Sandra Ávila Beltrán, the real 'Reina del Pacifico,' has criticized Kate del Castillo's portrayal of her in Telemundo's 'La Reina del Sur.' She has claimed the character is far from an accurate reflection of her life as a drug trafficker.
In the hit Telemundo series, Del Castillo plays Teresa Mendoza, a fictional character created by the Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte but widely believed to be inspired by Ávila, one of Latin America's most notorious female drug lords.
Ávila, however, has never been a fan of the series, which is now in its third season. She's even filed a lawsuit against Telemundo and its streaming platform, and her opinion remains unchanged.
In an interview with El Chisme TV on YouTube, hosted by Verónica Gallardo and Rodrigo Fragoso, Ávila claimed that Del Castillo's interpretation is completely different from her real personality. She described the performance as "rough," emphasizing that she considers herself very feminine.
Once again, Ávila denied ever meeting Eric del Castillo's daughter in person.
"I don't know her personally. She's just an actress who was given a role, and I think that character made her world-famous. But she doesn't portray it the way I would. As Verónica Gallardo said, I'm very feminine, and she plays it differently," Ávila insisted.
She went on to compare Teresa Mendoza to a man. "When I watched part of it, I saw her as rough—like a man," Ávila said.
Following Ávila's remarks, the show's hosts joked about a supposed lesbian undertone in Kate del Castillo's performance, which they claimed was reflected in her portrayal of Teresa Mendoza.
The lawsuit
In June 2024, Mexico's Federal Administrative Court's Intellectual Property Division upheld a sanction against Telemundo Network Group for the unauthorized use of Sandra Ávila Beltrán's image in promoting 'La Reina del Sur.'
The ruling came after months of legal battles, though Telemundo still has the option to appeal the decision.
Ávila's legal team is demanding 40% of the profits of the second season, arguing that it earned over $800 million and exploited Ávila's likeness without her consent, violating intellectual property rights.
Isaac Razo, Ávila's lead attorney, explained that Telemundo's only remaining option is to file an appeal to contest the final fine.
"I don't think their main goal is just to lower the amount—they want to overturn the entire case. But since the ruling was issued collectively, I see it as almost impossible for them to reverse it," Razo stated.
Meanwhile, Kate del Castillo has remained silent about the controversy, sticking to the saying, "Silence is golden."
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