In a Hollywood once haunted by stereotypes—the rough-and-tumble Latino, the drug dealer, the cold-blooded assassin—Ramón Rodríguez is quietly making a difference.
Not only has he become the star of the hit detective series Will Trent, but he’s also redefining what it means to be a Latino actor: not stereotyped, not over-the-top, but real, multi-dimensional, and deep. Ramón was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and grew up in New York. Like many Latinx actors, he soon realized that leading roles in Hollywood were rare, especially roles that weren’t stereotyped.
In his early days, Ramón was often cast as a criminal, a petty thief, or a dangerous man with a dark past. But instead of accepting any script to “get a role”, he persistently selected and refused roles that did not reflect the values of the Latino community.
“I wanted complex roles. Roles that showed that Latinos have aspirations, pain, love, and depth like anyone else.” – Ramón Rodríguez shared.
Will Trent: The Hero Image Revolution
The role of Will Trent is a milestone. This is a rare time for a Latino actor to play the male lead in a long-running crime series on ABC – a major American television channel.
Will is not a typical “impulsive Latin male”. On the contrary, he is:
A complex, intelligent, and sensitive agent
A man scarred by childhood, always trying to heal his wounds
A character whose deep appeal does not come from muscles or violence
Ramón portrayed Will with subtlety and authenticity, making the audience sympathize with the character’s loneliness and determination.
Freedom to define the male lead image
Ramón Rodríguez did not just “play a role”, he actively redefined it.
He participated in developing the script to give the character of Will cultural depth.
He shared his Latino experience with the screenwriter to eliminate stereotypes.
He tried to show Will not only as “a Latino” but also as “a human being”, first and foremost.
Thanks to that, Will became a rare character model in American films – a complex, vulnerable, and lovable Latino hero.
Overcoming Industry Stereotypes
It took Hollywood decades to make strides like:
Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian
Oscar Isaac in Dune and Star Wars
Diego Luna in Andor
But for the most part, Latino representation on screen has remained limited. Ramón Rodríguez’s success has added a new voice: Latinos are not side characters. They can be the center of a story, the lead of an entire series, and loved by audiences around the world.
Latino Community: A Cause for Pride
The Latinx community in the US has been enthusiastically supportive of Ramón. On Twitter, many fans shared:
“So proud to see a Puerto Rican actor in a lead role and doing something so amazing.”
“Will Trent is proof that Latinos deserve to be front and center.”
“Thank you Ramón for not settling for stereotypical roles.”
Ramón Rodríguez’s Future
After the huge success of Will Trent, Ramón is receiving many invitations for big projects, from movies to new series. But he still affirms:
“I will only choose roles that make me proud, that make my community proud.”
It is this determination that makes Ramón Rodríguez the model of the modern Latino male protagonist: Independent, complex, and free to define himself.
