Actor Efren Ramirez of “Napoleon Dynamite” chatted about his new action thriller “Due Justice.”
Working with Javier Reyna
This film was written and and directed by Javier Reyna, and it will be released in theaters, On Demand and Digital on Friday, November 24, 2023, via Saban Films. “Javier had previously done a bunch of short films and this was his first big feature film,” Ramirez said.
“What is great about Javier is that he was also the screenwriter of the project that he created… He was so clear with the character that he wanted, and he knew the characters really well. He allowed us to get lost in this dark world of crime and punishment per se,” Ramirez elaborated.
“Actors sometimes don’t get that freedom so when we were filming in Seattle, we had extra days to be able to explore that,” he added.
Experience on the film
On his experience in the movie, Ramirez said, “When you work as an actor, every experience is new and different… you really enter that world and you hope that you give it some kind of justice not only for the characters that are involved but for the story itself.”
“The film itself is truly about identity,” he added.
Playing Detective Santiago in the movie
Ramirez opened up about his character, where he played Detective Santiago in the film. “I like how much he holds on to finding and the search for truth. Sometimes, characters live in some kind of darkness that is either based on trauma or the idea of what they perceive their world to be.”
“As troubled as my character is himself, he really wants to find some sense of truth in the world he lives in, whether it’s the job that he does or his connection with family,” Ramirez added.
Working with Kellan Lutz
Ramirez spoke about working with Kellan Lutz, who stars as Max. “We all know Kellan Lutz from ‘Twight,’ and again, he is a force to be reckoned with,” Ramirez said.
“In our first day that we worked together, we filmed our most intense scene in the movie. That was hard because it was at such an emotional level, and the cool thing was that the director Javier Reyna allowed us to explore that,” he acknowledged.
“In this independent film, we were really able to explore what these characters were going through, and we allowed each other to live through that. We were all connecting with each other, and we understood who we are to each other,” Ramirez added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Ramirez said, “Technology is going to come no matter what, whether it’s streaming or cinema. To each their own. The fact that there are outlets for projects that can be made and put out there is great. In the end, it is all about quality and not quantity.”
“The idea is to merge art so that an audience can enjoy being entertained but also learn some kind of a human lesson of what we deem to be of value,” he added.
‘Napoleon Dynamite’
Ramirez recalled his time doing “Napoleon Dynamite.” “I tried to find the truth in my character Pedro Sánchez,” he said. “When the movie blew up as it did, it was a surprise to me, and I was very lucky to have been a part of that.”
Future plans
On his plans for the future, Ramirez said, “I would like to do a DJ tour around the country. It’s good because I really get to be a part of some form of entertainment where I am on stage and I am performing for an audience. I am working on two films.”
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Ramirez said with a sweet laugh, “Good Luck.” “That’s it,” he admitted.
Dream acting partners
On his dream acting partners, he responded, “Anybody who is willing to work really hard at what they do.”
“I want to work with people who are passionate in creating and telling great stories,” he added.
Success
Ramirez equates the word success with “love.”
To learn more about actor Efren Ramirez, follow him on Instagram.
