History of Sofía Vergara in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 12, 2026

Sofía Vergara is a highly acclaimed Colombian-American actress, television producer, and entrepreneur, best known for her iconic portrayal of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the hit sitcom Modern Family. Her performance earned her multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, cementing her status as one of television's most recognizable stars. Before achieving massive success in the United States, Vergara began her career as a model and television host in Latin America. Beyond acting, she has successfully built a business empire, establishing herself as a savvy entrepreneur with ventures in fashion, beauty, and talent management. Her transition from a breakout star to one of the highest-paid actresses in television history highlights her enduring influence in entertainment. Additionally, she has served as a prominent judge on America's Got Talent, further expanding her presence in popular culture. Vergara is widely celebrated for her charisma, comedic timing, and her role as a trailblazer for Latinas in Hollywood.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

July 10, 1972: Birth of Sofía Vergara

On July 10, 1972, the renowned Colombian and American actress and television personality Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara was born.

Others born on this day/year

1986: Enactment of Louisiana Embryo Law

In 1986, the state of Louisiana passed legislation classifying embryos as juridical persons, a legal status that grants embryos the unique right to sue or be sued, which became a focal point in later litigation in 1986 and beyond.

1990: Marriage to Joe Gonzalez

In 1990, at the age of 18, Sofía Vergara married her high-school sweetheart, Joe Gonzalez.

September 16, 1991: Birth of Manolo

On September 16, 1991, Sofía Vergara gave birth to her son, Manolo, in Colombia.

1992: Look of the Year Competition and Modeling Breakthrough

In 1992, Sofía Vergara won the Look of the Year contest in Colombia and participated in the International Finals in New York. While she did not win the final competition, the exposure served as a catalyst for her professional modeling career across major cities including New York, Miami, and London, ultimately leading to her employment with the television network Univision.

1993: Divorce from Joe Gonzalez

The marriage between Sofía Vergara and Joe Gonzalez ended in divorce in 1993.

1996: The Murder of Rafael Vergara

In 1996, Sofía Vergara's older brother, Rafael, was murdered by a Colombian cartel, a tragic event that deeply impacted her family and later served as a primary emotional influence for her portrayal of Griselda Blanco.

1998: Tragic Loss of Rafael Vergara

In 1998, Sofía Vergara's older brother, Rafael, was tragically murdered in Colombia during a failed kidnapping attempt, a devastating event that prompted Vergara to leave the country for the United States.

2000: Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

In 2000, at the age of 28, Sofía Vergara was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She subsequently underwent surgery to remove her thyroid and received radioiodine therapy, ultimately making a full recovery and managing the condition with medication.

2003: Acting in Chasing Papi

Sofía Vergara expanded her acting career into English-language cinema with her performance in the 2003 film Chasing Papi.

2005: Appearance in Four Brothers

In 2005, Vergara took on a role in the film Four Brothers.

2008: Acting in Meet the Browns

Vergara acted in the Tyler Perry comedy Meet the Browns, which was released in 2008.

2009: Role in Modern Family and Madea Goes to Jail

In 2009, Sofía Vergara began her iconic role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the ABC sitcom Modern Family and also appeared in the film Madea Goes to Jail.

2009: Broadway Debut in Chicago

In 2009, Sofía Vergara made her Broadway debut by taking on the role of Matron Mama Morton in the production of Chicago, where she performed for a duration of six weeks.

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2010: Primetime Emmy Nomination

In 2010, Sofía Vergara began a streak of consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the sitcom Modern Family.

April 2011: Diet Pepsi Commercial with David Beckham

During April 2011, Sofía Vergara starred in a commercial for Diet Pepsi alongside soccer star David Beckham.

May 9, 2011: Deportation of Julio Vergara

On May 9, 2011, Sofía Vergara's younger brother, Julio, was deported from the United States to Colombia following an arrest in April 2011, marking a difficult period involving his longtime struggle with drug addiction.

July 2011: Filming The Three Stooges

In July 2011, Sofía Vergara completed filming for the Farrelly Brothers' movie The Three Stooges, which marked her first time taking on a leading role in a major motion picture.

2011: Partnerships with Pepsi and CoverGirl

During 2011, Sofía Vergara significantly bolstered her profile as a businesswoman and ambassador by signing major endorsement deals with the beverage company Pepsi and the cosmetics brand CoverGirl.

2011: Roles in New Year's Eve and Happy Feet Two

During 2011, Vergara appeared in the film New Year's Eve and provided a voice role in the animated movie Happy Feet Two.

January 2012: CoverGirl and Diet Pepsi Commercial Appearances

In January 2012, Sofía Vergara's inaugural advertisements as the face of CoverGirl were released, and she additionally appeared in a Diet Pepsi commercial.

April 2012: Guest Appearance in Vida con Toty

In April 2012, Sofía Vergara made an appearance in her son Manolo's web series titled Vida con Toty, which was hosted on the platform YouTube.

July 18, 2012: Forbes Highest-Earning Actress Recognition

On July 18, 2012, Forbes.com released a list naming Sofía Vergara as the highest-earning woman in U.S. television, citing an income of $19 million over the previous 12-month period.

2012: Engagement to Nick Loeb

After dating for two years, Sofía Vergara and her boyfriend Nick Loeb announced their engagement in 2012.

2012: Appearance in The Three Stooges

In 2012, Vergara was featured in the film adaptation The Three Stooges.

2013: Final Consecutive Emmy Nomination

In 2013, Sofía Vergara concluded a four-year period of consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family.

2013: Endorsement Deals and Furniture Line Launch

In 2013, Sofía Vergara signed endorsement contracts with Diet Pepsi, Rooms To Go, and Synthroid, and also launched her own affordable furniture line in collaboration with Rooms To Go.

2013: Roles in Machete Kills and Fading Gigolo

In 2013, Vergara expanded her filmography by appearing in both Machete Kills and Fading Gigolo.

May 23, 2014: End of engagement to Nick Loeb

On May 23, 2014, Sofía Vergara announced that she had called off her engagement to Nick Loeb.

December 2014: United States Citizenship

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in December 2014, Sofía Vergara announced that she had officially become a United States citizen after achieving a perfect score on her citizenship examination.

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2014: Separation and Initial Lawsuit

Following the dissolution of their relationship in 2014, Nick Loeb initiated a lawsuit in California to obtain custody of embryos stored in a medical clinic, a case he eventually abandoned due to court requirements.

2014: Release of Sofia by Sofia Vergara Fragrance

In 2014, Sofía Vergara entered the fragrance market by launching her debut scent, titled Sofia by Sofia Vergara, which paved the way for the release of four additional fragrances in the following years.

2014: Head & Shoulders Brand Ambassadorship

In 2014, Sofía Vergara expanded her professional portfolio by becoming a brand ambassador for the anti-dandruff shampoo brand Head & Shoulders.

2014: Launch of Sofia by Sofia Vergara

In 2014, Vergara ventured into the beauty industry by launching her debut fragrance, titled 'Sofia by Sofia Vergara,' marking the beginning of her multi-scent fragrance collection.

2014: Acting in Chef

Vergara acted in the acclaimed 2014 film Chef.

May 7, 2015: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

On May 7, 2015, Sofía Vergara was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing her contributions to the entertainment industry.

November 21, 2015: Marriage to Joe Manganiello

On November 21, 2015, Sofía Vergara married Joe Manganiello in a ceremony held in Palm Beach, Florida.

2015: Legal Dispute and Op-Ed Publication

During 2015, Sofía Vergara was embroiled in a legal battle concerning frozen embryos from her past relationship with Nick Loeb, highlighted by Loeb writing an op-ed in The New York Times in 2015 arguing against keeping the embryos in cryopreservation.

2015: Role in Hot Pursuit

In 2015, Vergara starred in the motion picture Hot Pursuit.

December 2016: Initiation of Louisiana Right-to-Life Lawsuit

In December 2016, a legal case was filed in Louisiana that sought to establish rights for the embryos produced by Sofía Vergara, naming the embryos themselves as the plaintiffs in a right-to-life action.

March 2017: Legal Settlement with Venus Concept

In March 2017, Sofía Vergara finalized a settlement agreement with Venus Concept following a dispute over the company's unauthorized use of her likeness, which she argued misleadingly suggested she was a brand endorser for their beauty products.

August 2017: Dismissal of Louisiana Embryo Lawsuit

In August 2017, a judge in Louisiana dismissed a lawsuit involving Sofía Vergara's cryopreserved embryos, ruling that the court lacked proper jurisdiction over embryos that were originally conceived in California.

2017: Conclusion of Embryo Legal Dispute

By 2017, the protracted legal conflict regarding the custody and status of embryos Vergara had frozen during her previous relationship reached its conclusion after several years of court challenges.

2017: Voice role in The Emoji Movie

In 2017, Vergara provided a voice performance for the animated project The Emoji Movie.

February 2020: Joining America's Got Talent

In February 2020, Sofía Vergara was officially announced as a new judge for the fifteenth season of the reality competition series America's Got Talent.

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2020: Joining America's Got Talent

In 2020, Sofía Vergara expanded her television career by taking on the role of a judge for the popular talent competition series, America's Got Talent.

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2020: Conclusion of Modern Family

The year 2020 marked the end of the long-running ABC sitcom Modern Family, in which Vergara portrayed Gloria Delgado-Pritchett.

2022: Golden Buzzer Victory

In 2022, the dance group Mayyas, who were selected by Sofía Vergara as her 'golden buzzer' act, emerged as the winners of the competition.

June 2023: Launch of Toty Beauty Brand

In June 2023, Sofía Vergara expanded her business portfolio by officially launching Toty, a beauty brand named after her childhood nickname.

July 17, 2023: Separation from Joe Manganiello

On July 17, 2023, Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their separation and plans to divorce after seven years of marriage.

February 2024: Finalization of divorce from Joe Manganiello

In February 2024, the divorce between Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello was officially finalized.

2024: Launch of Dios Mio! Coffee

In 2024, Sofía Vergara debuted her own coffee label, Dios Mio! Coffee, an initiative created to support and elevate the profiles of female coffee growers in Colombia.

2024: Historic Primetime Emmy Nomination for Griselda

In 2024, Sofía Vergara received a historic Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as Griselda Blanco in the Netflix miniseries Griselda, marking the first time a Latina born in a Latin American country was nominated in this specific category.