for several years as murders linked to the local drug wars became commonplace.
The official Netflix synopsis reads: “Griselda is a fictionalised dramatisation inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most powerful cartels in history.
“Set in 1970s-80s Miami, Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helps her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as ‘the Godmother’.”
Griselda Blanco was murdered in a drive-by shooting in September 2012, after getting early release from a 20-year prison sentence due to her ailing health.
Griselda trailer
The full-length trailer for Netflix’s Griselda was released in November 2023 – check it out now for a glimpse of what the series holds in store.
Griselda is available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 25th January 2024. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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