Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo and U.S. actor Sean Penn are both in trouble for their secret meeting with Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán in October 2015.
The world was taken by surprise when Rolling Stone published an article written by Sean Penn after an exclusive interview with Sinaloan drug boss "El Chapo." However, Penn isn't the only famous name to appear in the article. As it happens, the interview conducted by the 55-year-old actor had been brokered by famous Mexican actress Kate del Castillo.
Both actors are now in hot water and are being investigated for their link to "El Chapo."
Indeed, many were left in awe after Rolling Stone released the article, but many were also left wondering what would come next for both actors.
Questions like whether they should be arrested and whether del Castillo is part of the trafficking ring are only two questions that many are asking.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, an unnamed official wants to ask Penn and del Castillo questions in order to "determine responsibilities" of a link after the "seven-hour sit-down" with the drug lord.
Del Castillo had had contact with Guzman in 2012 after she tweeted:
"Mr. Chapo, wouldn't it be cool if you started trafficking with love? With cures for diseases, with food for the homeless children ... Imagine trafficking with corrupt politicians instead of women and children who end up as slaves ... Come on, Don! You would be the hero of heroes. Let's traffic with love."
Apparently, "El Chapo" found an ally in del Castillo. At the time, Guzman was imprisoned, so through his lawyer, he contacted del Castillo to give her flowers and started communicating with her to ask her if she could use her connections to make a movie about his life.
While questions are rampant about Penn and del Castillo's link to the drug lord, it remains unclear whether they could be in trouble due to the secret meeting.
"They're not journalists," according to a second unnamed official.
In the article, Penn wrote that if it wasn't for the "La Reina Del Sur" star's connection to the Mexican druglord, who "El Chapo" had asked for help in creating his autobiographical film, the interview wouldn't have been possible.
Penn even said that "El Chapo" reached out to del Castillo because of the open letter she tweeted claiming that she believes more in the druglord than in the Mexican government.
After months of negotiations, in October last year, Penn wrote that Guzman welcomed del Castillo "like a daughter returning from college."
Being known for her role as a "drug lordess" in the TV series "The Queen of the South" and a mobster in U.S. TV series "Weeds," many are wondering whether life is imitating art in del Castillo's case.
However, when "El Chapo" was captured and presented to the media Friday night last week, Attorney General of Mexico, Arely Gómez, claimed that Penn and del Castillo's meeting with "El Chapo" was what helped them pinpoint his whereabouts, according to the Latin Times.
"Another important aspect that allowed us to find his location was when it was discovered that Guzmán Loera wanted to make an autobiographical film," she said in a press conference.
"Communication was established with actors and producers, which now are part of a new line of investigation; also, the follow ups allowed us to document the encounters between the lawyers of the now detained individual and these people," she added.
According to legal experts, it's unlikely that Penn will face legal issues for the interview.
"The fact that he's acting as a journalist, if anything, would be even more helpful in showing that he wasn't engaged in some conspiracy," New York free speech attorney Floyd Abrams told the ABC.
Kate hasn't commented on the recent issues yet.
What do you think?
Check out El Chapo's Rolling Stone interview with Sean Penn in October 2015 before he was recaptured last week.