Detective Sergeant James “Sonny” Crockett was arguably the most important character on Miami Vice. He was a charismatic, laid back Southern policeman who managed to dazzle many of the show’s female characters. He was portrayed amazingly by longtime actor Don Johnson and became the most memorable part of Miami Vice.
Crockett was a star student at the University of Florida Gators, before being drafted into the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War. One of the more interesting pieces of trivia about the character was that in season 3, he stopped chain-smoking cold turkey due to heavy pressure from the studio, who feared that young boys would start smoking because of their favorite character’s habit.
Belinda Montgomery– After the show
After the show ended, the actress went on to play a bunch of other roles, with the most prominent and long-lasting one being Katharine Howser in Doogie Howser, M.D. She also got a few interesting parts in films such as the action film Mr. & Mrs. Smith starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
During the 2000s, the Canadian-American actress went on to appear in various other shows and even had a role in the sci-fi film Tron: Legacy. Her last role was as Carol Winters in 2017's romantic comedy film Snowed-Inn Christmas.
Don Johnson– After the show
Don Johnson became a widely known actor after playing the lead role of James “Sonny” Crockett on Miami Vice. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama for his roles on the show.
Since then, the actor has appeared in some of the most prominent films of the last few years, including Machete alongside Danny Trejo, Tarantino's Django Unchained, and the recent hit mystery film Knives Out, which starred some of the most famous and successful actors in Hollywood.
Olivia Brown As Trudy Joplin
Olivia Brown got a huge boost to her popularity when she played the foxy Detective "Big Booty" Trudy Joplin on Miami Vice. Joplin was best known for being strong-willed, determined and extremely serious about her job, which carried various professional risks.
Not much was known about Trudy Joplin before she joined Vice, but her skills were immediately apparent when she began using her exotic look and personality to attract various criminals and gaining “street cred”. Although she began as a side character, Joplin quickly became a mainstay on the show.
Olivia Brown– After the show
After her role on Miami Vice, the German-born actress went on to play in other shows such as 7th Heaven, Moesha, and others. She also starred in multiple episodes on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as a superpowered woman named Star. Although Brown was very talented, her acting career didn’t make much of itself past the ‘80s.
The actress had a brief marriage with Mykelti Williamson (who acted in Forrest Gump), which lasted just two years. She eventually decided to drop the acting career altogether and focus on having a family. She went on to marry James Okonkwo and have two children with him.