Jose Vargas
Hollywood Times: What is Mafia Spies about?
Douglas Vermeeren: Mafia Spies is a 6 part docudrama that was created for Paramount pLus. The project actually shares interesting little known facts about the US governments dealings with Cuba and the Mafia during the 1960s. It was fascinating to learn about so many well known events and people from history and learn from top secret documents and such that things weren’t exactly what they seemed.
Hollywood Times: How did you get selected for Mafia Spies?
Douglas Vermeeren: I feel very lucky that I was invited to be part of Mafia Spies. The way that it happened was quite unique. I attended the Banff World Media Festival in Canada where I met Tom Donahue the director of Mafia Spies. Immeidatley we clicked and he told me about this project. It was there that he offered me the opportunity to get involved. I loved the concept and I really love this particular time in US history. Naturally I said yes on the spot. Tom is such a great guy and we have since become great friends. He is an incredibly talented director and is really clever on how he went about recreating this time in history.
Hollywood Times: What was your favorite part of working on Mafia Spies?
Douglas Vermeeren: There were many really cool moments. Obviously as a fan of this time in US history it was fun to be involved in recreating these moments, wearing the costumes, drivings the cars and all of that. Doing period pieces is one of my favorite parts of being an actor.
But I had a really cool experience that I won’t quickly forget. It starts a lot further back from my time on Mafia Spies. When I was a young guy and I first came to LA I took a tour of the Paramount lot. They put you onto this golf cart and drive you through all the film sets and you can see where alot of really well known movies are made. Often on the tour there are shows being shot as you drive through. It is a working movie set after all. Anyways, as a young man on this tour we stopped to observe the shooting of a film. I could see all the crew and actors bustling about and it was exciting. I knew then and there that this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life. Some of the actors from the show wanted to come over and talk tot eh actors but I saw that however was in charge would not allow them to do so. Regardless I was totally inspired and it was a big deal to me.
So on Mafia Spies I found myself back on the Paramount lot. This was the first I had been there since that experience. Now this time I was the actor. As fate would have it around lunch time that day a tour group showed up to see what we were doing. My director on this film allowed us to go over and say hi, take selfies with those not he tour and sign a few autographs. On that tour there was a long man who was roughly the same age that I was when I did the tour. He told me he wanted to be an actor and work in film and he was just as excited as I was earlier. I encouraged him to definitely pursue those dreams and I told him what happened to me. It was truly a full circle moment. It was very cool.
Hollywood Times: What was the hardest part of making Mafia Spies?
Douglas Vermeeren: There were a few days that it was extremely hot in the costumes and back in the 1960s men still wore full suits, ties and jackets. So that was a little tricky at times. And then I guess with this project there was the suspense while waiting for the show to come out. It’s always exciting to finish production on a show and then be suspense wondering what it’s going to look like when finished.
Hollywood Times: What is next for you?
Douglas Vermeeren: I have a few movies I am signed on to still be involved in for 2024. And one that I’ve already signed onto for 2025. But there are also several that I have shot that will be coming out this year. Black Creek with Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Keith Cooke, Patrick Fitzpatrick and others. That is a show I had a ton of fun doing I am really looking forward to it. Black Creek Premiere in LA on Oct 9.
Fresh Meat with Daniel Turres will also be coming out this year. I had a super fun time working on that. It was a great cast and a cool story. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone so I’ll just say you must check it out. You will be blown away.
I’m also excited for Clean Right Hook. This is the UK gangster flick that I just finished with the talented Chris Sanders. I’ve done a few movies with Chris and always does such a great job.
Hollywood Times: Where can our readers learn more about you?
Douglas Vermeeren: I am on most social media and instagram. You can just search my name. My team regularly runs cools contests to come hang out on set with us and other things. We really appreciate our fans and the people that support my work. You definitely can’t make it in this business without people wanting to watch the movies we create.
