Sofía Vergara imagines where Gloria from “Modern Family” would be today

21 October 2025

in a recent interview at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, Sofía Vergara opened up about how she envisions her beloved character Gloria Delgado-Pritchett from the hit sitcom Modern Family evolving five years after the series ended in 2020.

Vergara, 53, portrayed Gloria for 11 seasons and now imagines that Gloria and her on-screen husband Jay (played by Ed O’Neill) are adjusting to a quieter household with their eldest son Manny off at college and their youngest son Joe entering a new phase of life. “Jay and Gloria would be getting ready for Manny to already have left for college,” Vergara said, with a knowing smile about what that means for the family dynamic.

Gloria’s future, according to Vergara, involves more solo time with Joe and the possibility of pursuing her own interests. Vergara revealed that her real-life son Manolo echoed the idea that Gloria would be selling her signature hot sauce amid the hustle and bustle of New York. “She would be selling sauce here in New York,” Vergara confirmed with laughter.

While the concept may sound whimsical, it speaks to the enduring cultural footprint of Gloria’s character a spirited Colombian mother navigating family, language and identity in an American suburb. The suggestion that she would transition into entrepreneurship mirrors real-world moves made by Vergara herself, who has become a successful businesswoman.

Alongside the character’s ‘what if’ moment, Vergara offered a heartfelt reflection on the off-screen bonds she shares with her castmates. She described a recurring group chat that includes the actors who played the Pritchett family and stated that the community remains close despite the conclusion of the series. “We still are like a family,” she said, capturing how day-to-day life continues beneath the public view.

Observers note that the willingness of Vergara to speak about Gloria’s evolution reflects how much the show’s legacy remains relevant in 2025. Although Modern Family ended its run three years ago, the show continues to resonate through streaming platforms and cultural references. The re-imagined future of Gloria helps fans revisit the character with fresh eyes and reminds them that the story though concluded is not forgotten.

For many followers of the show the image of Gloria selling her sauce in New York does more than hint at a fictional business venture it shifts her from punch line to protagonist. In the series she often defied stereotypes and brought warmth, comic timing and a strong sense of self to the role. This new scenario suggests that legacy characters can continue to grow and reinvent themselves outside the confines of their scripted world.

It is worth noting how this creative remark aligns with larger trends. Increasingly viewers and actors alike ask “what happens next?” when long-loved characters step off screen. By articulating a plausible next chapter for Gloria, Vergara offers a sense of continuity and inventive possibility. That the actress frames it in terms of food and business feels entirely in character and culturally grounded.

For Vergara personally the interview reinforces her ongoing relationship not just with the character but with the community and industry she inhabits. She balanced reflections on her storied acting career with glimpses of her current ventures and personal priorities. The Wine & Food Festival setting was apt: it bridged her identity as actor with her modern identity as entrepreneur and public personality.

Critics may view the remark about Gloria’s sauce as light-hearted or promotional, but fans seem to embrace the notion as a thoughtful extension of the character’s spirit. Gloria always wore a vibrant mixture of cultural pride, warmth and ambition. The fictional brand of hot sauce now becomes a metaphor for how characters endure through transformation.

As the ‘next act’ of Gloria plays out in viewers’ imaginations, the larger question emerges: what do sitcom characters do once the show ends? With Vergara’s insight there is less closure and more open-ended potential. Perhaps we will imagine Gloria showing up at a food festival, strolling through Manhattan, launching products, cheering on her sons or simply enjoying life that she helped define.

One thing is clear: the nostalgia around Modern Family is not merely about looking back it is about projecting forward. Vergara’s candid peek into Gloria’s imagined present becomes a small act of narrative revival and creative extension. For longtime fans, it invites them to revisit the character not as a bygone figure but as one still moving, still evolving and still relatable.