Sofia Vergara: ‘What’s Wrong With Being a Stereotype?’

In a new cover story with Hola! USA, Sofia Vergara spoke out against critics of her Modern Family character, Gloria, who some say embodies negative stereotypes of Latina women.

“What’s wrong with being a stereotype?” Vergara asked in the interview. “Gloria is inspired by my mom and my aunt. They are Latin women who grew up in Colombia, like me. They love color, prints and shoes.”

“It upsets me when Latinos complain about Gloria,” she continued, according to Us Weekly. “I am grateful for the opportunity because the gringos have let me in with this strong accent I have. Eight years ago nobody had an accent like this on television.” Vergara is now the highest-paid actress on TV, according to Forbes, and last year she Vergara made a whopping $43 million through her iconic role, endorsement deals and licensing.

When asked about opportunities for Latina women, she told The EDIT last year, “The problem is not the networks or directors: it’s that there aren’t enough writers creating things for Latinos… Once we have more Latinos writing, that’s when things may really start to change.”

[H/T Us Weekly]