The Latina soap opera actress Katie del Castillo is the woman who exchanged private texts with smitten Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. She says she wanted to make a film about Guzman and thought American actor Sean Penn was interested in helping her make it. Del Castillo brokered an interview for Penn to meet Guzman. Penn had the interview published by Rolling Stone magazine — it ran the day after Guzman was captured by Mexican authorities in January 2016.
Penn has defended his role in an exchange with Charlie Rose on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Now del Castillo is telling her side of the story with Diane Sawyer on ABC’s 20/20. To promote the exclusive interview, Sawyer went on Good Morning America where she says of del Castillo: “She [del Castillo] says she feels a little foolish because she was so sure he [Penn] just wanted to help her get her movie about El Chapo made.” Sawyer added, “This is one of the wildest stories I have ever covered.” The interview will air on ABC 20/20 on March 18 at 10pm.
