Widely known for her role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the long-running comedy series, as well as for being a judge on America’s Got Talent since 2020, the 53-year-old actress received an unexpected honor this month. A statue of her was revealed on the Gran Malecón in Barranquilla, Colombia, although she wasn’t present for the unveiling ceremony.
The sculpture stands more than 5 feet tall and weighs over 5 tonnes. It took around seven months to bring to life, with a team of about 35 people working on it—many of whom were students who pitched in to help complete the piece.
Plenty of comments have rolled in on Reddit, where one user shared: “As Shakira and Sofia 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 I’ve seen the one for Shakira and it looks nothing like her.”
Another user, clearly unimpressed with how the statue resembled Vergara, asked bluntly: “Who approved this?!?!”
There was also a joke that likely struck a chord with The Simpsons fans, referencing the Treehouse of Horror episode where the town’s statues come to life and attack: “If it gets struck by lightning and comes to life, may God have mercy on us all,”
And of course, comparisons started flying. Several users couldn’t help but draw a connection between Vergara’s statue and the infamous Cristiano Ronaldo bust that made waves when it was revealed at Madeira Airport back in 2017.
But not all the reactions were focused on how the statue looked. One particular Reddit comment took a step back to reflect on the deeper meaning behind statues and fame.
“Anyone else feel the same way? I imagine it makes perfect sense to have statues of people like Meryl Streep, yet despite her illustrious career I would feel odd knowing she still walks the earth while a statue of hers stands somewhere. I guess I feel like statues made of the living just feels wrong somehow.”
During the ceremony itself, while Vergara was reportedly enjoying a holiday in Sardinia with her family and friends, Barranquilla’s mayor Alejandro Char took the opportunity to celebrate her legacy with a heartfelt message.