When it premiered on Netflix, Narcos became a massive hit. Following the rise of Pablo Escobar as the most powerful drug lord in Latin America, the series came from co-creators Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. Since the three-season series ended, we have gotten a Mexico-set spin-off and the promise of more. The creators have gone their separate ways with Miro running Netflix series Griselda, also based on a true story about the infamous title queenpin. Now, Brancato has reunited with Narcos director Guillermo Navarro for a new series, Hotel Cocaine, also inspired by a true crime tale but heavily fictionalized for a pulpy good time.
Set at the Hotel Mutiny in 1978, this Miami-set drama centers on Roman Compte, the hotel manager. Compte is a Cuban refugee who has forged a new life with his daughter. With drugs freely used through the hotel and at large, Compte is approached by DEA agent Zilio to get inside info from notorious Cuban druglord Nestor Cabal. Little does Zilio know, but Cabal and Compte are brothers. What follows is a complex series of double and triple crosses featuring cameos from historical figures who visited the hotel. Full of action, drama, and a good sense of humor, Hotel Cocaine is the disco-infused successor to Narcos that you never knew you needed.
I chatted with the cast and crew of Hotel Cocaine about the new series and how they found the voice of the era. Danny Pino and Yul Vasquez talked about the divide between brothers Roman and Nestor and how they balanced playing siblings. Series creator Chris Brancato and director Guillermo Navarro discussed why this series is not Narcos: Miami and how they chose the right places to fictionalize the story. Corina Bradley talked about playing a teenager who doesn’t know her father’s illegal dealings, while Tania Watson chatted about not playing a stereotypical wife character. Laura Gordon talked about returning to the 1970s after starring in Late Night With the Devil and how strong her character felt in what would have been a lesser role in an older series. Michael Chiklis talked about his approach to playing law enforcement differently than in other series. At the same time, Mark Feuerstein discussed playing scenes with actors portraying Hunter S. Thompson and Rick James and his instant classic scene involving cocaine, LSD, and elephants. Check out all the interviews in the embed above.
Hotel Cocaine premiered on June 16th on MGM+.