Cole Hauser played Carter Verone, the criminal mastermind in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Verone is the main antagonist of the 2003 sequel. He operates a drug-trafficking organization in Miami and uses Brian O’Conner and Roman Pearce as drivers during a federal investigation. The characters must appear to work for Verone while secretly helping law enforcement build a case against him.
Cole Hauser’s role is distinct from the franchise’s later villains. He did not play Deckard Shaw, Owen Shaw, or Dante Reyes. Those characters are portrayed by Jason Statham, Luke Evans, and Jason Momoa respectively. Verone is also not a street racer competing for personal glory; he uses racing skills and criminal power as tools within his trafficking operation.
The film’s Miami setting, colorful cars, and two-driver partnership gave the franchise a different tone from the original Los Angeles story.