Why Sofia Vergara’s Netflix Crime Boss Character Landed Her In A Lawsuit

Michael Corleone Blanco detailed in his lawsuit filing how he’d been conducting interviews about his mother, Griselda Blanco’s, life since 2009 in the hopes of making a TV show or book someday. According to Michael, he learned of Netflix’s intention to use his mother’s story at some point but the streamer refused to use any of the interviews Michael had previously given when the time came to make “Griselda.” Despite this, Michael accused Netflix of relying heavily on his many accounts of his mother for the show. 

Corleone’s lawyer released a statement to Entertainment Tonight, calling out Netflix. “Defendants approached Michael Blanco to gain his work, perspective, and insight to only turn around and act like he does not exist, in an apparent attempt to reap their own profits. It is disappointing that Latin World Entertainment/Netflix would pretend that it is acceptable to use Michael Blanco’s commercial work without his permission,” it railed. 

“Griselda” creator and exec-producer Eric Newman, who is also listed in the suit, informed Today that suits such as Corleone’s are common in Hollywood, explaining, “I tend not to think much about them. It just feels a little bit unsurprising and kind of comes with the territory.” As Newman recalled, “I dealt with similar suits from Pablo Escobar, his family, during the making of ‘Narcos.’”