Bruce Willis As Tony Amato
Before Bruce Willis played in Die Hard and The Sixth Sense and became a massive star in Hollywood, he had a minor role in Miami Vice as the iconic Tony Amato, an international arms dealer. The role was perfect for Willis, as his character matched many of the actors’ later roles.
He appeared in just one episode called “No Exit” and was just one of many small actors with a minor role who later became mega Hollywood stars. In the show, Amato was killed by his wife, Rita Amato, shortly after being released from custody. She shot him from point-blank range and we were left to assume his death.
Helena Bonham Carter As Dr. Theresa Lyons
Before the beautiful gothic actress Helena Bonham Carter assumed her most iconic roles, she played a small part in Miami Vice as Dr. Theresa Lyons, which ended up lasting two episodes. Lyons fell in love with Sonny Crockett, but their mutual love quickly turned into a crazy obsession.
Dr. Theresa Lyons was eventually sent to treatment at a Drug Abuse Clinic in Connecticut for her addictions, and that was the end of her minor role in Miami Vice. Fortunately, we got to see a whole lot more of the actress, as she ended up assuming some of the most popular roles in Hollywood.
Helena Bonham Carter– After the show
It didn't take long for English actress Helena Bonham Carter's career to pick up steam in Hollywood, as her unique look and incredible acting skills landed her in some of the most prolific films of the last few centuries. She won various awards for her incredible roles and has appeared in so many iconic roles that it's hard to even begin naming them.
Carter has played as the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, Marla Singer in Fight Club, Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter film series and Skynet in Terminator Salvation. This is just a small taste of her incredible filmography, and we're happy to say she's still very much active amongst the whole Hollywood scene.
Bruce Willis– After the show
Although his career has largely slowed down in recent years, Bruce Willis was one of the most prolific actors during the '90s and 2000s. He became widely regarded as the archetypical "action hero" after portraying John McClane in the Die Hard franchise. The actor received various awards over the years, including a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two People's Choice Awards.
Bruce Willis was honored with his very own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame back in 2006. His most successful films to date include Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, Sin City, Moonrise Kingdom, The Expendables, Unbreakable and Looper. The actor also had a small musical career during the late ‘80s, but it was luckily cut short after just two albums.
Edward James Olmos As Martin "Marty" Castillo
When Lieutenant Rodriguez was suddenly shot and killed on the fourth episode of Miami Vice, he was quickly replaced by Detective Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo. Castillo used to work for the Drug Enforcement Administration and tended to keep his thoughts to himself. He always wore the same clothes, slept in the office, and was very stoic in his mannerisms.
Martin’s most popular and iconic persuasion tool is called the "Castillo Staredown", where he shows anger or criticism towards actors on the show by giving them a piercing judgemental staredown. Edward James Olmos, the actor who played Martin, received a lot of praise for his performance on the show and even landed an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor.