Actor Alejandro Edda describes the experience of facing his real-life doppelganger in court in an Op-Ed with the New York Times. For those who don't know, Alejandro Edda plays a fictionalized version of Mexican kingpin El Chapo. Nevertheless, the showrunners for Narcos: Mexico venture far beyond El Chapo's dealings as the head of the Sinaloa Carter - the series traces the roots of the Narco trade all the way back to the shores of Colombia.
But Edda wasn't the first member of the Narcos crew to set foot in the "El Chapo" trial, as it was showrunner Eric Newman who first sat in the gallery section for the opening statements back in November. This past Monday, Alejandro Edda was granted the same wish - to attend in the gallows, but unlike his producer-friend Newman, the actor was far too public a figure to go unnoticed, and as you might be aware, El Chapo is a big fan of his own Narcofiction. Of course, there have been several where the novelization of the drug trade has led to attempted murder and even death, Narcos-included.
If you'll recall, a Narcos location scout in Mexican was found dead under back in 2017. All the parties involved, including Netflix, were quick to sweep the issue under the rug, through no fault of their own: it was either go silent or face the same fate.
As for Edda and his cursory exchange with the drug lord he portrays onscreen, he described the experience as nothing less than bone-chilling. According to the actor, it was El Chapo who made the first move, smiling and waving in his direction as he entered the courtroom. "I didn’t smile back. I was just paying respect to him," Mr Edda told the NYT. "I was shocked in a way. He has a very intense look. His eyes say a lot. He’s a bit intimidating."
