Hollywood actor believes The Day I Met El Chapo puts him in danger by implying he helped US capture Mexican druglord

Lawyers for the actor Sean Penn have reportedly warned Netflix that a documentary about the Mexican druglord known as El Chapo places their client in danger.

In a letter seen by the New York Times, Theodore J Boutrous Jr, acting for Penn, tells the streaming service “blood will be on their hands if this film causes bodily harm”.

The documentary, The Day I Met El Chapo, focuses on an encounter in October 2015 between Penn, the Mexican actor Kate del Castillo and El Chapo, whose real name is Joaquín Guzmán Loera, one of the world’s most wanted men.



Sean Penn on El Chapo interview: 'I have a terrible regret' Read more

Del Castillo was instrumental in setting up the meeting between Penn and El Chapo, which formed the basis for an article written by the Hollywood actor for Rolling Stone magazine, published the day after El Chapo was seized by authorities.

According to the New York Times, Penn is upset because he believes the documentary implies he helped the US Department of Justice (DoJ) capture the drug trafficker.

Penn did not participate in the making of the Netflix documentary, which focuses mostly on Del Castillo’s account.

Mark Fabiani, Penn’s spokesman, told the newspaper: “It is reprehensible that, in their ongoing, relentless efforts to gain additional attention and publicity, Ms del Castillo and her team (who have zero firsthand knowledge) have sought to create this profoundly false, foolish and reckless narrative.

“The notion that Mr Penn or anyone on his behalf alerted DoJ to the trip is a complete fabrication and baldfaced lie. It never happened, nor would there have been any reason for it to have happened.”

Netflix said: “Penn was given the opportunity on multiple occasions to participate in The Day I Met El Chapo and did not do so. The events surrounding the now-infamous meeting have been well covered, including by Penn himself in Rolling Stone and his many public comments since. The only new ground we’re breaking with this series is to give Kate a chance to finally tell her side of this stranger-than-fiction story.”