Danny Ramirez

The Football Field That Lost a Defender

Danny Ramirez wasn't looking for the spotlight. As a young man, his obsession was elite sports and stadiums full of people chanting his name after a touchdown. A serious ankle injury in college forced him to find an emergency backup plan.

And acting was that unexpected refuge.

Ramirez was born in Chicago in 1992. Although his roots are Colombian and Mexican, his academic training at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York allowed him to understand the craft from a technical and highly demanding perspective. During his training years in the big city, he combined his studies with small roles in series such as The Affair and Blindspot.

But film doesn't forgive a lack of preparation. In 2017, he landed a recurring role in The Gifted, and shortly after he appeared in On My Block in 2018. These productions gave him a crash course in how the machinery of major American networks works before he made the leap to big-budget projects.

Nobody handed him anything.

The Cockpit of an F-18 and Real Motion Sickness

His professional turning point came with the shoot of Top Gun: Maverick in 2018 and 2019. To play Fanboy, he had to undergo water survival training and real flight sessions that caused constant vomiting among nearly the entire cast. Tom Cruise required the actors to learn how to operate the cameras inside the cockpits while flying.

Because in that film, gravity was not a special effect. Ramirez spent months studying flight manuals and enduring G-forces that would have knocked out any civilian. The premiere was delayed until 2022 due to the global health situation, but the wait was worth it, as the film grossed more than $1,400 million worldwide.

And that was his real school.

In 2021, he entered the Marvel Universe with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. His character is Joaquin Torres, a military officer with technological expertise who takes on greater responsibility after Steve Rogers retires. His on-screen chemistry with Anthony Mackie convinced producers to give him a bigger role in the franchise's future.

The New Owner of the Wings

His transition from supporting actor to leading man materialized with the production of Captain America: Brave New World in 2024. In this film, Ramirez officially takes on the mantle of Falcon. The shoot demanded a more intense physical effort than any previous job, with twelve-hour stunt days hanging from wires on green-screen sets.

But his career isn't limited to tights and shields. In 2025, he joined the cast of the second season of The Last of Us to play Manny, a character with a complex military background. This role required him to shoot in freezing locations in Canada under extreme weather conditions, reminiscent of his athletic days in Chicago.

In 2022, he also starred in the suspense thriller No Exit, playing a character with a morally ambiguous side that departed from his usual hero image. The film was shot entirely in New Zealand in a confined setting to heighten the audience's sense of claustrophobia.

The contract for promoting his projects in 2025 includes confidentiality clauses that prevent him from revealing technical details of the combat suit until the day of the premiere. His salary for appearing in major franchises has risen by two hundred percent since he left drama school.