‘AGT’ 2026: Sofía Vergara Hits Golden Buzzer for ‘Mesmerizing’ Ukrainian Aerialist Veronika Goroshkova
LOS ANGELES — America’s Got Talent Season 21 has officially found its latest jaw-dropping sensation. In a newly released recap interview, judge Sofía Vergara and Ukrainian aerialist Veronika Goroshkova opened up about the emotional, death-defying audition that led to the coveted Golden Buzzer, sending Goroshkova straight to the live shows.
A Mind-Boggling Perspective
Goroshkova, originally from Ukraine, completely redefined the traditional stage layout by setting up her aerial pole apparatus directly behind the judges’ panel. The high-risk staging forced the judges to turn their chairs completely around, placing them just inches beneath her gravity-defying routine.
“I hit the Golden Buzzer for Veronika because I thought it was spectacular,” Sofía Vergara recalled, still visibly thrilled by the performance. “We were like right underneath her. It was really amazing to see the strength and the training that you need to be able to do something so difficult and dangerous.”
The modern-day performance, set to Chappell Roan’s hit “Good Luck, Babe!”, featured terrifying vertical drops and flawless spins that kept the entire auditorium on the edge of their seats.
“It Looks So Easy, But It Isn’t”
What shocked the judges the most was Goroshkova’s poise under extreme physical pressure. Despite the danger of the routine, the world-class acrobat—who has previously performed with Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple in Las Vegas—never let her bright smile slip.
“I was like, how is this happening in front of our eyes?” Vergara added. “She was doing it with a smile and making it look like it was so easy, but I know it wasn’t. I know it takes years and years of preparation to be this good. For me, it was like magical.”
While Vergara admitted that the ultra-talented aerialist “was going to make it all the way to the top” even without her help, the Modern Family actress just wanted to give her a well-deserved “little push.”
“For me, it was a total surprise. I was really not thinking that I would get the Golden Buzzer. I’m so happy and so excited about this.”
— Veronika Goroshkova on her historic AGT audition.
A Thankful Golden Girl
For Goroshkova, the golden confetti marks a massive milestone in her international career. Facing the camera in the recap package, she expressed her immense gratitude to her champion on the panel. “Thank you so much, Sofía, for giving me this Golden Buzzer. I’m really thankful.”
With an automatic pass to the live semi-finals and backing from one of the show’s most influential judges, Veronika Goroshkova has cemented herself as a frontrunner to watch in America’s Got Talent 2026.