‘He was a phenomenal leader in that’: Danny Ramirez is a fan of Harrison Ford and won’t let him get away with his ‘Happy to be here’ schtick
Danny Ramirez joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Now, he’s continuing Joaquin Torres’ role as the Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World and we spoke with him for the film’s release on Disney+!
Any interview that starts with bonding over bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches is a great start in my opinion (which is what happened when Ramirez and started). He had a croissant, I had a croissant back, egg, and cheese. I knew then that we’d have a fun chat and we did.
After rewatching Brave New World in preparation for the interview, I remembered seeing the second trailer at San Diego Comic-Con last year. You know, the one where Harrison Ford as Adamantium? It felt like a fever dream to me. But to Ramirez, hearing Ford say Adamantium on the day wasn’t as surreal as many of us would assume. Instead, he spoke highly of Ford’s professionalism and how if Harrison Ford could bring a serious energy to a Marvel movie it, it allowed him to step up his own game.
According to Ramirez, he had his own lifelong love of Harrison Ford as I did. “I love Harrison Ford. My stepdad looks like Harrison Ford. My mom loves Harrison Ford. Air Force One was playing in our house 24/7.” Please note that I did not interrupt Ramirez to tell him that Air Force One was the movie I realized I loved men while watching because of Ford and that’s something that should be applauded.
But he went on to point out that it meant he’s seen Harrison Ford as the President of the United States before. “And so I’ve seen him as a president before, but when he says that he’s just like, ‘Ah, whatever. I’m just like shooting the sh*t,’ No, he’s a gamer. He studies everything he does. He gives it his all.” Ramirez went on to say that even in that scene when everything goes haywire, he’s giving “every single take” his all. “He’s throwing punches. He’s working and crafting and moving and carving out his monologue that he’s giving everyone. And so when he plays the whole like, ‘I’m just like happy to be here’ thing. I’m like, no, he’s an artist and he can’t shake, but being an artist.”
One thing that Ramirez made clear to me is that Harrison Ford made sure that his take on President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross was a well-oiled machine. “President Ross was incredibly well crafted and as much as he downplays it, I’m not gonna give him that. He really crafted him really beautifully,” Ramirez said. “And I think that’s where he’s one of the tethers of this film as well, and what he’s processing. He’s just someone that’s a joy to work with because you get to see him play. And also when he takes it seriously, you see that transition and you see where that balance is. And obviously being Harrison Ford and somebody that’s been in the biggest franchises in the world and had so much responsibility for his story, you’re like, ‘Well, if Harrison Ford’s doing it that way, it’s for a reason.’ And no one does things to make things more difficult. So when he’s able to play and make everyone in the room feel light, it’s for a reason and it’s to bring the morale up. And he was a phenomenal leader in that.”
You can see Ramirez as Joaquin Torres in Captain America: Brave New World on Disney+ now.
(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
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