A recent tragedy that occurred within the Narcos production team has star Pedro Pascal taking a stand when it comes to the protection of the cast and crew.
Earlier this month, we reported that the body of Carlos Muñoz Portal, a location scout for Narcos, was found in a remote area in San Bartolo Actopan, a place that is close to the borders of the Hidalgo state. The 37-year-old was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds, his car also riddled with bullet holes from the fatal attack. The area of the country where Portal's body was found is considered to be one of the worst places on the planet for murder rates. According to Variety, there were 182 homicide cases in July alone.
"We are aware of the passing of Carlos Muñoz Portal, a well-respected location scout, and send our condolences to his family," Netflix said in a statement at the time. "The facts surrounding his death are still unknown as authorities continue to investigate." The show had previously filmed episodes in Columbia before moving to Mexico, presumably to give the proceedings a more authentic feel. However, as far as Pascal is concerned, to continue in that vein might not be advisable.
"It's a tragedy," the actor told TMZ when asked about Portal's death and the circumstances under which the murder took place. "They can't do it if it's not safe," he added, referring to the production going through with another season of the well-respected and wildly popular show that is fast becoming a Netflix show with a devoted fan base. "We're talking about lives [...] They want to do it, they'll figure it out in a safe way." While Pascal seemed to be slightly pessimistic about the current state of the show and its ability to protect the cast and crew, Narcos is also feeling the heat from a legal standpoint. Pablo Escobar's brother is suing the production for $1 billion, stating that, "if we don't receive [payment], we will close their little show." Reps for the series' legal team have issued statements saying that they attempted to register the proper trademarks, but so far, it's been to no avail. Narcos looks to have a tumultuous future ahead of it on several fronts.