Fans of America's Got Talent were quite shocked near the end of November when it was revealed that new judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough would not be returning to the popular NBC competition in 2020. The two joined AGT in Season 14, to take over judging duties from Mel B and Heidi Klum, who had departed after wrapping up the previous season, but only lasted in their positions for one season, which we later found out was due to a toxic environment behind the scenes. Now, though, it looks like Modern Family star Sofia Vergara might be stepping in.
According to sources close to the situation, Sofia Vergara met with bosses at NBC and America's Got Talent this week to talk about the possibility of her stepping into one of the vacated judging seats left behind by Union and Hough. Entertainment Tonight is also reporting that representatives from Freemantle USA, which helps produce the show, were in attendance at the meeting as well, and that a number of potential projects for Vergara were discussed, along with AGT.
ET's source notes that no deal had been made yet for Sofia Vergara to settle into a judges' chair in Season 15, but that NBC considers Vergara "a big draw" because she "is the perfect demographic and has a huge fan base." And, anyone who's paid attention to TV for the past decade will find it hard to dispute that.
While Sofia Vergara has been kicking around Hollywood for almost two decades, she didn't really enter the public consciousness until 2009, when she nabbed the role of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on ABC's Modern Family. The show made Vergara a star almost immediately, turning her into one of the highest paid actresses on television, and she's been able to turn her time on the long-running family sitcom into movie roles and a variety of other career opportunities.
Now, though, Modern Family is in its eleventh and final season, so it makes perfect sense that Sofia Vergara would be looking for something else to work on. And, America's Got Talent seems like a good way for her to remain in the public eye while working on other things behind the scenes and / or figuring out what she wants from her acting career next. One of the reasons Vergara is so popular is her open and frank, yet glamorous, personality, and she'll be able to show that off well while judging on AGT.
We can only hope that things have really changed behind the scenes at America's Got Talent. Gabrielle Union spoke out after her firing about the atmosphere on AGT being quite negative, and while she hasn't publicly said what her issues were, it's been reported that several racially charged incidents were to blame, including Union being told that her hairstyles on the show were "too black." She and Julianne Hough were also said to have been subjected to constant critiques of their hair, makeup and clothing.
I'd like to think that part of the meeting Sofia Vergara had with AGT, NBC and Freemantle talked at length about changes the show would be making so that, should she sign on, her time on the series will be more pleasant than what it sounds like Union and Hough had to deal with.
Auditions for America's Got Talent will be starting before long, so the show is sure to announce new judges (Sofia Vergara or otherwise) within a few months. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest, and bookmark our 2020 winter / spring TV premiere guide to see what else you can watch in the new year!
