Variety has reported on an interview they conducted with makeup artist Todd McIntosh (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Memoirs of a Geisha, Pushing Daisies) about working with Sofía Vergara (Chef, Wild Card, Modern Family) on her new Netflix series Griselda. McIntosh talked about the approach and methodology of the makeup used to transform Vergara into Griselda Blanco.

The key features that McIntosh spoke most about were his alterations of the eyebrows, teeth, and nose. He spoke about his approach to altering her appearance and the reason behind the radical change. “Griselda was not a pretty lady. So, the idea was to take away the things that make [Vergara] pretty and to make her look average. On top of that, tell the story through traditional makeup,” said McIntosh. 

McIntosh also told Variety about the technical side of his work on Vergara to provide elements of Blanco’s look to the actors as well as the nuances required for historical accuracy: “Her eyebrows are so identified with her and her look. So, we put eyebrow covers over her brows to eliminate that, and we used laced brow pieces that were thinner, less pretty, and scraggly, and we gave her that ‘70s arch to keep the time period in place.”

McIntosh also spoke about how the makeup used for the role was altered throughout filming to align with plot points throughout the show. “Once we’re into the really rough stuff, there’s a lot of smeared makeup and messy lips,” said McIntosh to Variety.

Vergara plays both the lead role in the limited six part series and is the executive producer. McIntosh spoke about Vergara’s dedication to the series and his interactions with the star: “She was extremely dedicated. Everything about this character that Sofía created, from her walk to what kind of bra she wore, she was involved in. She would study every night.”