Danny Pino brings disco and drama in ‘Hotel Cocaine’ crime thriller: You can ‘feel the aura’ of the ‘70s
He’s a cocaine cowboy.
Danny Pino stars in the ‘70s era crime drama “Hotel Cocaine,” a fictional account of the golden era of Miami’s Mutiny Hotel — a real location that was frequently compared to Studio 54. It was a glitzy hotel and nightclub frequented by celebrities, musicians, international narcos, CIA agents and sports stars.
Pino, 50, who’s best known for “Cold Case,” “The Shield,” “Mayans MC” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” was born and raised in Miami.
“In the ’70s, I was very young. I never went to the Mutiny in its heyday,” he told The Post.
“But certainly I’ve been to the Mutiny as an adult… it’s more subdued. But you can still feel the aura of what it was in the ‘70s when you go there.”
“Miami is such a beautiful and complicated city,” he continued. “What we’re depicting in our show is really the beginning of this transformation from a city that was largely a vacation and retirement spot… to this cosmopolitan, fast paced, very cutting edge and sophisticated center for art, music, cinema, dirty politics, a playground for the rich and famous.”
Premiering June 16 on MGM+, the show is helmed by “Narcos” creator Chris Brancato.
The plot follows the hotel’s general manager Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and remade his life in Miami.
His life becomes complicated when a DEA agent (Michael Chiklis) tasks him with rekindling his relationship with his estranged brother, Nestor (Yul Vazquez), a drug trafficker, in order to spy on him. Roman initially refuses, until the DEA agent threatens his daughter.
Pino became invested in the show because of Vazquez.
“We met on the set of ‘Law and Order SVU.’ And prior to meeting, it was almost a never-ending chain of projects where I would be on set and somebody would inevitably say, ‘You’re Cuban-American. Do you know Yul Vazquez?’ And I would respond, ‘I know and respect his work, but I’ve never actually met him.’”
After the two met, they bonded over having similar life experiences — including people asking them if they knew each other. When Vazquez called him about “Hotel Cocaine,” Pino said he was so eager to play his brother on-screen that he said “yes” before reading the script.
The show is also a reunion with Chiklis, who Pino worked with on “The Shield.”
“That was one of those surprises under the Christmas tree, that you don’t anticipate… not only was I excited because I know what Michael Chiklis could do with this particular character, but also I know who Michael Chiklis is,” said Pino.
“I was excited just to be able to be with Michael again because he’s such a great guy. He’s all about the work, but he’s such a pro that it makes it so much fun.”
Pino, who has two sons with his wife, Lilly, said he relates to Roman because, “Sometimes you’re in the middle of doing something that is important, and yet, being a father just doesn’t stop. Running a hotel is important. Working clandestinely for the DEA and not getting killed by your brother is important. But the most important thing for a man’s life is his family.”
He added, “The universal aspect of Roman that I think most people will share — whether they’re parents or not — is the feeling of being trapped, like the universe conspires to put you in a situation that is untenable.”
