Director Andrés Baiz also praised Vergara’s desire to attempt her most dramatic role to date.

“This was a chance to reinvent herself and step out of her comfort zone, which was very brave of her,” he told the outlet. “She knew she had to dive in completely into this role and feel insecure and afraid, but she knew that all she had was her work, that she had to push herself to the limit.”

Griselda, which premieres January 2024, will be the America’s Got Talent judge’s first TV role since she and estranged husband Joe Manganiello announced in July they are divorcing after seven years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of their split.

Keep reading to see every photo of Vergara’s surprising Griselda transformation.