Andy Garcia Honors Late Miami Actor

MIAMI, FL — Cuban-American actor Andy Garcia was in the Magic City on Monday to pay tribute to his friend and fellow actor Julio Oscar Mechoso. The late actor was honored at a street designation ceremony by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Manolo Reyes. Mechoso appeared in dozens of films including "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Legend of Zorro," "Jurassic Park III," and TV shows that included "Miami Vice," "Seinfeld," "The Big Bang Theory" and "Grey’s Anatomy."

Garcia, who grew up in Miama and attended Biscayne Elementary School and Miami Beach Senior High School, gave an emotional tribute to honor his friend and college roommate. The street designation took place at SW 20 Street and SW 19 Avenue.

Mechoso died of a heart attack on Nov. 25, 2017 at age 62. He and Garcia also appeared together in multiple projects after Mechoso got his start on "¿Qué pasa, U.S.A.?"

Garcia confided to late night television host Jimmy Kimmel in 2016 that he spoke very little English as a young child growing up in the Miami area.

"I picked it up pretty quick," the actor recalled in the interview. "It was a little bit of a transitional thing. I was in pre-school, in kindergarten. But someone maybe would say, 'Would you like to borrow my crayon? And then you punch him in the face because you didn't know what he was saying — just in case."

Watch below as actor Andy Garcia shares some humorous memories of Miami with late night television host Jimmy Kimmel:

Actor Andy Garcia (left) pays tribute to the late Julio Oscar Mechoso in Miami. Photo courtesy city of Miami.