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Sofia Vergara is well known today as a bombshell actress, the star of Modern Family and a popular presence in many television commercials. Although the Colombian actress has become a mainstay in entertainment over the past ten years, there was a time when her pathway in life looked entirely different.

In fact, Vergara had originally never considered acting as a possible career. Read on to learn all about how Vergara eventually turned to film and television as a way to make her way in the world and what her early career consisted of.

Where was Sofia Vergara born?

Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara | Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner

Vergara was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, in 1972. She was surrounded by siblings and relatives throughout her childhood, with five siblings and lots of cousins. Vergara’s father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo, was a cattle rancher while her mother was a housewife, taking care of her many children. Vergara has remained very close to her family and one of her cousins, Sandra Vergara, has become her adopted sister.

What did Sofia Vergara originally want to do?

Following her graduation from high school, Vergara set her sights on a career in dentistry. In an interview, she revealed that she never initially planned on being an actress, but that “you never know what life will bring you.” Vergara actually studied dentistry for three years while still living in Colombia, but eventually moved to Miami, Florida. 

It was during a sunny beach day that Vergara received the opportunity of a lifetime, something that turned her away from dentistry for good. A talent scout noticed Vergara, who was walking along the beach with friends, and asked if he could take some photos of her for possible modeling and acting assignments. Although Vergara was apprehensive at first, she finally agreed. Those first photos quickly led to commercial opportunities, with the very first one being a Pepsi commercial. 

What are Sofia Vergara’s most popular roles?

After some early work in commercials, Vergara started getting offers for movie roles. She studied at the Creative Workshops School of Acting to perfect her craft, and in 2009, she got the chance of a lifetime when she was cast in the brand-new sitcom, Modern Family. The show was an almost instant hit, with Vergara’s role as Gloria Delgado Pritchett receiving high praise: Vergara was lauded for her comedic timing and self-deprecating humor. To this day, it is still Vergara’s biggest role and the one that most fans know her best for.

In addition to Modern Family, Vergara has had several major movie roles, including Hot Pursuit opposite Reese Witherspoon, The Three Stooges, Chef, New Year’s Eve, and Machete Kills. She’s also an entrepreneur, with a line of furniture at Rooms to Go, an intimate apparel line, and a long-running partnership with CoverGirl.

What’s next for Sofia Vergara?

In late 2015, Vergara married actor Joe Manganiello. The two have kept their relationship relatively low-key, preferring to relax and enjoy each other’s company well away from the glare of the cameras. However, the brand new film Bottom of the 9th features both Manganiello and Vergara sharing the screen for the first time ever.

Manganiello plays an aspiring baseball player, Sonny Stano, who was meant to achieve great success with the New York Yankees but due to unfortunate circumstances, ends up in jail instead. Upon serving his time, Stano returns to the site of his former glory. Vergara plays Stano’s girlfriend, Angela Ramirez, who wants to help Stano achieve the greatness that he was always meant for.

In a recent talk show appearance, Vergara touted the film as a story of redemption and admitted that she “loves” the role she played. Whether or not she and husband Manganiello could team up again for future film appearances remains to be seen!