Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas were ’80s fashion icons as Crockett and Tubbs.

The cast of the original Miami Vice TV series: Where are they now?

Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas were '80s fashion icons as Crockett and Tubbs.

By Declan Gallagher

April 13, 2026 6:00 p.m. ET

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Fashion icons first. Cops second. The cast of 'Miami Vice'. Credit:

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

In the 1980s, *Miami Vice* revolutionized both the police procedural and the titular city's style. Prior to the show’s 1984 debut, creator Michael Mann described Miami as “war-surplus beige” in its style.

“We created South Beach the way you see it today,” series star Edward James Olmos told the Television Academy in 2024. “Everything was freshly painted. Before, it was trashy, with people strung out on drugs and buildings shut down. You could buy a hotel for a dollar. *Miami Vice* was a glamorized and romanticized production. It created a style that went around the world, something that resonated throughout the entire planet.”

The groundbreaking series followed Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and Rico Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas), two undercover cops navigating Miami’s drug- and violence-fueled underworld.

Over five seasons, *Miami Vice* became known for its adrenaline-pumping action sequences, slick visuals, and memorable characters, all of which were set against the city’s vibrant nightlife. The series earned critical acclaim during its run, picked up four Emmys, and left a legacy still being felt on television to this day.

Mann directed a big-screen version in 2006, with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx as Crockett and Tubbs. Now, another reboot is reportedly on the way from *Top Gun: Maverick *director Joseph Kosinski. With that in mind, ** is looking back at the OG cast of *Miami Vice* to see what they’ve been up to since the original series concluded.

Don Johnson (Sonny Crockett)

Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett; Johnson at the CMA Awards in 2024.

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Don Johnson stars as hotshot undercover cop Sonny Crockett. A former football player whose career was cut short by injury, Crockett transitioned to a career in law enforcement, which allowed him to continue indulging his passion for women and boats.

In the Television Academy's *Miami Vice* oral history, Johnson revealed the show’s cutting-edge content was made possible by simple subterfuge.

“We’d throw the network’s Standards and Practices suggestions in the trash. We never did them, and they would yell at us,” he said. “They’d come up with, ‘You can’t say this, you can’t do that.’ We were three hours ahead of them in Florida, so we’d say, ‘Oh, that bus has already gone. We already shot that six hours ago.’”

Johnson had led movies like *A Boy and His Dog *(1975) and guested on numerous TV projects prior to landing *Miami Vice.* The role made him a household name, and he would go on to lead another popular, long-running cop drama with *Nash Bridges*.

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Over the past decade and change, Johnson's carved out a niche playing charismatic authority figures who use the badge as cover for their own crimes. Take a look at his secretly sinister Tulsa cop on *Watchmen*; or his corrupt small-town police chief in *Rebel Ridge *(2024); or the warden with a mean streak he plays in *Brawl in Cell Block 99 *(2017).

The Midwest native has become an in-demand character actor in his later years. He was a primping, pseudo-sophisticated plantation owner in *Django Unchained *(2012) and another rich guy you love to hate in *Knives Out *(2019). He recently co-headlined Ryan Murphy’s cruise-ship medical drama, *Doctor Odyssey*.

Johnson has been married to Kelley Phleger since 1999. They share three children. He also has two kids from previous relationships, including actress Dakota Johnson with his two-time ex-wife, Melanie Griffith.

Philip Michael Thomas (Ricardo Tubbs)

Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs; Thomas in 2024.

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Sacred Light Amadeus Thomas/Instagram

Philip Michael Thomas was Crockett’s partner, Tubbs, a former NYPD detective who came to Miami to find the man who killed his brother. After finding the climate and the Wild West approach to crimefighting to his liking, he decided to stick around for a while.

Like his onscreen partner, Thomas was a small-time TV veteran with credits on *Toma*, *Starsky and Hutch*, and *Wonder Woman*, among others. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Tubbs, and later reunited with his old costar for two episodes of *Nash Bridges*, playing a U.S. Marshal who teams up with Johnson’s character.

For the video game *Grand Theft Auto: Vice City*, Thomas voiced Lance Vance, who, like Tubbs, comes to town to avenge the death of his brother.

Saundra Santiago (Det. Gina Calabrese)

Saundra Santiago in 'Miami Vice'; Santiago at the ARPA Film Festival in 2025.

NBCU Photo Bank; Paul Archuleta/Getty I

Saundra Santiago played Gina, a tough-as-nails Metro-Dade detective who has a brief affair with Tubbs early in the show’s run.

“My character was more than a Latina cop. She was a real human being who wanted to catch bad guys,” she said in 2024. “We always had to pull out our guns… So, we got trained in how to use them. Cops on the set would guide us through.”

After that gritty, career-defining role, the Bronx native later found work on soap operas such as *Guiding Light* and *One Life to Live.* She also made guest appearances on the prestigious likes of *The Sopranos*, *Damages*, and *True Detective*.

The actress recently appeared in Katie Holmes’ directorial debut, *Rare Objects *(2023).

Santiago has been married to musician Roger Squitero since 1994.

Olivia Brown (Det. Trudy Joplin)

Olivia Brown in 'Miami Vice'; Brown at the 40th Anniversary Reunion in 2024.

NBCU Photo Bank; Romain Maurice/Getty

Olivia Brown played Trudy Joplin, Gina’s equally street-smart partner who’s a bit more sensitive to the realities of the job.

Brown arrived on *Miami Vice *after making the TV rounds on *T.J. Hooker* and *Hill Street Blues.* You can also catch her in bit parts in Walter Hill’s *48 Hrs. *(1982) and *Streets of Fire *(1984).

The actress went on to a recurring role on the Emmy-winning series *Dear John* and booked regular guest work for years, including appearances on *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, *Lois & Clark*, *Moesha*, and *7th Heaven*.

She and her husband, James Okonkwo, share two children.

Edward James Olmos (Lt. Martin Castillo)

Edward James Olmos in 'Miami Vice'; Olmos at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards in 2026.

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Michael Kovac/Getty

Brought to life by Edward James Olmos, Marty Castillo took over as head of the Organized Crime Bureau after Lou Rodriguez (Gregory Sierra) was killed in the line of duty.

Olmos won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance. At a cast reunion in 2025, he went into detail on how he maintained tension between his authoritative character and the two star cops who liked to play by their own rules.

“I never smiled, I refused to look at them when I talked. It was nuts,” he said. “But it worked! It really brought tension to the structure of the show. Off set, we were fine.”

The legendary character actor has found a number of roles over his lengthy career by which he could be defined, depending on the audience. Many remember him as Harrison Ford’s old colleague in *Blade Runner *(1982), or as the father of slain pop star Selena Quintanilla in *Selena *(1997). He also landed an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of real-life teacher Jaime Escalante in *Stand and Deliver *(1988).

Then, of course, Olmos won a generation of devoted fans with his leading role as the noble Admiral Adama on Ronald D. Moore's reimagining of *Battlestar Galactica.*

The Los Angeles native later landed a main role on Kurt Sutter’s *Sons of Anarchy *spinoff, *Mayans M.C.*

Where can I watch Miami Vice?

*Miami Vice* is currently available to stream on Tubi.

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