Because (as of mid-2017) lead actress Kate del Castillo is under investigation by the Mexican government, she was unable to film her scenes for this series in Mexico. Actors would film their scenes piecemeal on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border: footage of the actors with Castillo were shot in San Diego, California, and shots that could be done using a double were taken in Mexico.
Kate Del Castillo said in a recent interview that she inspired her character of First Lady of Mexico from Michelle Obama due to her integrity and the way she fought for causes dear to her heart as First Lady.