Sofia Vergara, Netflix sued: Griselda Blanco's family seeks to stop release of ‘Griselda’
The estate for Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, who's the subject of an upcoming Netflix miniseries starring Sofía Vergara, is suing the streaming service and the actor/producer in an attempt to halt the show's release later this month.
Blanco's son, Michael Corleone Blanco, and his wife, Marie Blanco — identified in the complaint as Michael Sepulvedablanco and Marie Sepulvedablanco — filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Florida's Miami-Dade County court, which was obtained by USA TODAY Friday. TMZ was first to report the news.
Michael Corleone Blanco, who is releasing a book about his mother, accuses the show's creators of using his unreleased "artistic literary work" and his likeness "to depict the life story of himself and his mother, Griselda Blanco De Trujillo" without permission or credit, according to his lawsuit.
Blanco "has devoted several years to meticulously documenting the private narratives of his, as well as his mother’s life, with the intention of publishing a book and developing a Spanish soap opera," the lawsuit states. He seeks a temporary injunction against Netflix to stop the streamer from releasing the limited series on Jan. 25 and from allegedly using his artistic literary work; he also claims at least $100,000 in damages.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Blanco, Netflix and Vergara for comment.
Blanco alleges that two of the defendants in the case, Andres Hernando Lopez and Rafael Alfredo Rojas Vega, had agreed in 2009 to help him publish a book and develop a Spanish soap opera. He also accuses Lopez of meeting with Netflix to discuss Blanco's family story, but Netflix declined to use his Blanco's consultation or literary work.
Blanco believes Lopez and Rojas Vega "proceeded to actively sell and/or provide by expectation of compensation (Blanco's) unreleased, private artistic literary work."
"'Griselda' is a fictionalized dramatization inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most powerful cartels in history," reads Netflix's description of the six-episode drama series.
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