1980s TV Shows: A Trip Down Memory Lane With… Saundra Santiago (Gina Calabrese in “Miami Vice”)

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen

“Miami Vice” was a cop show which starred Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs. They played two police detectives working undercover in Miami. The show ran for five seasons from 1984 – 1989. Saundra Santiago played detective Gina Calabrese who worked together with detective Trudy Joplin played by Olivia Brown.

KB: “Miami Vice”: What kind of show was it?

“Miami Vice” was about cops in Miami.

KB: How did you get the part as Gina Calabrese?

I auditioned for Gina in NYC.

KB: What did you like about the character?

I loved Gina’s strength & humanity.

KB: Did you and the other actors got some police training to make it look believable on screen?

We did get periodic police training.

KB: You had many scenes with Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett: What was it like working with Don?

I did not enjoy working with DJ.

KB: How did a week on the set look like from getting the script to filming?

From script to actually filming was fast paced & at times chaotic.

KB: Where was the show filmed?

The show was filmed entirely in Miami.

KB: Do you have a favorite episode where you starred in and why did you choose this one?

My favorite episode was the one in which I got to sing as both Gina & Gina’s mother: “Heroes of the Revolution”.

KB: Are you still in touch with actors from the show?

On occasion I see Olivia Brown.

KB: Looking back now would you have played Gina differently?

I would have played Gina the same but better.

KB: How do you explain that “Miami Vice” is still beloved after 40+ years?

The show is still beloved because it had all the components of good storytelling, beautiful Miami, location location location, great weekly guest actors, fast fancy cars, great music, beautiful clothes & a pretty good cast.

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