Thespians Ana De Armas and Edgar Ramirez prove they have wide acting ranges.
By Judi Jordan
Entertainment Editor
One secret of a successful acting career is not to get pigeonholed. That clearly applies to A-Listers Ana De Armas and Edgar Ramirez whose work runs the gamut—from departed icons to action stars. Both have full plates of projects; here are a few of their latest.
‘BALLERINA’ WITH DE ARMAS?
(Credit: Universal-Pictures/Ana de Armas/Instagram)
The John Wick franchise is the gift that keeps giving for fans of cleverly crafted character-driven, action-thrillers. The freshest buzz swirls around gorgeous Cubana Ana de Armas who’s circling the lead role in the upcoming John Wick spinoff feature Ballerina, directed by Underworld director Len Wiseman, and written by John Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum scribe Shay Hatten. This role of a dancing assassin bent on revenge would firmly establish De Armas’s action star creds after her co-star turn with Daniel Craig in No Time to Die.
As a CIA agent, De Armas elegantly dispatched villains in a little black dress, maximum diamonds, and deadly stilettos with 007. De Armas’s lead in the upcoming Netflix $200 + million starrer The Gray Man has the actress surrounded by hotness: Chris Evans, her Bladerunner 2049 co-star Ryan Gosling and Regé-Jean Page, among others in this star-jammed thriller directed by the Russo bros. The film wrapped in July 2021 after a 4-month shoot. The much-delayed Blonde, due to open in 2022, finds de Armas channeling Marilyn Monroe. Repped by the big guns at CAA, De Armas appears unstoppable in her ascent to super-stardom.
‘NOBODY’S HEART,’ ANOTHER ROMANTIC LEAD FOR RAMIREZ
It’s been a minute since we’ve seen a new film from quirky, daring, award-winning Spanish director Isabel Coixet (The Bookshop). We now have something sizzling to look forward to. Coixet’s next project Nobody’s Heart begins filming in January 2022 and boasts two actors known for their understated excellence: magnetic Venezuelan Edgar Ramirez (Assassination of Gianni Versace) and smoking Brit Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki, The Morning Show) in a romantic drama. Remember those?! Female-driven Nobody’s Heart is set in magical 1930’s Portugal. Coixet describes the project as a “fascinating, twisted and sexually charged love story between two characters sharing a unique passion with the background of Portugal in the 1930s.” (I’m in!)
Here’s the set-up: Mbatha-Raw’s freshly widowed character inherits a cork factory, and Ramirez plays a charismatic co-worker with whom she commences a fiery affair, unlocking a Pandora’s box of desire and secrets. Ramirez’s work in Netflix’s charming Yes Day was a sweet reminder that he is indeed a fine romantic lead and a smoldering presence. The source material, William Boyd’s short story Cork, recalls the life of renowned Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. Boyd also penned the script, which wowed director Coixet. “I completely fell in love with the story, and I know there’s a hunger out there for stories like Nobody’s Heart,” she says. Meanwhile, Ramirez has been shooting the TV series Florida Man and wrapped features Borderlands, Atlas and The 355. (What pandemic?!) We look forward to this steamy period film and a nostalgic glimpse of Portugal with these unique artists.
Check out De Armas as CIA agent Paloma, at second 49, in this trailer of Universal Pictures’ latest James Bond movie No Time to Die.
Featured Photos: Ana De Armas (Credit: Ana De Armas/Instagram) / Edgar Ramirez (Credit: Edgar Ramirez/Instagram)
Judi Jordan, a Santa-Monica based journalist, screenwriter, book editor and avid traveler, covers the Oscars, Television Academy events and has written for The Hollywood Reporter, Latin Style, Estylo, Latino Leaders and Gayot. A fan of history, opera, Spain, art, TV, film and wine, she returns to Latin Heat.com as Entertainment Editor. See more at judijordan.com