How Sofia Vergara makes so much money outside of acting
Originally published on nicki swift.com by lillian gao on october 9, 2020
Actor, comedic force, and unofficial Jessica Rabbit impersonator are three descriptors most would use for Sofía Vergara. But don’t forget to add “super-entrepreneur” to that list. Ever since her 2009 debut as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on ABC’s monstrous hit sitcom, Modern Family, the curvaceous and charming Colombian-American entertainer has consistently topped Forbes’ annual ranking of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. In 2020, Forbes reported Vergara earned a whopping salary of $43 million.
As you might’ve guessed, Vergara raked in some serious dough over at Modern Family: In 2017, Variety reported her salary was bumped up to $500,000 an episode. On top of that, she was paid $10 million for her work on America’s Got Talent, which was her only other entertainment gig in 2020. As for the rest of her eight-figure salary? Why, Vergara’s slew of endorsement and licensing deals are to thank. If you weren’t aware of just how diverse (not to mention prolific) Vergara’s endorsement portfolio happens to be, just sit back, relax, crack open a bottle of her preferred soda brand, and read on.
Sofía Vergara has always been a Pepsi Girl
Sofía Vergara has been one of the more prominent spokespersons for Diet Pepsi ever since her print ad campaign touting the “skinny can” debuted in 2011. However, this first collaboration came with controversy aplenty, as many claimed a case of over-Photoshopping. Featuring only Vergara’s shoulder and the side of face (which was mostly covered by a large 1970’s-style floppy hat), critics voiced concern that Diet Pepsi digitally slimmed and hid the actor’s bombshell curves in an effort to equate “skinny” with “glamour.” Vergara vehemently denied such accusations and went on to star in high-profile television spots for the diet soda brand. One of her Pepsi ads co-starred soccer superstar David Beckham, and two were helmed by Charlie’s Angels and Terminator: Salvation director McG.
Vergara, however, has been a part of the Pepsi family since the 80’s. When she was 17 years old, she appeared in one of their TV spots after being discovered by casting scouts. “I had never done anything. I was in Catholic school. I was afraid because I knew the nuns would not allow me to do that, to be in a bathing suit on the beach. But then I got it after the audition,” Vergara told ABC News. That, as fate would have it, was also her first foray into show business.
Sofía Vergara’s repping for Latina CoverGirls everywhere
“My BIG news!! So happy to be the new @covergirl!!!,” Sofía Vergara tweeted in May 2011, officially letting the world know that it was time to update her non-acting résumé. Though she would be joining a long, revered list of mega-celebrity faces for the brand, such as Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres, Vergara pointed to her heritage in owning her corner of the market. “I love that I have the Latin flavor; Latin girls can relate to me, see what I’m wearing, see my makeup, my hairstyle,” Vergara told People in 2011.
“We couldn’t think of a better person to represent our brand. Sofía is gorgeous inside and out and has broad appeal,” added Vince Hudson, the General Manager for CoverGirl cosmetics, in their official press release announcement of the news.
Vergara didn’t just talk the talk. Whether she was strutting Tinseltown’s red carpet or walking down the aisle at her own wedding, her face has been adorned in CoverGirl and CoverGirl products only since becoming a brand ambassador. According to Yahoo! Life, Vergara sported a custom berry-red CoverGirl lipstick shade called “Sofia in Love” to get hitched to actor Joe Manganiello.
A thyroid condition inspired a Sofía Vergara campaign
In April 2013, Sofía Vergara took on the role of representing a product that hit much closer to home than most others. After she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2000 at just age 28, Vergara had undergone an operation to remove her thyroid gland, leaving her with hypothyroidism and the need to use a hormone-regulating medication called Synthroid, HuffPost reported. “I got rid of the cancer and then for me it was, ‘Oh shoot, now I have to live with this condition my whole life,” Vergara told the outlet. “I’m very very straight with the way I try to do what the doctor says and I go to my doctor religiously and get my blood tests.”
Synthroid’s manufacturing company, AbbVie, hoped Vergara’s vigilance about her condition would influence others at risk to follow suit, launching the campaign “Follow the Script” to raise awareness about hypothyroidism and its symptoms and treatment options. According to the campaign’s press release, Vergara notes that while she may “ad lib” in her career, she “follows the script” when it comes to her medication regime.
Yes, Sofía Vergara really does use Head & Shoulders
In 2013, E! revealed Sofía Vergara was made a spokesperson for Head & Shoulders. The anti-dandruff shampoo, which is available at just about any drug store, may not be the first product you would think you would find in a rich and glamorous celebrity’s shower caddy, but get ready to eat your (flake-free) hat. Vergara swears she has been using the product for over 20 years. “I am excited to be joining a new family,” she said in an official statement, cheekily referencing the family she already had on her small screen hit, Modern Family.
Since joining Head & Shoulders, Vergara has been busy churning out TV spot after TV spot for the hair care brand alongside her actual family, including her son, Manolo Vergara. “Head & Shoulders has been a part of my hair care regime and my family’s since I was young. In fact we joke that 8 out of 9 Vergara’s use it; AND there are a LOT of us,” she said in the aforementioned statement.
Suffice to say, as far as Vergara’s concerned, Head & Shoulders is… head and shoulders above the rest. (Sorry, had to do it.)
Perfume has been good to Sofía Vergara’s bank account
Do you want to smell like Sofía Vergara? Apparently, it’s easy, as the actor has made five fragrances under her name, in a partnership with global beauty giant Parlux Fragrances, LTD. Since 2014, they have developed five fragrances together: Sofia by Sofia Vergara, Love, Tempting, Tempting Paradise, and Lost in Paradise. Both Vergara and business partner Luis Balaguer emphasized the Modern Family star’s insistence on leaving her personal imprint on each scent. “I wanted to bring a little bit of who I am, my ethnicity and create a fragrance that is a true reflection of me,” Vergara explained in a 2014 press release regarding her fragrance licensing deal. “Sofía wanted to be very involved in the development of the fragrance and we knew it was critical to carefully choose the right partners, as well as the distribution channels,” Balaguer added.
As with most products she co-develops or endorses, perfume has always been a personal indulgence for Vergara, with her telling InStyle, “I love to try new scents. What I would wear in the day may differ from what I wear at night.” As for her foray into perfumery, Vergara told the magazine that the world could expect more. “Fragrance and beauty is something I’m really passionate about, so you will definitely see more of my footprint in that world,” she stated.
A Kay Jewelers and Sofía Vergara collaboration sparkled
As she gained surer footing in the entrepreneurial world, Sofía Vergara ventured into more and more collaborations with brands versus simple endorsements. In 2014, People reported that she partnered with Kay Jewelers to launch a 52-piece fine jewelry collection called So Sofia. Retailing from $49 to $1,299.99, Vergara found the endeavor to be a natural expansion of her personal brand. As she told Bustle in 2015, “Ever since I was a girl, I’ve worn and loved jewelry. It was an easy decision because it is something I have always dreamed of doing.”
According to the line’s official news release, So Sofia features everything from rings and earrings to necklaces and bracelets and much of the collection is set with diamonds and semi-precious stones and gemstones. Most distinctively, each piece has a hidden natural emerald, the stone of Vergara’s native Colombia.
Jewelry is a big part of who Vergara is, and the collection reflects her passion. After all, as she said in an official statement, “I never even go to sleep without jewelry on.” Take note: Elegance never rests, glitz never catches a wink, and glamour never takes a night off.
You can make coffee like Sofía Vergara
In 2015, Sofía Vergara entered the java business. Via a partnership with housewares innovator SharkNinja, Vergara helped develop a cutting-edge coffee machine, the Ninja Coffee Bar brewer. This appliance has the ability to supposedly brew equally well-balanced iced and hot coffees through its “revolutionary Thermal Flavor Extraction™ technology,” according to the product launch’s news release. In keeping the richness of flavor lost often during the melting of ice, the brewer purports to allow users the experience of coffeehouse-quality iced coffees from their own kitchen tops. “I never even thought it was possible to make a great iced coffee at home!” Vergara mused in an official statement.
Vergara was delighted to be included in the developmental stage of this new product collaboration, while business partner Luis Balaguer called it the “perfect partner for the Sofía Vergara lifestyle brand.” Vergara noted, “When Mark [Rosenzweig, SharkNinja CEO] told me about their plans to create the Ninja Coffee Bar, I knew I had to get involved from both a personal and business perspective. This is the best coffee I have ever made on my own and the best coffee machine I have ever used.” Vergara loves Joe Manganiello, and she loves a good cup of joe.
A single Sofía Vergara endorsement costs a pretty penny
In 2016, Sofía Vergara’s ubiquity as a spokesperson was such that one beauty company, Venus Concept, even used her likeness without her consent. And as ABC News reported, this resulted in a $15 million lawsuit. According to the court records obtained by the outlet, Vergara chose that amount because it is the number the stunning celebrity can charge to endorse a product.
This whole mess all started when Venus Concept, an aesthetic medical device company, gave Vergara a signature Legacy skin tightening massage treatment and Vergara shared a snapshot of the experience on Instagram. According to the lawsuit (via People), however, Vergara wasn’t exactly raring to shout about the product from the rooftops. “Vergara tried the Legacy treatment, but ultimately did not like it, finding that it was a waste of time and money with little in the way of any results,” court records stated. Despite alleged attempts from Vergara asking the company to stop using her image and likeness on promotional materials for the massage, the company couldn’t resist.
The following year, ENTITY reported that Vergara reached a settlement with the company but “the details remain confidential per the court.”
Sofía Vergara sells underwear that gives back
In 2017, Sofía Vergara furthered her entrepreneurial empire to include the branch of philanthropy, launching a subscription-based line of shapewear called EBY. With the name standing for “Empowered By You,” the concept is straightforward: Ten percent of net sales from subscribers will go toward the Seven Bar Foundation, a charity that uses microfinancing loans to help economically disadvantaged women start their own businesses, according to W.
“My partner Renata Black gave me the idea, as she came to me with the underwear business. Then she told me about the Seven Bar Foundation,” Vergara told W. “I thought it was amazing because we were going to have a business and we’re going to help women with their businesses.”
The brand is inclusive, carrying a size range of XS to 4X, as well as a multitude of styles, including everything from G-strings to boyshorts. “It doesn’t roll up or do weird things like give you a muffin top, and they’re super comfortable,” Vergara noted. Hey, as far as shapewear goes, those are three crucial qualities.
Affordable denim? Sofía Vergara’s got it covered
After fragrances, necklaces, and underwear (oh, my!), Sofía Vergara made the leap in 2019 into full-on apparel with a denim clothing line exclusive to Walmart.com called Sofía Jeans. As the actor stated on an Instagram post celebrating the collaborative launch, the 100-item collection — which includes jeans, denim jackets, and graphic tees — was designed with women of all backgrounds in mind, carrying sizes ranging from 0 to 20 and retailing at $40 an item or less.
“We created this thinking of women everywhere of every size, ethnicity, age. For the first photo shoot, we used women in my family. None of them are models or supermodels,” Vergara told People. The collection’s affordability was also a matter close to home for Vergara. When she had first moved to Hollywood, Walmart was all she could afford. “I would buy all of my son’s clothes at Walmart and the school supplies, kitchen supplies — everything,” Vergara divulged. Talk about an extremely lucrative full-circle moment.
Shark Ninja was Founded by Mark Rosenzweig.