Sofia Vergara’s Adoptive Sister Sandra Reveals What It’s Like to Live in an Actress’ Shadow While Finding Her Own Fame in ‘Selling Sunset’
Sofia Vergara‘s younger sister has revealed what it’s like to live in the shadow of a famous Hollywood star as she details how her life has changed since stepping into her own spotlight as a real estate agent in the Netflix series ‘Selling Sunset.’
Sandra Vergara, 37, quickly turned heads when she made her debut on the popular Los Angeles real estate series, drawing many comparisons to the “Modern Family” alum, 53, who is her biological cousin and adopted sister.
Formerly a journalist for People, Sandra recently traded her reporting skills for a career helping California’s wealthiest buy and sell homes — a journey now documented in the series.
And while the luxury real estate agent – who is part of it Jason Oppenheimthe agency of the same name, The Oppenheim Group, tells Fox News Understanding that comparisons to her sister are par for the course, she is eager to prove that she has her own talents separate from Sofia’s on-screen skills.
When asked what it’s like living up to the Vergara name, Sandra said: “That’s such a great question for me to ask. I love it. It’s brilliant.
“Because in a way it’s like you’re immediately compared just because you have the same last name. That happens to anyone who’s related to someone big, that’s just the way it goes.
“But at the same time, no, because I’m completely different, and right now I’m doing something completely different.”
Still, Sandra was quick to credit her sister with helping her find her feet in Los Angeles, explaining that Sofia welcomed her into her own home with open arms when she first moved to the city.
“She brought me here years ago, right? Like I’m here. I came to LA [and] I moved in with her. She supported me for a long time. So I have a lot of respect for her and what she has done. So the comparison is not bad,” she noted.
However, she is keen for ‘Selling Sunset’ viewers to see her in her ‘own light’, revealing she didn’t actually tell her sister she was joining the hit show.
But her did share her secret with Sofia’s son, Manolo34, explaining that the two have developed a close friendship because they are so close in age – adding that he was happy to encourage her to take the opportunity to forge her own path in the industry.
“I told Manolo about ‘Selling Sunset’ and he said, ‘Boo-Boo, you have to do it. I love it. I’ve seen it all.’ So I said, ‘Okay, done.’ So I just asked Manolo and I did it. And after I did it, I told everyone and everyone is very happy and supportive,” Sandra said.
As for whether viewers can expect a cameo from Sofia in the future, Sandra revealed that her cousin and sister might appear on the show if she ever decides to sell her home.
Sofia may be grateful for her sister’s help, because she recently sold a home for well under the original asking price: a Beverly Hills mansion that was initially on the market for $19.6 million, but sold for $13.7 million after several years on the market.
Helping her sibling sell a house would give Sandra the opportunity to give back some of the advice and guidance she believes Sofia gave her, explaining that the best lesson the actress has taught her is to have “confidence” in everything you do.
“Confidence. Confidence is everything. You just have to be really sure of who you are. So know yourself and own it. Like no matter what. No matter what,” she shared.
“Like you don’t know how to do something? Well, learn it. But just come across as very confident in who you are and what you do. And that’s the best advice. It works for her, it works for just as many people,” she added.
Sandra also addressed the drama featured in this season of the series, noting, “I want peace in the office, because if they all get along and there’s harmony, we can all be better and more productive. But they’ve got a backstory, man, that they’ve been building for seasons.”
The journalist turned real estate agent revealed she started selling houses after going through a “really difficult” breakup.
“So I was planning on meeting with Netflix to maybe do their live events. My family always said, ‘You would be great in real estate.’ The seed was planted,” Sandra revealed.
“So when the opportunity came into my hands, I went through that break. It was the perfect challenge. I had to get myself out of trouble. And it worked.”
