Exclusive: Danny Ramirez on How Being Pro-Choice Led Him to Truly Understand Unconditional Love

Have you ever wondered what life would've been like if you had taken a different path? For Danny Ramirez, this question became a reality as he got to play the role of Gabe on Netflix's upcoming film Look Both Ways starring Lili Reinhart.

In the heartfelt flick, Ramirez, a recent college graduate navigates a life-changing event with Reinhart's character, Natalie, as they have a child together in one of the alternate realities of her life.

An acting chameleon, playing diverse roles in Marvel's Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Top Gun and No Exit, Ramirez has personified the true meaning of unconditional love and partnership in his new project.

In an exclusive interview with People Chica, the 29-year-old actor discussed his own experiences making life decisions, his stance on being pro-choice and his hopes for Latino stories in Hollywood.

Courtesy of Netflix

In this film, Natalie's life diverges into two parallel realities, and in one of them, she navigates pregnancy with you as her partner. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you've wondered what would have happened if you would have chosen differently or taken a different turn?

I think every day [there are] forks on the road, whichever way you decide to step that day just changes the trajectory of it, but [there are] big moments that definitely changed my life. When I was playing college soccer in Atlanta, I was a freshman and I had a sprained ankle—I was at practice and a P.A. came on onto our practice. Basically, there was a production happening on the baseball field and they were looking for extras. I was like, "Sure, I'd rather like make money than just sit here waiting for the practice to be over and then do whatever a freshman does."

So, I went and I was on a film set the eight hours of the day that was supposed to be two hours, but essentially I got to see Riz [Ahmed] at work and I had never seen a person of color as a lead. I had seen supporting actors, but I hadn't seen someone that was young and also that I could see myself in that same space. After I saw Riz that day, the next day, I bought my first acting book, then that just changed the entire trajectory of my life.

The film is centered around Natalie, but your character Gabe also experiences a huge change. What was your favorite part about playing this character?

I think it was showing a young father with a bunch of positive, beautiful traits that can hopefully be replicated by those that watch and be used as [an] inspiration [for] the type of fathers that people want to be. Especially being young and right out of college and [having] a life situation coming up out of nowhere and in taking it with such grace.

I think the line that he says, "I'm pro your choice," to me really was the full circle moment for my character. I'm also pro-choice as is Gabe and so knowing that within that being able to exercise what really being there for someone is unselfishly, entirely, was just an interesting thought process to prepare through. Also, especially now more than ever, it's hyper-relevant in regards to like what that would take and what that line of thought would be.

I was just excited through and through. It's a really beautiful, heartfelt story that by the end you feel so good and you realize like no matter what happens I'll be okay and there's an abundance of goodness in the possibilities in life.

You've gone from the Marvel universe to Top Gun and now you're diving into this project. As an actor, how has this diversity in the storytelling journey been for you?

I definitely feel lucky. I feel lucky to be able to jump genres and tones and stories and be able to do a little bit of everything. It's different than before, being able to do that was because whatever opportunity came by I'd be like, "yeah, yeah, I got to pay my bills," but now it's like this place where the storytellers I'm able to work with are next level.

It's being a part of championship-winning teams every time. Whenever you see that creative unit, it's counting my blessings of being able to work with Lili and Wanuri [Kahiu] and the team over at Netflix and how much enthusiasm everyone had.

Bryan, our producer—and I think it's just across the board—I think everyone that I'm working with now is just so dedicated to storytelling that it's like going to a masterclass in all of these productions.

Falcon and the Winter Soldier was different than Top Gun, [which] was different than Look Both Ways, [which] was different than No Exit. It's so amazing to be able to take a little different thing from every production.

Courtesy of Netflix

Next month we're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and we've seen a lot of cancellations of Latino shows and projects happening across Hollywood. What do you hope the future holds for Latinos and what the industry needs to know about Latino stories?

I think there's definitely more resistance to allowing that to be accepted. I think no matter the justifications of canceling different things are, and fiscally whatever their motives were to do so, it's just knowing that's not acceptable in regards to the opportunities that we've been fighting for and finally getting them and then going back on them.

There are things that are sometimes more important than some strategies in regards to just that. To me, it's just giving me more fire to continue driving and telling all of the stories that I want to tell and helping others tell their stories as well. I think it's still an uphill battle and it's a bummer. These past couple [of] weeks have been a bummer in that space and sending all my love to everyone.

The cancelations have happened throughout, but specifically, the way that it's happened, it feels as though overlooking the pattern is how invisible I think we've felt in that space of the decision makers not even seeing the pattern of what their decisions are essentially doing. It feels like this apathy or this unseen nature of what these decisions and ramifications are. I think that definitely is putting a fire under my a** to continue in every way I can.