T. Rafael Cimino

T. Rafael Cimino (born Todd Rafael Cimino, June 4, 1963, in Wayne, New Jersey) grew up in Key Largo, Florida, in the Florida Keys. In the early 1980s, he worked his way through college as the manager of a performance boat building shop in South Florida, earning a Master's Degree in Naval Architecture. He was recruited as the marine coordinator for the 1983 film *Spring Break*, which led to his hiring by showrunner John Nicolella as the Marine Director for the 1980s television series *Miami Vice*, a role he held until the show ended in 1990.

During the 1990s, Cimino attended Georgetown University, where he earned a Juris Doctor. After working for six years with Federal Law Enforcement, he returned to the entertainment industry as a writer-intern on the Sofia Coppola-directed film *Lost in Translation*. He continued with various film and television projects. In 2015, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, serving as a jurist for the Emmys. In 2020, Cimino collaborated with Oscar-winning actor and writer Cuba Gooding, Jr., to develop a slate of projects.

Cimino is the son of the late Peter Cimino and the nephew of the late writer and director Michael Cimino. He currently resides in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina with his wife, Svetlina Kiryakova.