‘Mayans M.C.’ Actor Gino Vento Talks ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Easter Eggs: ‘It’s Not so in Your Face’

Mayans M.C. does not shy away from bringing elements from flagship series Sons of Anarchy back to the surface. The FX hit series blends the mythology from its beloved predecessor seamlessly with fun easter eggs, cameo appearances and more than one heart-stopping moment. Actor Gino Vento, who plays Nestor Oceteva on the show and is a self-proclaimed superfan, told PopCulture.com that the references to the popular show excites the cast just as much as it does fans.

“It’s amazing,” Vento told PopCulture.com in a phone interview August 8. “When we get the script we all get to theorize together as fans of the show. Like, ‘Oh my God, these things are going to happen.’ Or, ‘do you have any ideas?’ Because we don’t know until we get it.”

The show sprinkled several references to its legacy last season, including Michael Ornstein’s Chucky joining the cast and the big reveal surrounding popular Sons character Happy (David Labrava). Vento praised the series’ writers, led by co-creators Kurt Sutter and Elgin James, for the way the show addresses its history.

“Kurt Sutter and Elgin James and all the writers do such a cool job at planting pins, those Sons of Anarchy cameos where it’s done so tastefully that it’s awesome,” Vento said. “It’s not so in your face.”

“It’s always a pleasant surprise, [for example] how they invited Chucky back, Michael Ornstein,” he added. “When he came to the table read, he got a round of applause, a standing ovation, and we were so happy to have him on Mayans because he truly is a very cool character in Sons of Anarchy.”

Fans can expect those easter eggs to continue in Season 2, as the show will address EZ’s (JD Pardo) heartbreaking connection to Happy, Vento teased.

“We’ll definitely see David Labrava,” Vento teased. “But just note that, they do sprinkle in Sons of Anarchy characters very tastefully. So, I’m sure we’ll see more of that in Season 2, I hope.”

Even with the Sons of Anarchy history as a starting point, Mayans M.C. cemented itself as a hit all on its own, becoming cable’s No. 1 new drama in Season 1. The success is a huge milestone as the show features a majority Latino cast.

“It really is important,” Vento said of the show’s success. “A lot of us don’t get the same opportunities. It’s like we’re all here on one show or maybe two things there. Now, we’ve created a world, not just from Mayans, but a couple of other shows have created worlds where we can all play together.”

“It truly is amazing, and to be honest, it’s about f—ing time,” he added.

Ready for more Mayans M.C.? Season 2 will premiere Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on FX.