NBC has met with “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara to discuss a variety of projects, including filling one of the two recently vacated “America’s Got Talent” judge positions, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.
The person told TheWrap that NBC is “actively talking to a number of people” about the open judge seats, which belonged to the recently exited Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough.
Representatives for Vergara and NBC did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
News first broke on Nov. 22 that Union and Hough would not return for the show’s 15th season next year. It was later reported that Union’s contract was not renewed, with multiple reports describing behind-the-scenes clashes between Union and the show’s producers over what was described as a “toxic” workplace culture.
Many rushed to Union’s defense after reports about her complaints began to surface, including former “AGT” judges Howard Stern and Sharon Osbourne. Both spoke out against the “boys’ club” environment on the show, which they said was facilitated by executive producer-turned-judge Simon Cowell. And Time’s Up President and CEO Tina Tchen publicly called on NBCUniversal to “change its culture so discrimination, harassment, and retaliation are no longer tolerated at the company.”
On Dec. 1, NBC and “America’s Got Talent” producers Fremantle and Syco said in a statement that they planned to meet with Union to hear her “concerns” about the “workplace culture” on the show following her dismissal and subsequent criticism of the environment she left behind.
