MIAMI - Mexican actress and reality TV star Thalí García sparked a firestorm after lighting a match under Telemundo's La Casa de los Famosos during an Instagram Live session. In a startling revelation, she accused the Spanish-language TV network of drugging and kidnapping her, among other allegations.
Drama and scandals are the bread and butter of reality TV. In Anglo productions, contestants have even tried to organize to prevent abuse. However, nobody has gone as far as García. Known for her roles in popular television series such as El Señor de los Cielos, she named names and promised proof.
Her fans have started to publish videos that seem to corroborate her shocking allegations against Telemundo and Endemol, the producers of La Casa de los Famosos.
The situation is chaotic and complicated for Telemundo and NBC Universal.
The match that lit the fire
The saga began when Thalí García took to her official Instagram account to unleash a torrent of accusations against the production team of La Casa de los Famosos 4 (LCDLF4) claiming she had been subjected to manipulation, coercion, and that she was even drugged during her stint on the reality show's fourth season.
The actress had received a cease-and-desist letter to prevent her from talking about LCDLF on social media. But her reaction was the opposite: a candid livestream in which she talked about specific Telemundo and Endemol executives and producers, Francisco Ponce and Cisco Suárez among them.
"I didn't sign up for this reality show to become famous or seek exposure," the actress said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I did it out of necessity, as my husband was unjustly fired from his job. We needed the work, and we trusted that after years of dedication we would be taken care of."
"The doctor inside medicates you, suggests taking anxiety pills and hands out medications without even opening them in front of you," she revealed, recounting her ordeal in LCDLF4 . "There was a day, which Lupillo [Rivera] can confirm when he's out, when I'm sure they drugged me."
Thalí García also said that there is an in-house psychologist who allegedly "lied" to her about the wellbeing of her family.
Amor @thaligarce aquí hay pruebas por si ocupas #LCDLF4 https://t.co/mRC0Zk9reb
— Valeria🦄 (@itwashotsoyou) March 13, 2024
#LCDLF4
— Locura (@Locura__) March 12, 2024
Thali asegura que la misma persona que se escuchó anoche hablando con Cris (una médica/psicóloga) en el confe, supuestamente la sobremedicaba para calmarla y que no protestará. pic.twitter.com/HmZiB7lvva
Her allegations sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and catalyzing a debate about the treatment of reality TV contestants, as well as the ethical responsibilities of production companies.
García's story is not an isolated incident. In recent years, similar testimonies of mistreatment and exploitation have emerged from former participants of reality TV shows in the U.S.
Participants in American reality shows such as The Real House Wives' franchise, Survivor, The Bachelor, and Big Brother have also made damning declarations. In 2023, a group of reality TV stars sent a letter to Bravo TV (also part of NBC), accusing executives and producers of manipulative tactics, covering up instances of sexual violence and refusing to let cast members leave shows.
Other contestants in previous seasons of LCDLF, like Celia Lora, Niurka Marcos, Gaby Spanic, Arturo Carmona, and Ivonne Montero, have openly talked against Telemundo's practices.
Celia Lora, Niurka, Gaby Spanic, Ivonne Montero, Arturo Carmona y ahora Thalí confirman que Telemundo es un fraude.
— JAVIER ᯤ (@TheJavierHdz) March 12, 2024
YO SÍ TE CREO THALÍ. 🙏🏼✨#LCDLF4
pic.twitter.com/fm1oLMHdsS
Despite the immense pressure and challenges she faced, Thalí remained steadfast in her resolve, refusing to stay silent. "They had me kidnapped in that place against my will for over 45 minutes," she recounted. "I begged for help—for my lawyer, for my phone—anything to prevent them from tarnishing my image."
The Latin Times reached out to Telemundo for a comment. "The security of our talent and the integrity of our programs is always our top priority. We take allegations about our programs very seriously, and we are currently investigating the comments made by Thalí García," said the network.
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