Real-life Miami roots drew Yul Vazquez, Danny Pino to “Hotel Cocaine”

NEW YORK, July 13 (UPI) — Yul Vazquez and Danny Pino were eager to delve into a transformative era in Miami’s history through their new crime drama, Hotel Cocaine, due to their deep personal connections to the city.

Set in the 1970s and airing Sunday nights on MGM+, the show follows Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban exile and general manager of The Mutiny Hotel. This hotspot sees businessmen, politicians, international Narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars, and musicians all mingling.

Roman’s American dream takes a sharp turn when he gets caught between the Drug Enforcement Agency and his older brother, Nestor (Vazquez), Miami’s biggest cocaine supplier.

Michael Chiklis, Mark Feuerstein, Laura Gordon, Tania Watson, and Corina Bradley co-star in the series, which was filmed in the Dominican Republic.

“I grew up in Miami, so it’s a place I love,” Vazquez, 59, shared in a recent Zoom interview. “I’m obsessed with Miami. I love doing Miami shows, and I’m bummed we cannot shoot in Miami, but Miami is easy for me. That’s just easy bait.”

Pino, who was also raised in the city, was attracted to the show primarily because it gave him the chance to collaborate with Vazquez, a fellow Cuban American.

“We had mutual friends who couldn’t believe that we didn’t actually know each other until we met on the set of Law & Order: SVU,” said Pino, 50. “Our Cuban-ess and Miami-ness brought us so closely intertwined that it felt like we were never really not in each other’s lives.”

Vazquez initially reached out to Pino to discuss co-starring in Hotel Cocaine while working on Godfather of Harlem with writer-producer Chris Brancato, as Pino was starring in Mayans, M.C.

Brancato, also the creator of Narcos, inspired confidence in both actors. “I said, ‘I’m in!’ and [Vazquez] said, ‘Maybe you should read the script,’ and I said, ‘You’re right,'” Pino recalled.

“Danny and I get along like a house on fire,” Vazquez added. “Danny is my brother. I’ve always loved Danny from the day I met him. He’s a great actor, and I love working with him.”

The siblings they portray on screen, however, aren’t as close. “Nestor is misunderstood,” Vazquez quipped, comparing his character to salt-of-the-earth guys he knew in real life. “Guys that I would never want on my bad side.

Roman distances himself from his outlaw brother in an effort to go straight, but trouble seems to find him regardless.

“He has a legitimate job. He takes that path because he’s a father,” Pino said. “His priority is to raise and protect his daughter, Valeria (Bradley).”

Roman also has a new girlfriend, Marisol (Watson), after losing his wife back in Cuba, a shared trauma that brings him closer to his daughter.

Professionally, Roman feels on top of the world when the show opens. “In his mind, it’s the best job he could ever have,” said Pino. “He is the ringmaster of the Studio 54 of the Caribbean.”

But things take a darker turn when he encounters Agent Zulio, played by Michael Chiklis, who makes him an offer he can’t refuse. This forces Roman back into his brother’s illicit world, risking everything he’s worked for.

Even though Roman and Nestor lead vastly different lives, the estrangement from his brother has cost Roman dearly. “That’s his best friend,” Pino stated. “The person who shared his suffering, through the loss of their homeland and coming to the United States.”

The siblings’ reunion mirrors Miami’s transformation during this time. “Miami is shifting from a sleepy retirement community to the volatile, cosmopolitan metropolis it is now,” Pino said.

“This shift starts during our show, amid the Cold War and the beginning of the cocaine wars in Miami. It makes it a very dangerous time, with a great family drama at the center.”