Sofía Vergara Reveals Her 'Modern Family' Inspiration Is Her Real-Life Aunt!

Actress Sofía Vergara is known for playing the hilarious Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on "Modern Family" but what fans may not know is who inspired the characterization of the fan-favorite sitcom character. The 42-year-old actress spoke to Colombian newspaper El Heraldo and revealed that her character is based on her real-life aunt, Gloria Vergara.

“To me, the production (team) asked me for several names, especially one that was not already registered in any other show,” Vergara told the publication. “I just hinted at the name ‘Gloria Delgado’ and they liked it.”

The similarities between her aunt and the character lies beyond the name, as Vergara explains that her aunt is a lot of fun -- just like her character on ABC's comedy.

“When you do certain roles, you regularly draw inspiration from other people,” revealed the actress. “In this case, I did so with my aunt – though she is not as tawdry, not as scandalous as how I embody her on the series.”

While the character is exaggerated on camera, Gloria Vergara told the newspaper that when she met the cast of "Modern Family" the joke was that they were meeting "the real one."

“The truth is that when I see her acting, I see myself being portrayed there, like if I was seeing mirror. My English is just like the character’s, with a Latin accent,” she said, admitting that her niece even copied her day-to-day mannerisms. “Margarita (Sofia’s mother), who also has a great sense of humor, is more careful, more sophisticated when speaking. I’m more brash.”