Dominik Garcia-Lorido may not have grown up in Miami, but with her familial roots firmly in place here, she visits quite often. The 29-year-old brunette is in town this week promoting the second season of “Magic City,” which is shot right here in the 305.
We caught up with Dominik at the official Miami screening at The W Hotel on South Beach this week to learn about what’s coming up for her character, her fondest memories of Miami when she was younger, and her favorite spots around town.
During the season one finale, Mercedes is getting ready to leave her old life behind but not before giving her boyfriend Danny a proper goodbye. Are they done?
“In episode two of season two, you will see Mercedes coming off the tragic news of her mothers death. Her and Danny are still together but it’s still not a relationship that is out in the public. I don’t think they ever really had a healthy way of evolving and growing together because of the secret. You saw in the season one finale that she and Danny consummated their relationship and also her mother dies, so timing doesn’t really seem to ever be on their side.”
What impact will the death of her mother have on Mercedes?
“I can’t really reveal too much but it really affects both her and her father. There is also this big wave of Cubans that were coming in during the revolution and she really didn’t have that kind of community before. There wasn’t that many Cubans in Miami pre-revolution so being part of her culture more is tied to the resentment she has after her mother dies during the fall of Cuba. She starts to connect to that a little bit and it sort of changes her attitude towards a lot of things; passion in other areas.”
Will she still be leaving to become a flight attendant after all that has happened?
“I think her focus is being pulled somewhere else. You will just have to wait and see.”
You've worked on a lot of period pieces in the past. What do you like most about being in this era on "Magic City?"
"I love being able to work on a show in this era. It's the most glamorous era of Miami Beach for sure. Some things I did have to change like how I carried myself, my posture, my manners, how I speak and even the way I move my hands.”
“This is my favorite era of music, it always has been. I love it. There is this certain sophistication of the 50's and 60's that just got lost and it's nice to pretend to live in it. When I'm in the lobby [of the Miramar Playa] with all the extras it's easy to get lost in it all."
Your dad Andy Garcia was born around that time. Does he tell you what things were like for him as a child to help you?
"Well my dad was really young during those times but my grandmothers know more and they show me lots of pictures."
You were raised in Los Angeles, but would visit often with your family. What are some of your fondest memories of your time here as a young girl?
“My family and I would come to Miami to visit cousins and my grandparents every summer. Key Biscayne has always been my second home and I remember spending a lot of time with the family. When I would go back home to LA, where I only had my immediate family, I would miss my time with all my cousins. I’d also miss the sea and the boat life.”
When you're in town what are some of the spots you frequent the most?
"I was living on the beach while shooting the show so I had some favorite little spots I liked to frequent. I would go to Apple-A-Day Market to get my juice there in the morning and sometimes some wraps. One of my friends owns my favorite bathing suit store called Nic del Mar in Coral Gables where I stock up on my summer stuff.”
“I'm really laid back. I enjoy getting some ribs from Flanigans and icee's from A.C.'s Icee's in Coconut Grove. I also go to the Yacht Club in Key Biscayne a lot. I don't really go anywhere fancy here. I like being in my shorts, bathing suit and flip flops."
