Hollywood discovers Cuba as shooting location

The U.S. film and television industry is taking advantage of the thaw in relations with Cuba, discovering that the island provides colorful and exotic shooting locations.

Havana, a hot destination for tourists, models, musicians and famous photographers in the past year, will provide settings this week for the hit show “House of Lies,” the first U.S. show to shoot in Cuba, a project made possible by the improvement in relations between Washington and the island.

The final episode of the series’ fifth season will be shot in the Cuban capital and its suburbs, thanks to a permit from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC.

“Marty and the pod have traveled the world to land clients,” the show’s star, Don Cheadle, told Deadline, referring to his character, management consultant Marty Kaan.

“But this historic trip to Cuba is definitely Kaan & Associates’ biggest and wildest adventure yet. It’s sure to be one for the record books, for both our characters and for our cast and crew,” Cheadle said.

“House of Lies” is following in the steps of other U.S. shows, including “Late Night with Conan O’ Brien” and “Cuban Chrome,” which have also shot in Cuba.