Sofía Vergara has been immortalized in bronze with a massive new statue in her Colombian hometown – a tribute meant as a gift for her July 10th birthday. But while the towering sculpture was unveiled with pride, it’s not the applause that’s making noise online.
On July 10, Colombian artist Yino Márquez – the same artist behind the infamous Shakira statue that also raised eyebrows in December 2023 – revealed a massive gift for Sofía Vergara.
Standing nearly 28 feet tall and weighing more than 11,000 lb (5,000 kg), the bronze sculpture shows the Modern Family star in a slinky black gown with a dramatic thigh-high slit, one hand posed confidently on her hip, and the other raised skyward – with sculptural stars dramatically shooting from her fingertips.
Unveiling
According to the Daily Mail, the unveiling of Vergara’s now-viral statue was led by Barranquilla’s mayor, Alejandro Char, and he didn’t hold back on the praise.
“Barranquilla is at your feet. Thank you for being who you are, thank you for being proudly Barranquillera,” the mayor said of the 53-year-old star. “She’s never stopped being one of us – she never changed her accent. She’s always stayed true to herself: her spirit, her joy, her determination. And look where it’s taken her – so far.”
‘Thank you, my beautiful Barranquilla’
Despite the fanfare in Colombia, Vergara was notably absent from the event. According to her social media, she was celebrating her birthday in Sardinia, Italy, with family and friends at the time.
But expressing her gratitude for the honor, she shared on Instagram a carousel of photos featuring the bronze figure created in her image, along with a heartfelt message the next day.
“Thank you, my beautiful Barranquilla, for this gift! I never imagined that my story, my work, and my dreams would leave such a significant mark on this land that I love, respect, and yearn for so much,” Vergara captioned the post. “I thank Barranquilla for everything I am. Everything I have achieved I owe to the strength, the courage, and the joy that is breathed in this land. This statue is not only in my honor, but in honor of the people of Barranquilla and in honor of my family and friends who have always been with me. I love you all very much!”
‘Horrendous’
But while the gesture was grand – it took seven months of work and a 35-person team to build it – not everyone was applauding the result.
Over on a popular pop culture subreddit, news of Vergara’s statue – along with photos – sparked a heated conversation.
“As Shakira and Sofía, I also share the same place of birth as them. And let me tell you – they need to stop making these statues. They are horrendous,” one user wrote.
A second asks, “Who approved this?!?!”
And many pointed out that the statue’s face bears little resemblance to the glamorous actress: “Can we get some people who know how to do faces when making statues?” shared one while a second wrote “Is it still an honour when it doesn’t look like you?”
‘Worthy of a statue’
Meanwhile, some applauded the artist for creating statues of powerful women.
“As a Colombian, I live for this sh**. I don’t care if it doesn’t look like her exactly, but I think it captures her essence just like Shakira’s” the Redditor started. “I’m glad that people can use both of these women as cultural touch points instead of making drug cartel references when I tell them I’m Colombian. They have done so much to change the perception of the country, they are worthy of a statue.”
A second shared, “Theres too many statues of men on horses and not enough of women in heels so I approve this wholeheartedly!”
Then there were the netizens who couldn’t help but find the humor in the “lumpy” statue with the “bad teeth” that “did her a bit dirty.”
“Finally, a realistic chance of being crushed to death by Sofía Vergara,” quips another user.
Love it or hate it, the statue has done exactly what great pop culture moments do: it’s sparked conversation, emotion, and a whole lot of attention.
What do you think of Vergara’s statue? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can hear from others!
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