Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Sofia Vergara

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

“Griselda” and “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara joins the show. Over pizza and “fuzzy orange juice,” Sofia tells me what it was like to produce and star in the Netflix series “Griselda,” which was 15 years in the making. Plus, we get into Ed O’Neill’s voicemails and why marshmallows were hidden on the “Modern Family” set. This episode was recorded at Dante in Beverly Hills, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I love my home. I do. I love it so much. But I also love vacationing. I work a lot. And sometimes it bothers me to think how often I'm not actually there to enjoy it. I mean, whether I'm going on a fun vacation with Justin or traveling to New York for work, there's big chunks of time that I don't get to relish that sofa I pine so hard to buy or bake cookies that I can make with my stand-up mixer that I got for Christmas. And I realize there is a way that I might feel better. If I became an Airbnb host, I could make use of the space when I'm away and make some extra cash. I mean, my next vacation could essentially pay for itself. Like my extra Airbnb cash could go into an account for that trip to Paris.

I've been pondering. And then basically the trip is free. Do you see what I'm saying? I mean, I know that's not technically how math works, but okay. Also, if we're saving money hosting, this means I could do some shopping, right? And the weather is also very nice in Paris at this time of the month. And I just feel like it might be... Okay, you know what? I'm going to talk to Justin about this. Thank you for letting me share this epiphany with you. I appreciate it.

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Hi, it's Jesse. Today on the show, you know her as my stepmom Gloria on Modern Family and most recently for her amazing performance as Griselda Blanco in the Netflix miniseries Griselda, it's Sofia Vergara. I mean, maybe this is the character that I know because I know who this woman is. Not that I had killed any of my husbands.

I mean, maybe I wanted to kill one of my husbands, but I did. This is Dinners on Me and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Early in 2009, I walked into a small conference room on the Fox lot to meet a group of people who would hopefully become my co-workers for a very long time. We were having our first unofficial table read for a pilot called Modern Family. The last person to enter the room was this beautiful Colombian woman who took time to give every single person at the table

a big hug. Hola, I'm Sofia, she said. And I knew immediately I was going to absolutely love this person. It's no secret that we did indeed get to work together for a very long time, for 11 years in fact.

I miss every aspect of shooting that series, but the one of the things I miss most is how much Sophia would absolutely just make me laugh, mostly without even trying. She's always been an extremely loyal friend, with a huge heart and an incredible sense of humor. She's always the first to throw you a compliment, always the first to crack a joke about herself, and always the first to start a dance party. There is no one like Sophia Vergara, and it's so easy to see why everyone who meets her absolutely adores her.

Hi, Mom. Happy Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day. I love that you sent me a text asking if we're really going to eat. Of course. It's launch time. I'm like... I brought Sophia to Dante in Beverly Hills.

It's on the rooftop of the Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel. New Yorkers might be familiar with Cafe Dante, which opened in Greenwich Village in 1915. Dante's roots are as an Italian coffee house, but in recent years, it has sort of reimagined itself into an aperitivo bar known for its garabaldi's, which Sophia calls fluffy orange juice, and it's wood-fired pizzas.

It's where you go in New York, or now Los Angeles, when you are seeking la Dolce Vita. And I can't think of someone who lives la Dolce Vita more than my friend Sophia. Okay, let's get to the conversation. Okay, so I just finished Griselda two days ago. Uh-huh. You know what?

I'm so glad that you had invited me to do this. Yeah, I know. Because I really wanted to hear what you had to say. First of all, I am so proud of you because I remember season one of Modern Family. You were talking about Griselda. Yes, it's been like 15 years. You've been talking about been like 15 years.

You've been talking about it for 15 years. And I know how hard it is to get stuff made in this industry. Like Justin and I are always pitching stuff. You know, it'll get to like one stage and then completely fall apart. Fall apart. Or like someone like the executive who wants to do it at the place gets fired.

He gets fired, everything goes away. I mean, it's literally impossible. I was just so proud of you for actually first of all getting it made. But the problem with Griselda also was that she was still alive. So I had to kind of wait. It felt wrong to be doing something.

It felt wrong. So I said, you know what? This woman was, you know, not a very good person and I didn't want to like romanticize the whole thing. So I said I'm not gonna do it, but then she died in 2012 and then that's what came maybe I can do this now. Yeah, so I just just watching those six episodes and first of all seeing how hard you work because you would send us occasionally like photos of you on sets and your your makeup. And you know, you would send these photos to us like at like three in the morning because that's when you were still working.

You had incredibly long hours and I'm just, it's turned out so good. Yes, I mean how spoiled we got with Modern Family. It was like a dream job. I mean now, after doing Griselda, I even miss it more. And I even realized how amazing it was for us. I mean, yeah, I had to arrive earlier than everyone because I needed more hair and makeup than everyone. But it was still amazing.

No, to work with you guys with Ed. It was like, we would go home happy. Yeah, and we'd also go home at like three in the afternoon. But I'm the same like, we're so lucky. Well, like, we felt that was hard because just the three hours in the morning of hair and makeup, by the time I was done, I was already exhausted. Like, I wanted to go home by that thing.

Just go home and your makeup, the fall sleep. Yeah, and my day was just starting. Oh, what is this? This is an alcoholic garabaldi with a bit of plum orange juice and lice and pate bling. What do we do with this orange? We keep the orange and put it in the side and sip the mini capsules. Aw. Is it good?

Amazing. Mmm, it's like summer. Tastes like summer. Do you have lemonade by chance? Yes. I love a lemonade. I'm going to have the salmon, I think. Is it delicious? I don't know if you can try it.

OK, I'll have a salmon, too. But I also want a pizza. Like a pizza? Yeah, I remember you had the pizza. Do you want the Avola pizza? No, no tomatoes. I cannot eat tomatoes. Tomatoes?

Yeah. Are you killed with mushrooms? No, really. OK. Yeah. tomatoes. Tomatoes? Are you killed mushrooms? No, really. Cheese. Absolutely. Yeah. But I just, I know how hard you worked on it and I know like... I don't want to do it again.

Well, it was hard, the prosthetics. I was not used to that. I had never done drama and then on top of that, to act in Spanish. That was exhausting. You know, I feel like that would be like what your comfort zone would be. No! I just feel like every time...

My career has been in English. I just, you would, I mean, occasionally on the set of Modern Family, you would say something completely wrong. And when we would all laugh at you, you'd be like, this is not my first language. And so I just assumed that you'd be. It turns out I am bad acting in all the languages.

No! Isn't it? See, okay, this is a bone I have to pick with you now. Because I remember sitting at a dinner with, it was you, me, and Joe and Justin. And you said, you're like, I feel like I'm a celebrity first and a personality and I don't feel like an actress. And I said, I completely disagree with you.

You've been nominated for four Emmy Awards. They just don't give those out to people who they don't think are actors. You've won SAG Awards. You've won People's Choice Awards. You've been nominated for Golden Globes. It's like, I think that you are an actor, like truly. And then, let me just tell you, don't talk.

Hey, hey, hey. Just listen to me compliment you for one moment. Hey, okay. And then watching Griselda, I was like, see this, not, no one else could pull this off. Only you could do that. And I feel like you tap into something that you've never tapped into before.

I was watching you do something that I've never seen you do before. And I was do before. I had a lot of things to tap into. You know my life, my life was in Colombia, you know where I come from. So that's why I thought I could do Griselda because I had a lot to tap into. But I of course, I mean I've always felt a little bit like I am not an actress because I actually learned on the set of Modern Family. I think my teacher was Ed O'Neill, you guys.

I had never taken an acting class. I got lucky and comedy is something that always... I've always felt like I'm funny and people have always laughed at me. And I always have fun making fun of people. And you know, it's like that, it's easy for me. Right. But the drama, I wasn't really sure. I wasn't like, I don't know if I can do that. I don't even, I didn't even know if I could cry or anything like that.

And then I said, when I found the character of Griselda, I said, I mean, maybe this is the character that I know because I know who this woman is. Not that I had killed any of my husband. So, I mean, maybe I wanted to kill one of my husband, but I didn't. But also, I mean, you raised Minolo. Yes. I mean, I know Jose.

He's very active still within, You guys are still very close. But yeah, you raised Manolo in the States as an immigrant. You know what it's like to do that. You also know what it's obviously like to come from Columbia. You also know what it's like to be a self-made woman. I mean, you came, you do. Yeah. I mean, look at how successful you are.

And look at how successful she was. I mean, you did it in different ways. Yeah, I went the right way and she went the wrong way. Sir, can I have more of that? Yeah, absolutely. Tell us what's in it again. So, fluffy orange juice. And we have a pair of...

Liars of Pertivo, which is a bitters that's made without any alcohol. Whatever fluffy orange juice means. You love fluffy orange juice. I always have my my boring lemonade Oh, yeah, I did have a lot of similarities from Griselda And you know so my my brother was part of that business Unfortunately for some time so I kind of this is your younger brother my no my oldest brother who was killed in Colombia in the 90s

And so a lot of those things like I thought I understood that business, I understood that woman. And so I thought it was a really interesting character. You know, it's like a lot of people, when I did now the press tour, they asked me, so you did this to change the perception of you, of being a comedy actress and show that you can do drama. But that was never in my intentions. I wasn't thinking, oh I need a character like that to prove that I can be a dramatic actress or anything. No, it was just that I thought that it was

so interesting the character and that I knew it well. That if there was something that I could play to do a test, to test myself, if I could do dramatic, I thought it needed to be somebody that I kind of knew who she was. Right, but I mean also, and this is why I feel like you are an actor and an artist, and you're just gonna have to take that from me because I really think you are.

But that's what we do, is we try to find things that challenge us and scare us. I know that you must have been terrified to do this, because it's totally out of your comfort zone. You know, you are wearing these prosthetics. I know you don't like to look unbeautiful. Oh, no, but that I did embrace it.

At the beginning, you know how I enjoy having makeup and being dressed up and my high heels. I mean, it's part of me. I hate feeling sloppy. Not sloppy, no. Frumpy. Frumpy. Yeah, frumpy.

I've seen you frumpy. I've seen you when you come in to work. Oh, OK, it's true. OK, the people, of course. I do it. But I don't do it just to, oh, I'm going to go have lunch. I don't show up frumpy. No, no.

I feel I'm a little bit frumpy. This is ridiculous. You look fabulous. I cannot believe you feel so frumpy. What did it feel like to finally have, like what did that premiere feel like for you? Having known that like for the past 15 years I've been trying to get this made.

It's such a labor of love. We got lucky that we, you know, like they, I was coming out of modern families so nobody really knew if I could do this or not. And I got lucky that Eric Newman, the guy that produced Narcos, because when I started seeing Narcos, I'm like, oh, this is the guy I want to take Riselda to because he totally understands that genre. Oh, yeah, the genre. Yeah, yeah, genre.

And all the fuck. And I'm like, I'm gonna take it to him because maybe he wants to do this. And he fell in love with it immediately. She said, perfect, I'll let you do it. And it's a big production. It's millions and millions of dollars. They were counting on me.

And they had no clue if I was going to be able to do this. So it was like really like I really appreciate that they gave me the opportunity because I did so much research about her. Tell me about that because there's so little I looked her up and there's so there's so little about her I mean I've seen photos of her but like there's no I can't find any videos like what did you pull from to create her? Well it was great for me that there were not that many videos or pictures of her because I was not going to be able to ever look exactly like her but what I to create her. Well, it was great for me that there were not that many videos or pictures of her because

I was not going to be able to ever look exactly like her, but what I really wanted was Gloria Preach it to disappear. I didn't want people to think that's Gloria with a fake nose and a wig. So that was my main concern. I wanted to create a woman that looked human, but that it was not me or Gloria. And then- Also if you go too far and you make yourself so crazy,

it's actually distracting. They want to see a little bit of you in there. I'm obsessed with those things when I watch movies. I mean, I thought they're gonna get upset at me because I kept saying no, no, no, no. But I couldn't see her and then the last day it was like two weeks before we started filming so I hadn't found her a makeup person no we still haven't found what I needed her to look like and then

the last day I suddenly I look in the mirror I'm like I tell the producers like that's that's her that's Crisella and they were like oh thank God because we only had two more weeks before we started but I love that you're so that was so important to you because that is I mean first of all you're embodying her so you have to feel good about what you're doing but also that attention to detail which I know that you are like very detail oriented I've been to your house and everything's like perfect but I love that you that carries yeah but I love that that carries into you know your work as an actress.

It's fun. With Griselda, I kind of like did a lot of different things because I also wanted to change the way I was walking, the way... Yes, the physicality that she found in her is incredible. Like, I didn't want it to be with my ass up in the air how I walk and my boobs out, you know. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Sophia tells me the physical toll channeling Griselda had on her and why

she felt so compelled to take on the role of the notorious drug trafficker. Okay, be right back. We've all got old things lying around. Listen, if one of those things is an old 401k, it's time to take care of it. Whether you've recently left a job or you're just making time to get your finances in order, Fidelity can help you explore options for your old 401ks. A Fidelity rollover IRA has no account fees or

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Oh, and they do free gift wrapping. What could be better? And we're back with more dinners on me. Oh, that looks good. Oh my God, that looks amazing. Mmm. It's amazing. I was so worried that when you invited me to this,

I'm like, what if it's props? And it's... You know me with food. I do. So I was like, should I come from home and already eat something? I've got a lot of thought in this knowing that you like to eat. That's good. That's what you wanted, right?

That's perfect. No tomato. It's really just bread and cheese. That's what I could live on this. That's delicious. The honey, so good. Wait, I wanted to go back to Grasso for a little bit. The physicality.

Physicality, right. Yeah, it was hard. It was so hard because I didn't want it to work like with my teeth in the air and you know my ass. So I bought like this really bad bra. I would put two spanks of my, but didn't jiggle when I walked, so to make it flat. And then the worst idea I ever had was that I created this walk, like one of my ass and my cousin's hunch, I were putting my ass inside. Like, it was weird, which I thought is great,

because when I would see it completely different, that I see it, I was making a big effort to make my posture different right and then like on like month three of filming I got out of bed one day and it was I couldn't get up the doctor they had to inject me and the doctor is like what did you thought that you were gonna be able to 50 to be slumped over all day months and so they had to inject me but I had to do it for three more months anyways. I think I fucked my back forever because I think something happened to my desk.

So now every once in a while I have to be very careful. So whatever. I mean I, you know in the opening scenes of Griselda, you're bandaging a couple wound and like you have this gash in the side of your body. I was, I mean, I noticed you carrying that through though. Like you would walk and you would be like touching it. And like you did such great detailed work. You saw all that.

Yes. Are you kidding me? It doesn't mean something. You know what I did at the beginning? I put a plastic fork. I broke a plastic fork so it's fork, so you only had this part? The sharp part? The sharp part.

And the first day, because I wanted to remember that I had a pain, but I also couldn't, I was thinking of so many things, the wig, the teeth, everything. So I put it there and I taped it so you would give me pain the whole time maybe that's what fucked up your back no that was like just for those but that's so smart order so it was like you got a film in order so I could understood the character getting crazy and and crazier. But that was so cool.

I mean, I noticed all of that. I can't believe it. And it was like those subtle things that you did. Also, there is, and I think a lot of this is stuff that you could draw from, like what you were saying, you know, growing up in Columbia, and especially in the 90s when things were really dangerous then, you know, having violence touch your family in such a personal way. But also being an immigrant and being someone who came to Miami to start a new life and to sort of get out of the thing.

I thought I was just gonna marry Rich. But it didn't happen. No, you became Rich. Yeah, but it would have been so much easier. Yeah, it would have been. I know, right? I still have time. You do have time. In the world now. Yeah. You can still marry rich.

You can still marry rich. But there's a scene in the third episode where you're talking to this group of Cubans who've come in and it's an incredible speech. Los Marielitos. What's that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Los Marielitos. Right, right, right, yeah.

You want me to say it? Yeah. Marielitos. Say it again. Say it again, I'll repeat it. Los Marielitos. Los Marielitos. Those were the Cubans that escaped Cuba in the Mariel, which was a boat,

a very famous boat that reached the coast of Florida. Right. You have this incredible speech where you say, you know, when I walk into a room, people just see me as a woman, and when you walk into a room, people just see you as someone with tattoos who doesn't speak English,

and we can change all that. And like, if you, you know, I'm gonna take care of and like if you you know I'm gonna take care of you I've proven that I'm gonna take care of you and you will you won't be just washing their dishes you're gonna be sitting at the table with them and really that is the embodiment of like the American dream I mean who is Delta aside like what a wonderful opportunity to talk about something so American and like that dream of being an American even though it's coming through the vessel this pretty horrible person yeah this horrible person you know it's like it was a very horrible person but at the

beginning I wanted to think that she had a lot of good intentions I started to like admire things in this woman so I had to like catch myself and it's like oh wait what did you admire about her wait wait remember well that that I mean who gets to the level of that freaking business that it's a hundred percent men there's no woman yeah and to be at that level or even higher than them and with four kids an immigrant a woman that really came from nothing from nothing I mean it's tricky because you don't want to glorify her but at the same time you have to put something in there for the audience to care about and there were times I was rooting for her

I'm glad you said that because it made me super happy look I'm going for another piece of pizza I am a pig it's basically just delicious breading It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty.

It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty.

It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. It's really tasty. like, which rooting for her. Oh, so when we did the premiere in Miami, I said, you know what, I'm gonna sit with the audience. And it was crazy that the moment that this woman would get away of something horrific,

everybody collapsing. Oh, wow. Yeah! But hello. Yeah. Like this, if she just got away with something horrible. Right. But that was what I wanted the character to do,

and I always thought about Tony Soprano. I went to Griselda. Yeah, the anti-hero. To be like Tony Soprano, that people want her to win. Right. I just feel like there's no other reason to do it unless you're going to give the audience something to root for. You know, Edo Nio called me.

Did he? He watched it. Yeah? What did he say? Called me like three times. something to root for. You know, Ed O'Neill called me. Did he? He watched it. Yeah? What did he say? He called me like three times. He calls me from these numbers that they're like... Same.

That they're like weird or they're like private numbers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course, I don't answer my phone. I think it's a burner phone. What is he doing out there? I don't know what this life that it has after morning family. But he was like so excited. He loved it.

I was very happy to hear that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I want to know what the response was. But first of all, did you do a premiere of Griselda in Columbia? Yeah. It was amazing. I mean, you're so loved there.

You know, I traveled to Columbia with Justin a few times and the only advice you gave me when I traveled was don't buy the drugs off the street. I was like, I don't think we're gonna be buying drugs at all. But thank you for the advice. I mean, you never know what could happen. You never know. Just be careful.

But when I went there, I mean, the entire, first of all, people would see me and they know, they know our show, they know Modern Family. And so many people just came up to me and just gushed and gushed and gushed about how proud of you they are. I mean, your country loves you.

So I can only imagine going back. I don't go enough, I don't go enough. I know. So tell me what it was like to take Rosalda to Columbia. I arrived, what do you call those advertising things? The things in the... Billboard? Billboard.

So I was in a song with a bad bunny. You know the single Bad Bunny? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course, yeah. And so some months ago, he named me in the song and in the song he says, Sofía Vergara es linda, pero es más linda but it's not beautiful in person. And when I arrived in Colombia, they had a big billboard and it said, Sofia Vergara is beautiful, but more beautiful in Colombia. So it was like really, really amazing.

How was the actual show received there? The show, mm-hmm. It was like, I think it's one of the countries that it's done. I'm sure. Like the most amazing. Also we had this cast. There's a lot of Colombians in the cast. There's a lot of Latin American actors that I always wanted to work with.

And it was so exciting for me for them to be part of this because I always thought, you know, if at least one of them is this becomes like their modern family in a way, you know, like that open doors for them and now they can get agents and managers here. That would be like a dream come true for me. Well, you've always put your mouth where your money is in that regard because you are holding doors open for people.

You're very generous. I mean, that's why it was so important for me to do this TV show in English and in Spanish. Because I wanted it to feel authentic. Yeah. And I wanted it that they needed to get Latin actors to complete the whole cast because that's how it was gonna feel Authentic authentic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm gonna throw up this. Yeah. Why did you get that perfect? Because it's delicious and I'm a pig

Something that I think a lot of people don't know about you and I completely forgot about it until I was reading my research I mean you were with me for 11 years morning and night. Something I actually did forget is that you you studied to be a dentist I Find that's so Fascinating I didn't finish I know good for three years you went to dental school right? I didn't finish I wish I had though why No, I didn't finish, I wish I had though. Why? No, I didn't wish I had been a dentist. I wanted to be a doctor, so at that time, fucking 40 years ago in Colombia,

nobody was a doctor, you were a woman, you weren't a doctor. Right. And I wanted to have kids, I wanted to get married to my head school sweetheart. So I said the next best thing, cause I love science, is it was dentistry. But I didn't finish.

I had too many opportunities working. Yeah. Yeah, I mean you came to Miami when you were what, 20? Like 22. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was it modeling that project you were there? No, I went to Miami because I got a TV show at U-Division. U-Division is the Hispanic network in the United States.

But I had been in Miami for 100 million times. My mom used to have a place in Miami in the 70s because Miami is two hours and 15 minutes away from Barranquilla. So it's like, you're right there. When did you decide to bring your mom and sister and brother to? I didn't really decide. When my brother was killed in Colombia in the 90s, we didn't really know what the situation was,

and the whole family was in danger. We weren't clear who had done it. So my mom and my other two siblings, the ones that were left, moved to Miami. Right, right, right. But I was super young. I was already there for only a year. But I just think it's really impressive that

at such a young age, you were like, kind of the one to say, okay, let's move. So we can be safe and you brought them to you. Yeah, it was hard. And to be so young, and also a young mother at the same time too them to you. Yeah, it was hard. And to be so young and also a young mother at the same time too. Yeah, but I know it was a baby, I know it was three years old. My niece Clara Anila was two. It was like a very hard.

And now that I'm 51 years old and I see the new generations and I see younger people, I'm like, I don't know how I did it at 51 years old and you know I see the new generations and I you know see younger people I'm like I don't know how I did it at 23 years old you know being taking care of a kid of a family that was not really very stable in the head because after a drama like that it wasn't like they were happy people you know it was like you know my, my brother that it's alive, he became an addict. He became, you know, really bad for years. He was like a horrible, he became a crack addict, which is like the worst thing that could happen to a person. And you know,

he changed. He kind of like ruined his life. and it's been hard, it's been very hard. Yeah, and I guess another parallel is like, in Griselda, Griselda becomes a crack addict herself. So the parallels that you have in your life and the art that you've got to sort of express that, it's kind of fascinating. I knew all of those characters. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's heartbreaking and fascinating.

No, that is great, no that is, you know, but I guess now that I'm done with it, I think, you know what, I guess it was all of those things, they were, they serve me for something, not just for my memory. Right, right. And then shortly after that, you know, and I, you know, Justin, and you have certainly bond on this, but you kind of got thyroid cancer at a very young age and that was something else you were dealing. Yeah.

I mean, you've been through a lot. I know. And you've been through a lot in your early years. I know, and I'm still so young and fragile. I know, right? I'm like, I'm destroyed, Jesse. Totally destroyed. I need plastic surgery.

I don't have downtime. Hardly. I'm gonna do it all facelift. Yeah, you're just looking at a whole different person. All of it. No, now it's great. Now plastic surgery is amazing. Just do the prosthetics. Have the prosthetics here. No, it's awful. Can't have sex with a plastic nose. Do you ever know until you try? Now for a quick break, but don't go away.

When we come back, Sophia shares the concerns she initially had for her character Gloria on Modern Family and why Ed O'Neill leaves her voicemails calling himself Dad. Okay, be right back. This episode is brought to you by US Bank. I kind of hate the word, but I don't know, I'll admit it. I'm a foodie. I'm a foodie to the core. Whether it's in the kitchen trying out a new recipe or

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I have recently embraced therapy. I don't know why I didn't embrace it earlier. I think there was always maybe a little bit of a stigma for me. Like if I had to go to therapy, it meant there was something really wrong with me. But once I let that all go and I just realized it was something that was available to me to make me feel better about myself, better about my day, better about where I am in my life, just clear my head,

just giving me someone else to talk to, I don't know my relationship with it completely changed and now I can't imagine my life without therapy. If you're thinking of starting therapy, you can give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire

to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Learn to make time for what makes you happy with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash dinners today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P.com slash dinners. ["Dinner's On Me"] And we're back with more dinners on me.

You know what I was watching this morning when I was working out, because I'd never seen it, and I was curious, was nights of prosperity. Oh my never seen it. And I was curious was Knights of Prosperity. Oh my god. Yeah. So I was curious. I knew that that was a show that you did right before Modern Family, right? Yeah. That was a show that you did for ABC that you got your deal with ABC. Yeah. It's interesting because like I had never seen it. So I watched the pile. I was like, what is a show that I know Sophia did? Well, I mean, it mean, we all looked young when we first started

doing My Family. But there was also this thing where you were sort of like the hot one and you were sort of like, you know, you were the one, you walk in the room and all the guys can't talk. And it's something that I feel like you've continued throughout your entire career is, even though you were like, quote unquote,

the hot girl of the group, like you still were like in on the joke and you still were also ahead of the joke. Like you weren't, quote unquote, the hot girl of the group. Like you still were like in on the joke and you still were also ahead of the joke. Like you weren't, you know? Yeah, I've always, I mean, I'm not afraid of that. Right, right. And you know me, like I love to make fun of myself. Like in the same way I like to make fun of people.

Also, I think what a lot of people don't realize that, and it's sort of, we've even talked about it just during this meal, but like you Contributed so much like so many things like that the things you say wrong in English and that the the things that you The way you say certain things that things that we make you know, we laugh at are things that you actually brought to Gloria They weren't in the writers room. I think some of them like you know at the beginning I was worried because They weren't in the writer's room. I think some of them weren't. But they learned. But they did learn. You know, at the beginning I was worried because writers usually write about what they know.

And they know you, they know Julie because they all had American, you know, girlfriends or American wives and sisters. I don't think anyone in that room had ever had like a Latin, crazy Latin woman, you know? So at the beginning I was like, I'm gonna have to be like, seeing like if they let me guide them a little bit and I think they talked to me like three times at the beginning and then suddenly the writing, it was like spectacular, like for Gloria.

I didn't know comedic wise what I could do at that point and they didn't know. They didn't know us really. They didn't know any of us. You did an audition. You were brought to the project because he had a development deal. I did an audition.

So it was like for them, it was like, we've never had this woman, a woman. I've always known what I had and I've always made sure I used it. Yeah, I mean, that's what we have to be figured out in this business. I've never been apologetic use this. Yeah, I mean, that's what we have to do for doing this business. I've never been apologetic of being, you know, looking good or it has never felt,

make me feel, you know, like insecure of other things. I remember when we were going to Sarah Highland's wedding and you asked what the dress code was and I said, I don't know, I think you're just supposed to be like comfy and you're like, comfy? Oh, who's gonna go to a wedding comfy. He's like, those are the things. Did you say that or was it Julie saying that?

I think maybe Julie said that. He's like, of course, Julie always wants to be comfortable. And I'm like, why? Why do you want to be comfortable? It's like that's the last thing I think about when I'm getting an outfit. Yeah, but it's pretty comfortable. Or, oh no, I don't care.

That's not... I love it. When I first read the Modern Family pilot, I know we're jumping all over the place, but when I first read the Modern Family pilot, I loved it so much and the one thing I was concerned about that I couldn't picture, I was like, I don't know how this is going to work was the relationship between Gloria and Jay. I was like, I just, I didn't know. And I was like, it's going to feel like a joke.

And I know you've talked about it. Like how you were nervous. Now, this is even before I knew you were doing it and Ed was doing it. I was just reading it as a script. I was like, that's the one couple that feels like... Because it felt like a gold digger kind of situation, you know, an immigrant with nothing, going with the American older guy. I, at the beginning, I was very worried. I was like, you know, how are they going to like Gloria because you want people to love your character, you know, and more in a comedy.

So it's like, they're not gonna like anything about her because she's... Why is she married to this guy? Seems like a Gold Digger situation, and... Which she actually named an episode Gold Digger. Yeah, Gold Digger. But it's because Julie Bowen's character Claire calls you a Gold Digger. And I think you'd think it means something else. Yes.

I mean, I think immediately in the first table read, I was like, oh, I completely believed it. It completely clicked. It was completely believable. And by the end of the 11 seasons, I couldn't imagine you two with anyone else other than, but even like you and Ed, just as human beings, had such a deep love for each other. We had such a big chemistry from the beginning.

And you know, I was worried because I understood that because we were such a big cast and we were all like different families, I knew that most of my scenes were always, and most of my seasons were going to be with Ed. You know, sometimes I wouldn't even see you in a week because I was like, you know, glorious house and at the beginning I'm like, oh my god, what am I going to be doing with this because Ed is like 20 something years older than me. So I'm like, I'm not going to have anything common even though I've been a fan of Ed O'Neill's and you know, Mary with Children, Albandi and all of that. And I was like, but I was like thinking it's like, oh, there are people that are more contemporary to my age.

You and Julie and the rest, I'm not gonna be with them as much as with Ed. So I was a little bit concerned that I was not gonna have that much fun or whatever, but it was absolutely like the opposite. It was like perfect. But also, I mean, it was one of those friendships. My friendship with Ed, I feel like he's my age.

Yeah. You know, I feel like even though he tells like these rambling stories sometimes, I'm like, he still feels like. But when we met him, he was almost our age. Yeah, that's true. He was 60-something. And I thought that he was so old.

And now that I'm 51, I'm like, oh my god, he was so young. I know. He was like crazy. OK, now I'm going to throw up. what what I don't know if I need this now Well, you can take it home. Yeah, I'm gonna have a little bit. Oh, it's very good. Is it good? Mm-hmm hot I mean I was supposed to go to a Thanksgiving did another Thanksgiving What is it the Valentine's Day?

dinner tonight? Why is Thanksgiving? Okay, I do have to tell the story. What story? You'll remember. You'll remember what I started telling you. Which one? So we shot the episode in Australia, which is of course on the other side of the world. And we all came back on the same flight and we had to work like two days later in Los Angeles. And you were so tired and so jet lagged. One of the crew members said to you,

good morning Sophia, and you said, happy Thanksgiving. Do you remember this? It was like April. You laughed at me for like a year. It's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. Happy Thanksgiving. Because sometimes you know how my brain works in English. I do.

I do. Unfortunately, and I think it's now I appreciate it that I am like that, I guess. But my problem is that I don't, I talk before thinking. Yeah. And sometimes the things that come out is not what I was thinking. Sometimes they're not even English.

It's not even English. Sometimes it's just sounds.. It's not even English. Sometimes it's the sounds. Oh my God, the bloopers. The blooper reels of your blooper reels will make me cry with laughter. If you have, for the listeners, if you have a moment just go to YouTube and look at Sophia Vergara's bloopers from Modern Family. It is gold.

And it's reactions made to it. All of, yeah, I mean, we're all just like, what did you just say? What did you just say? What did you just say? Did you ever get into a fight? Really, and he would always tell me like He doesn't understand how we've never we never but not even once and I am not exaggerating not a thing of Where were you or do the line or I mean no one thing. I mean Eric and I had fights.

I know, we all know. Ha ha ha ha. But I mean like in the same way that I fight with my loved ones. Exactly. Ha ha ha. What's that? Yes, very much it's delicious.

Amazing. So I've had Julie on the show, I've had Sarah on the show, you and Ed. I've asked them all like what that experience of ending the show was like for them, especially you know, right after it didn't go in there, did it? No.

Sam and in your boob? I'll find it tonight on my date. On your date? No. Thanks for being with my like fish. Yeah, well, I'm gonna say this, the salmon in my boob. Like oops, it was Jesse. But having to finish that show and then going right into a pandemic where we didn't even get to see each other again,

like, it's already hard enough ending something that goes on for 11 years. You were in tears. I never see you cry. Yeah, I never used to cry. I was crying and I was not only crying there. I was crying like a month before. I think we all, the month before the last episode, the last scene, it was really hard for us. It was everybody, you know, it's like,

we were a family. We never had a problem between each other. It was such a pleasure to go to that set, right? It was like a dream. And then the pandemic happened two weeks later and we're all closed. It was horrible. It was like, I didn't get to see you

until like two years later. I know. It's like, Ed was super happy because he moved into Hawaii. Hawaii, he was mentioned in Hawaii. Although he sort of got bored, I think, because I don't know about you, but he would call me randomly. Oh, yeah, maybe me, maybe. Yeah, yeah. Call me randomly.

And sometimes it would be by accident. Like, he'd FaceTime me, and I would just see like the side of his house. Like, he would be holding his phone, actually FaceTime me, so I'd just be like seeing his wall. But he doesn't even know his phone. And so I would, I'd like, add, add, add it to me. And he would be like, Jessica, what do you do on my phone?

You know, he does to me a lot. He leaves me messages, I think, because my name is Sofia and his daughter is Sofia. That's hilarious. He leaves me messages all the time, but it's to the daughter. Do you calm and say that stuff? No, when I know it's important things that she needs to know, I do, but when it's not, I don't know. That's really funny. And it's always...

Did you tell her that? Yeah, it's like Sophia and he always starts, Sophia is dad. I'm like, at the beginning, I was like, why is he calling himself dad to me? And then I was like, oh, it's so free. Yeah, the daughter. So funny. I love that. But that one. I'm going to do my lipstick, you know me. Oh my god.

I'm going to tell a story about our very first Emmy Awards. It was the first season of Honor Family. We were nominated for Best Comedy. And the Best Comedy category was coming up. And you were sitting in front of us. And Julie was sitting next to me And you turned around and you said put your lipstick on we're going to win I'm like, can you put your lipstick on? Because I turned around to share with you guys the excitement

Now it's our turn and then I see her and she had no lipstick on I mean to me She looked at me like I was insane. And then we won and she never really thanked me. We were all over, remember? With those pictures up there. And I did put my lipstick on. I'm not sure if she put it on though.

No, probably not. It's really funny. Are we going to order dessert or not? Do you want dessert? I'm not sure if she put it on though. No, probably not. It's really funny. Are we going to order dessert or not? Do you want dessert? Maybe not, because I'm going to eat again soon. Do you want? You eat super healthy.

I'm eating with Justin tonight. You eat a lot of garbage. But now? I mean, not like me. I did not eat a lot of garbage. I do remember, there was a period of time, I didn't remember why this was happening, but you were just eating sugar? Do you remember?

What are you talking about? No, Sophia, you had a table, a countertop cotton candy machine. Well yeah, but that doesn't mean that I only eat sugar, right? And then on set, you had literally a thing of marshmallows and it was labeled Sophia's do not touch.

Remember Josh, the guy that was in charge of the props, he would hide them for me all over the set in every room so that I could have little snacks in between. One of marshmallows, one of Potomollies. And it always said Sophia's do not touch. Potomollies, I haven't had Potomollies in a long time. Aww, I remember they loved me. You ate so much sugar. They took such nice care of me.

They did. They did hide all those things so that I was happy and sad. And then I would give them to everyone. Yeah, no, I knew where your stash was. I shared, yeah. Even though it said do not touch, I would absolutely crack into them. Yeah, yeah. Marshmallows.

Marshmallows. I have a balance. Yeah. Marshmallows. Marshmallows. I have a balance. Oh, I love you. Thank you for doing this. Thank you, Jesse. Next week on Dinners On Me, you know him from the Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

and the Netflix series Kim's Convenience, it's Simuliu. We'll get into his first superhero job, which was showing up as Spider-Man at kids' parties, and how his love of Goodwill Hunting may have led him to nabbing his role in his first Marvel movie playing an actual superhero. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners On Me Plus.

As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click Try Free at the top of the Dinners On Me Show page on Apple Podcasts to search your free trial today. Dinner is On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Angela Vang.

Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale Shee composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balans-Kolasini and Justin McKita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.