(CNN) –– Sofía Vergara says her Colombian accent didn't always allow her to get the roles she wanted.
Vergara, who currently plays Colombian drug trafficker Griselda Blanco in the Netflix series “Griselda,” consciously sought out characters where her accent would be an advantage.
“I'm always looking for characters because there aren't many that I can play with this stupid accent,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “I can't play a scientist or be in Schindler's List. My roles as an actress are somewhat limited,” she emphasized.
Sofia Vergara in Griselda. (Source: Elizabeth Morris/Netflix)
According to Vergara, the idea of playing Blanco first came to him after watching the 2006 documentary “Cocaine Cowboys.” He started “Modern Family” in 2009, but kept Blanco in the back of his mind over the years and studied her regularly.
“I read every book, every article, every new note that appeared on the Internet,” Vergara told the newspaper. “I have been reading and reading and reading for many years.”
Blanco, also known as “The Godmother” and “The Black Widow,” ran a cocaine ring before she was shot dead in Medellín in 2012 at the age of 69.
“Griselda” is now available on Netflix.