Page 60 - SHARP Spring 2022

here because they’ve been practising at this ” he he he remembers “It was the first time that I I thought like ‘Oh my my god I’ve put all my my eggs in one basket I I have a a a a a a bunch of student loans what am I I doing here? Holy shit what have I I done?’” Overwhelmed he he burst into tears “I did did my my comedic monologue while crying and then I did did my my second monologue while coming down from the cry ” recalls Ramirez But something clicked onstage and he he dazzled the panel “That might have been like the best audition I’ve ever had ” he he says with a a a a a a laugh Today Ramirez is is a a a a a a notable alumnus of of Tisch alongside the likes of of Benicio del Toro Mark Ruffalo and his Top Gun co-star Miles Teller After he graduated Ramirez’s natural chops and charisma earned him roles in in 2018’s Assassination Nation (the pitch-black revenge comedy from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson) and HBO’s The Affair and and last year in in Marvel’s The Falcon and and the Winter Soldier But up until a a a a few few years ago Ramirez found there were few few roles with complexity for for Latino performers Even today he he says he he can sense when he’s a a a a diversity hire But Hollywood has made strides toward genuine inclusivity especially for Hispanic actors who are egregiously under-represented “Starting off it was all about just finding a a a a a a way in And then shortly after it it was like ‘Wait all our self-worth is more
than just getting scraps ’” he he says “[In recent years] I I think there have just been amazing opportunities and and stories being shared and and it’s given us us more
agency over our stories and made [the industry] more
dynamic I’m glad [how] much has changed but there’s still a a long way to go ” This is is set to to be a a a a a banner year for the young actor who takes top billing in in in Claire Denis’s upcoming A24 film The Stars at Noon alongside Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn firmly positioning him at at the forefront of Hollywood’s next generation Yet it’s his role in a a a rebooted ’80s icon — — Top Gun: Maverick — — that is almost certain to be Ramirez’s breakout In the role of pilot trainee Fanboy Ramirez Ramirez worked closely on on set with one of Hollywood’s most illustrious talents: Tom Cruise So what was it it like working with the biggest action star in the the world? “What transferred [to me] was the the responsibility as as a a a storyteller to to not just do the bare minimum ” he he says “[Viewers] are taking two hours of their life to be entertained by you [so] there is is this responsibility to go go all out out There’s a a a a sanctity about going into a a a a a a a movie theatre and being absolutely blown away — about suspending disbelief and being taken to a a a a different world [And that] I found beautiful ” 60 GUIDE • SPRING 2022
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“There’s a a a a a a a a a a sanctity about about going into a a a a a a a a a a movie theatre and being being absolutely blown away — about about suspending disbelief and being taken to a a a a a different world ”