The stars of “Hotel Cocaine” talk about the “crazy, dangerous world” of the MGM+ series

Every episode of the MGM+ series Hotel Cocaine draws Roman Compte deeper into the Miami drug trade. But it’s not just Roman’s story; the women in the series are some of the best-written female characters in television dramas. Roman’s girlfriend Marisol, his daughter Valeria and Janice Nichols are far more than pretty faces or sources of personal drama; they all play important roles in the overall story.

CBR spoke with actresses Tania Watson (who plays Marisol), Corina Bradley (Valeria) and Laura Gordon (Janice) about their roles in Hotel CocaineThe trio talked about breaking stereotypes with each of their characters and the experiences they had behind the scenes. And what is a hidden highlight of the show for all of them?

CBR: Corina, your character Valeria represents the emotional stakes of Hotel Cocainebecause it is Valeria that Roman does everything for. How do you think she differs from the typical headstrong teenager in a TV series?

Corina Bradley:
She represents a lot of teenagers – I often see myself in her. One of the most interesting things about her is the fact that she is Cuban, but left very young and grew up in the United States.
I think a lot of people can relate to her not really knowing where she belongs.
She feels too Cuban for the people she goes to school with, but she feels too white for her family. I’ve been through that personally, and it’s tough, and I think you see her struggle with that a lot throughout the show.

This brings the audience to Marisol, who supports both Valeria and Roman and forms the basis of family life, which Hotel Cocaine used to create a contrast to the drama and violence of the drug trade. Tania, what did you notice about your character?

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Tania Watson:
From the beginning, (
Hotel Cocaine
Showrunner Chris Brancato said, “You’re going to be the heart of the show.” I took that really seriously. I know we’re talking about this drug world and the club and disco thing, but there has to be an element that brings everything back to reality, and I think that’s what Marisol does.

Luckily, Danny Pino (who plays Roman) is just a great colleague and partner in front of the camera and he helped me to make this relationship as believable as possible. With Corina too, we managed to have this great chemistry and I think you can see that. I think people will see that reality. I think that’s very important.

Laura, your character Janice is not part of Roman’s family, but she still plays an important role in his business at the Mutiny. What can you say about her future? And what is it like to be back after playing June in Late Night with the Devil?

Laura Gordon:
Janice works with Roman at the nightclub and manages all the Mutiny Girls. She has a pretty devastating backstory that we learn. She feels that she owes Roman her life, so she will do a lot for him. She discovers that
She is actually willing to do more than she could have ever imagined to make sure he is safe and protected in this very crazy, dangerous world
in which he finds himself.

It’s so much fun. I don’t know if I would prefer any other era. It’s the feeling of freedom before cell phones and before the internet, and those beautiful costumes and hairstyles and makeup and the world – it’s really a fertile area to play in. Maybe one day I could be in (a project set in) the 19th century. But other than that, I’d like to stay in the ’70s or maybe the ’80s.

What is the best thing for you about Hotel Cocaine?

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Watsons:
Even though I’m not part of the Mutiny Girls acts, in every episode you see the girls in different outfits performing amazing dance numbers. I think that’s something really special in every episode.

Gordon:
That really sets it apart from any crime novel I can think of.

Bradley:
I couldn’t have said it better.

Hotel Cocaine airs Sundays at 10pm on MGM+.

Hotel Cocaine (2024)

Hotel Cocaine tells the story of Roman Compte, a Cuban exile, former agent and general manager of the notorious Mutiny Hotel in Miami. Roman is drawn into the drug scene of the 1970s and 1980s by his brother Nestor Cabal.