Severance Star’s Mind Melts at the Show’s Mystery and ‘Numerology’ Theories

We recently spoke with longtime character actor Yul Vazquez, who plays Nestor Cabal in the wild new series Hotel Cocaine, now streaming on MGM+. Nestor is the villainous brother of the show’s true protagonist, Roman Compte (Danny Pino), who runs an iconic Miami hotel in the late ’70s. The Mutiny Hotel welcomed public figures such as famed author Hunter S. Thompson — who is actually featured in the pilot episode and portrayed by John Ventimiglia (The Sopranos).

Vazquez played a more likable character, Petey, on Ben Stiller’s hit Apple TV+ series Severance, which recently teased its second season and may be arriving on the streaming platform soon. Ever since the critically acclaimed first season concluded, countless theories have swirled online as to what’s really going on with the mysterious company at the center of the plot that employs the troubled characters played by Adam Scott, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, and more. The season finale was the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers, which was masterfully done but couldn’t have come at a worse time for all those fans out there who were itching for some clarity before the wait for season two.

While Vazquez’s character arguably knew more about the mysteries at Lumon than any of its low-level employees, having hidden a special map for his friend to find, Vazquez himself admits he is utterly confounded about the plot and was never given the actual information his character may have had:

“I couldn’t even tell you what the season is about, let alone what the whole thing is about.
I mean, I drew the Petey map, and I don’t know what that crazy map is
… I couldn’t tell you. I think they just finished shooting season two. I don’t know when it’s gonna come out… I wish I could tell you, man. I honestly could not tell you where
Severance
is gonna go. I mean, you saw where it ends. I have no idea. I know there’s a Reddit group that has all types of theories and numerology. I don’t even know.”

You can see some of those Petey-based theories discussed on Reddit below:

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Vazquez on Playing the Criminal: ‘It’s Fun’

Hotel Cocaine (2024)

Hotel Cocaine is an MGM+ original crime thriller series. Hotel Cocaine follows Roman Compte (Danny Pino), a Cuban exile turned CIA Operative who operates a Miami hotel during the middle of the 70s and 80s cocaine scene. The series stars Michael Chiklis, Mark Feuerstein, and Yul Vazquez alongside Pino.

Release Date

June 16, 2024

Seasons

1

Writers

Chris Brancato

Streaming Service(s)

MGM+

Meanwhile, Vazquez looks like he’s having a ball playing the bad-guy brother opposite Pino in his new MGM+ series Hotel Cocaine, based on the titular hospitality destination that was once known as a sort of “Casablanca on cocaine.” The Mutiny Hotel is a nonstop party scene, but all parties must come to an end, as they say, and that’s where Hotel Cocaine turns tense — as federal agents slowly move in on the criminal operations tied to the resort. That includes the dangerous dealings orchestrated by crime lord Nestor, played to perfection by Vazquez. And it’s not his first rodeo when it comes to tackling these sorts of colorful characters.

“It’s fun to play these guys,” Vazquez told us. “That’s the truth, you know, it really is fun… I don’t want to call him a villain, but villain-esque-type characters, it’s always fun. And I think the more fun the actor has with them, the more terrifying that they become. And you have to sprinkle a little bit of humor in there, but yeah, I enjoy playing them. I never shy away from playing villains. They’re fun.”

Hotel Cocaine is now streaming on MGM+. Check back on MovieWeb for updates regarding season 2 of Severance, and watch the first season through the link below:

Watch Severance