Media: The "Muchachita" Speaks, on Netflix

-LA Times

If ever there was an example of the adverse effects of late-night Twitter use, it’s the story of how Kate del Castillo became entangled in one of the most bizarre stories of modern times.

The outspoken actress has long been a household name in Latin America and beyond thanks to her roles in numerous telenovelas such as “Muchachitas” (“Girls”) and “La Reina del Sur” (“Queen of the South”). Then a 2012 tweet, in which she expressed having more trust in Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman than the Mexican government, thrust her into a media frenzy of a different sort — and captured the attention of the notorious drug lord in the process.

The tweet eventually led to text message exchanges and, ultimately, a secret introduction in Sinaloa in 2015. Del Castillo met with Guzman, who was on the run from Mexican authorities after breaking out of maximum-security prison (a second time), with the intent of making a film about his life after being contacted by his lawyers. Adding a real-life telenovela twist to the encounter: she was joined by actor Sean Penn— with whom, she reveals in the documentary, she developed a brief intimate relationship — who would go on to chronicle the experience for Rolling Stone magazine.

Guzman was eventually captured and extradited to the U.S. where he is awaiting trial on charges of drug trafficking and murder.

Del Castillo says the ordeal left her ostracized in her home country (Mexican officials launched an investigation into her affairs over possible money laundering charges in connection with El Chapo) and her career has suffered greatly as a result of the situation.

The three-part Netflix docu-series, “The Day I Met El Chapo: The Kate del Castillo Story,” now available on the streaming service, chronicles her side of how it all unfolded.

Penn and his lawyers have protested the release of the series, saying it includes false claims.