Sofia Vergara on Diversity: "There Aren't Enough Writers Creating Things For Latinos"
You won't hear Sofia Vergara speak out against #OscarsSoWhite! The Colombian actress, whose fairy-tale wedding to Magic Mike XXL star Joe Manganiello took our breath away at the end of last year, opened up to Net-a-Porter's The Edit in a captivating interview.
Sofia got real with the digital magazine about everything from how she stays in touch with her friends abroad (WhatsApp!) to being a young mom (she gave birth to Manolo, who's 20 years old) to watching herself age over the course of Modern Family's seven years (for the record, she wants to be referred to as Señorita — forever).
But perhaps her most interesting comments were on current hot topics: Latino stereotypes and the lack of diversity in Hollywood. "I'm really not one to complain," she told The Edit, continuing:
"I mean, seriously, how dare I! Here I am on prime-time TV with this stupid accent, I can't trash anyone. It would be so ungrateful of me because, trust me, I've been treated like a queen. Of course [the opportunities] can't compare to an American or Caucasian woman's, but things are changing. The problem is not the networks or directors: it's that there aren't enough writers creating things for Latinos. Once we have more Latinos writing, that's when things may really start to change . . . "
And all the sh*t she gets for her character's arguably stereotypical represenation of Latinas? It doesn't bother her. She hilariously elaborated on the issue, saying:
"I'm not afraid of [stereotypes], and they don't have to be bad, either. I mean, Gloria [Delgado-Pritchett, played by Vergara in Modern Family] is an amazing character: a really good woman with this hilarious accent, so why criticize her for being a stereotype? Plus, all the Latinas I know are loud, they dress sexy and are really involved with their families: that's Gloria!"
Head over to The Edit to read the full interview (trust us, you want to), or download the free EDIT app at the App Store and Google Play.