Why Working with Edward James Olmos Was "Really Awesome" for Peacock's M.I.A. Cast
Actors Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, and Marta Milans play the children of Edward James Olmos' character on M.I.A.
Key Takeaways
- Edward James Olmos is widely admired by his M.I.A. co-stars, who describe him as a legendary, inspiring, and highly professional presence on set.
- Maurice Compte felt that working alRead More
- Edward James Olmos is widely admired by his M.I.A. co-stars, who describe him as a legendary, inspiring, and highly professional presence on set.
- Maurice Compte felt that working alongside Olmos and Shannon Gisela elevated actors' performances due to their strong work ethic and on‑set energy.
- Marta Milans was excited to play Olmos’ daughter, but never shared scenes with him.
Peacock's newest crime drama show, M.I.A., boasts an impressive cast — from relative newbies like main star Shannon Gisela to those with decades of acting credits to their names, like Edward James Olmos.
The 79-year-old actor — famous for films like Blade Runner (1982) and Selena (1997), and TV shows like Miami Vice and the reimagined version of Battlestar Galactica — plays cartel mastermind Isaac Rojas in M.I.A., a nine-episode series that's now streaming in full on Peacock.
For cast members Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, and Marta Milans, who play Rojas' three adult children, being in the same project as Olmos was an amazing experience for more than one reason.
RELATED: Peacock's M.I.A.: A Guide to All the Episodes
Edward James Olmos "such a legend"
"For me, it was really awesome because he's such a legend," Celasco, who plays Samuel on the series, told Peacock Blog in an interview before the series' premiere. "And I like to include Sonia [Braga], who plays our mother, in that same breath... they're legends, especially for Latino actors."
Compte plays Mateo, Samuel's brother, and Milans portrays Caroline, their half-sister. Their father is the head of a powerful and deadly drug cartel and it's eventually revealed how each of his kids is involved in the family business.
"Eddie is amazing," Compte told Peacock Blog. "He's a wonderful human being and a consummate professional."
The actor added that the same applies to Gisela, who stars as Etta Tiger Jonze on M.I.A.
"She's a consummate professional, so when you're around her, you're forced to elevate your game," Compte said. "And it's not that we need it, but we would feel the energy when they would come in, that people would just sort of shift in their seats and sit up a little bit. That's the energy with Eddie. When he comes in, you just kind of put your best foot forward."
RELATED: Is Peacock's M.I.A. Based on a True Story?
Despite playing his daughter on Peacock's M.I.A., Milans never shared any scenes with him in the series.
"I met Eddie socially through friends of mine that have worked with him on other shows," Milans told Peacock Blog. "And so when I heard I was gonna be his daughter, I was so stoked. I thought, 'Oh my God, now I finally get to work with him.'"
RELATED: Why You Recognize Peacock's M.I.A. Cast Member David Denman (His Movies and TV Shows)
As it turned out, the actress didn't have any screen time with the acclaimed actor in M.I.A. — and it's something her co-stars couldn't resist joking about.
"I remember I was doing this scene with him, and we were really into it, and I said, 'Do you know what would make this moment even better? If my sister Caroline was here with us,'" Compte joked. "And I said, 'Nah, I should not. This is gonna be just fine.'"
Milans laughed: "Oh, thank you. Thank you. So nice of you."
— Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
