Best of the Bronx: Vladimir Caamano

A new television series debuting nationwide this week features some home-grown talent, and he is representing his roots on the show.

News 12 Staff

Feb 4, 2020, 12:44 PM

Updated 1,549 days ago

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A new television series debuting nationwide this week features some home-grown talent, and he is representing his roots on the show.
Looking back at the basketball courts where he once played, Vladimir Caamano reflects on his journey, from growing up in the Bronx to appearing on TV screens across the country.
“We were so rooted in what was going on that you like, you just wanted to smile because you love the place so much. So I think that's what kind of got me into comedy,” Caamano recalls.
The son of a Mount Eden building super from the Dominican Republic is now one of the stars of a network television series. The actor says it all started watching comedy greats and action movies alongside his older brother Frankie.
“I used to watch him laugh and whenever he would laugh, I was like ‘I guess I should do this,’ because I want to make my older brother laugh,” Caamano says.
After trying out stand-up comedy while in college, Caamano kept at it during his first job as a high school counselor.
Before long, the Bronx resident was getting booked for comedy festivals and some cameos on television shows.
“Then over the last couple years, I've been getting little parts on things like ‘Superstore,’ ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ ‘Marvel's Runaways.’ I did a movie called ‘Vampires vs. the Bronx’ with Oz Rodriguez of ‘SNL,’ and then I got this show, ‘Tommy,’” Caamano says. “I play a cop on CBS called Abner Diaz who's from the Bronx. He's from Mott Haven.”
Embracing his home borough on the silver screen alongside Edie Falco who plays the title character in “Tommy,” the show is about Los Angeles’ first female police chief who happens to be a New York transplant, just like Caamano's character.
It's not the first time the comedian tried bringing his Bronx roots to TV.
“I sold a pilot to NBC about my life with my dad, it was called ‘The Bronx Life.’ They, unfortunately, passed on it, but my dream is to one day bring it back,” Caamano says, adding that his dream aligns with the advice he gives to all the kids growing up where he did.
“Take it one day at a time, man. That's all you got is that one day. One show at a time, one part at a time, one scene at a time,” Caamano says.
Caamano can be seen in "Tommy" when it premieres Thursday night.


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