Netflix has its fair share of biographical shows, but Andres Baiz’s Griselda is going to take the genre to another level. Starring Sofia Vergara in the lead role, this mini-series is based on the real life of Griselda Blanco, one of Colombia’s biggest drug lords.
Griselda revolves around the titular character, who’s a strong woman who doesn’t shy away from taking her stand. Life’s hardships lead Blanco to a path filled with dangerous men and drugs, but instead of falling into the trap, Griselda takes matters into her own hands and creates a whole empire for herself out of nothing.
From messy familial ties to heartbreaking betrayals, Griselda has got it all portrayed perfectly. Sofia’s charismatic acting never fails to showcase Griselda’s true power and confidence. The 6-episode show is a true representation of what it was like to be in Blanco’s shoes and experience the world through an unforgiving perspective.
Besides Sofia in the role of Blanco, the rest of the cast of Griselda consists of Alberto Guerra in the role of Dario, Martin Rodriguez plays Jorge, Juliana Aiden plays June and Vanessa Ferlito plays the role of Carmen. Mexican soap opera actor, Christian Tappan stars in the role of Arturo Mesa.
Filming Locations
Although this intense Vergara series is based in the retro Miami days, the major filming location for Griselda was Los Angeles, California.
Filming for Griselda began sometime around January 2022, and took almost a year to complete. The story of Griselda is set in an era of Miami where cocaine wasn’t popular, but the economy was thriving and the city was filled with glamour all year.
Since that’s not how Miami is anymore, the crew recreated the same retro Miami feel in various places around California, USA. With so many scenic spots and luxurious sports all around the city, it’s no surprise that the Griselda crew would choose a place like LA for the scenes.
Places like the Dorothy Chandler Mansion, located at 455 Lorraine Boulevard, can be spotted in Griselda. The luxurious mansion used to be a place where people like Kennedy, Nixon, and many others used to visit. With just a little decor, the whole apartment can perfectly capture the essence of a chaotic but iconic era lost in time.
Once she reaches the top of the drug business, Griselda hosts a big party for all her friends at the Casa Oceana, a beachfront estate located at 20 37th Place, Long Beach, California. Architect Edward Killingsworth’s mansion is another location in which the Griselda crew filmed a few scenes. The cozy but large mansion was recently on the market for around $3.3 Million.
Long Beach isn’t entirely new to being a filming spot, as the place has been the prime shooting location of productions like Barbie, Criminal Minds, Six Feet Under, Dexter, and even Titanic.
Scenes of Griselda were also filmed in and around Silver Lake, LA. This residential neighborhood area is filled with beautifully designed homes, all kinds of great restaurants, and a bustling nightlife. Silver Lake has been used in hit films like Pulp Fiction, Grease, Chinatown, and Scream 3.
The Redondo Beach, a picturesque coastal city, also made it into Griselda’s scenes. The cozy harbor hangout places and bright blue waters make the city one of California’s best places to visit. Since it is located near the Ocean, Redondo Beach also has countless rainstorms throughout the year.
Despite that, Redondo Beach has hosted productions like The Terminal List, She’s All That, Point Break, and the nostalgic Pirates of the Caribbean.
San Pedro, a town that lies on the Southern side of California, was also a filming spot for the Griselda crew. Anthony Head, an actor from the 2000s known for playing roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Merlin, happens to belong to San Pedro.
While Griselda had to be filmed mostly in California, the crew stayed true to the story and visited some places in and around Miami. The bright blue city may no longer have the pre-Cocaine era glam, but it remains one of the best places to spend a short vacation in.
This sums up all locations for Vergara’s newest spicy crime drama, Griselda. The 6-episode mini-series is now available to stream on Netflix.