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Take one part Mad Men-style glamour, add one part sexy Miami heat and what do you have?
We caught up with the fresh (and gorgeous!)
Tell us a little bit about your character, Mercedes, in Magic City.
Mercedes Lazaro is a 21-year-old Cuban girl who grew up in Miami Beach.
Her mother is a housewife and her father is the general manager of the Miramar Playa.
What drew you to the role?
What attracted me to the part of Mercedes was really that there was so much ahead of her.
There’s a lot going on in her world.
There’s depth to her and in her story lines.
That’s really all you want as an actor.
I mean I didn’t really think about all that.
I’m just really happy I get to go back to work.
I love this group–we’ve become like a little family.
In this business, it’s always hard to maintain some sort of stability.
Once you finish a job, all of a sudden you’re unemployed again.
You’re very familiar with Miami–what is it like filming there?
Have you enjoyed showing your cast mates around?
I was born in Miami and spent most of my summer vacations there growing up.
It’s great working in my second home (Lorido grew up in LA).
I appreciate the city more now that I have something productive to do while I’m there.
It’s a different experience living like a local.
I work during the week then on the weekends I kick back, relax and enjoy the city.
What do you think makes the series stand out?
I think aesthetically it’s like nothing we’ve seen on television before.
The cinematography is beautiful.
It’s actually shot on digital with the same vintage film lenses they used to shoot The Godfather.
You’ve never seen Miami filmed so beautifully.
There are also a lot of talented actors on this show–I’m in awe of them.
And the writing is top-notch.
Mitch really gave 100 percent to every single character.
This is the era of music I’ve been obsessed with since I was a little girl.
What are your favorite ways to stay fit?
It keeps me lean and flexible and my core strong.
My best friend Chloe and I go to evening classes a lot.
We’re both homebodies and we always joke that it’s our version of going to a nightclub.
Spending time down in Miami must be very culturally invigorating.
Do you have a favorite Cuban dish?
It means “old clothes” because that’s what it looks like.
It’s shredded beef in like a tomato punch in of sauce.
It’s best served over white rice with a side of fried plantains.
My mom recently made it for my costar Christian Cooke.
He was in heaven to say the least–my mom’s the best cook!
What is your go-to snack to power you through the day?
Coffee is my vice–I drink way too much of it throughout the day.
But hey, I’m Cuban!
What can we look forward to next for Mercedes?
I will say this: she’s very comfortable with her sexuality.
She’s not afraid to explore that, as long as it’s with someone she trusts.
you might expect to see her really start to come into her own as a young woman.
She’s not afraid to take the reins.
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