Sara Ramírez | |
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 Ramírez in 2008 | |
| Born | Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (1975-08-31)August 31, 1975 (age 50)[1] Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico |
| Citizenship |
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| Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse | |
Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (Spanish:[ˈsaɾaeˈlenaraˈmiɾesˈbaɾɣas]; born August 31, 1975) is an American actor, singer and activist. Born inMazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved from Mexico to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from theJuilliard School.
Ramírez began acting inBroadway productions, making their[a] debut inPaul Simon'sThe Capeman, and later ventured into film and television roles. Ramírez's breakthrough came with their portrayal of the originalLady of the Lake in the 2005 Broadway musicalSpamalot, winning theTony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. OnGrey's Anatomy, they portrayedCallie Torres, one of the longest-running LGBT characters in US television history, appearing in 11 seasons and 239 episodes.[b] Ramírez's volunteered addition of the character's bisexuality marked one of the earliest series regular queer roles on primetime television. After departing from the series, Ramírez came out as bisexual and laternon-binary, usingthey/them pronouns. They later portrayed the bisexual and non-binary roles ofKat Sandoval onMadam Secretary and Che Díaz onAnd Just Like That....
Ramírez debuted as a voice actor in the 1999PlayStation video gameUm Jammer Lammy, where they voiced its title character Lammy in a spin-off toPaRappa The Rapper. They also voiced Queen Miranda in theDisney Junior animated seriesSofia the First (2012–2018). Ramírez released their first single "Silent Night" in 2009. Theirself-titled EP debuted at number 37 on theBillboard 200 in 2011.
Ramírez's extensive campaigns forLGBT rights won theAlly for Equality Award from theHuman Rights Campaign Foundation in 2015. In addition to the Tony Award, Ramírez has also been the recipient of aScreen Actors Guild Award and aSatellite Award, among other accolades.
Sara Elena Ramírez was born on August 31, 1975,[1] inMazatlán, Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico. Both of Ramírez's parents areMexican. When Ramírez was eight years old, their parents divorced, and Ramírez went to live with their mother,[3] eventually settling inTierrasanta, San Diego, California.[4][5] Ramírez's interest in music encouraged their mother to send them toSan Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, where their singing talent was discovered during an audition.[3] Ramírez started acting in stage productions in high school.[6]
After roles in the playsInto the Woods,Hello, Dolly!, andAnnie,[6] Ramírez was recommended to study drama atJuilliard School, from which they graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.[3] While at Juilliard, Ramírez further worked on their acting skills and trained as a vocalist.[7] Ramírez speaks bothSpanish andEnglish fluently.[8]
While still at Juilliard, Ramírez was discovered by a casting director and was offered the role of Wahzinak inPaul Simon's 1998Broadway musicalThe Capeman.[9] Based on the life of the Puerto Rican gangster Salvador Agron, the production garnered negative reviews. They made their screen debut in the same year, with a minor role in the romantic comedyYou've Got Mail.[10] StarringTom Hanks andMeg Ryan, the film had Ramírez play Rose, aZabar's cashier who was "very serious about her line's cash-only policy."[11]
Ramírez's first voice acting role was the titular protagonist of Lammy, an anxious guitarist, in the 1999 video gameUm Jammer Lammy. The game was a guitar-based spin-off ofPaRappa the Rapper exclusive to Sony'sPlayStation console, involving Lammy getting to her band's concert within a tight fifteen-minute window.[12] In 2001, they reprised their role inPaRappa the Rapper 2, a series sequel developed forPlayStation 2, but had a smaller role involving a cameo appearance during the song "Hair Scare".[12][13] Ramírez also voiced Lammy in promotions for the CD release of in-universe girl band MilkCan's albumMake It Sweet!, andFMV cutscenes included in the arcade version of the game entitledUm Jammer Lammy NOW!.[14]
In 1999, Ramírez appeared in Mark Lamos'sThe Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (1999). They garnered praise for their performance and received anOuter Critics Circle Award nomination for their role. Charles Isherwood ofVariety praised their "beautiful, smoky voice" but was critical of their "torchy" performance of "The Man I Love," which ignored "the wry irony that infuses Ira's lyrics".[15] Ramírez then appeared in the 2001 Broadway production ofEdward Kleban'sA Class Act. They replaced Julia Murney (from theoff-Broadway) to play the role of Felecia, the protagonist Ed's boss.[16] The same year, they starred in other productions includingFascinating Rhythm andDreamgirls, and then performed in the 2002 production ofThe Vagina Monologues withTovah Feldshuh andSuzanne Bertish.[17] During this time, Ramírez also appeared in guest roles in several television series, includingNYPD Blue,Law & Order: SVU,Third Watch, andSpin City among others.[18]
Ramírez's breakout role came upon being cast as the Lady of the Lake inEric Idle andJohn Du Prez's musicalSpamalot.[19] Based on the 1975 filmMonty Python and the Holy Grail, the musical opened on Broadway in 2005 to widespread acclaim.[20] Ramírez was singled out for their performance, winning several awards including the 2005Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and theDrama League Award for Distinguished Performance.[citation needed] Ben Brantley ofThe New York Times described them as "a toothsome devourer of scenery",[21] and another reviewer for The Playgoer emphasizing their stage presence remarked that their "intensity is totally serious and totally ludicrous and totally on key".[22] AnEntertainment Weekly review gave them the highest praise by calling them a show-stealer.[23]
After success on Broadway, Ramírez joined the cast of theABC medical dramaGrey's Anatomy in a recurring role asDr. Callie Torres, a love interest for Dr.George O'Malley, in the show'ssecond season. On a specialGrey's Anatomy-themed episode ofThe Oprah Winfrey Show, Ramírez revealed that top executives from ABC, who were greatly impressed by their performance inSpamalot, offered them a role in any ABC show they wanted. Ramírez pickedGrey's, as they were already a fan of the show.[24] Ramírez further explained that at their initial audition, the producers liked them and intended to add them to the show but did not know who to cast them as.[25] Ramírez also said they were in awe of how the executives said, "Pick a show, any show," explaining that it is rare.[26] The series creator and executive producer,Shonda Rhimes explained, "I was looking for a girlfriend for George, but it was in the infancy stages, so I had no idea what I was looking for." Rhimes built the character around Ramírez after Rhimes met them.[27] Ramírez, who was initially given a recurring status at the time of the character's inception, received a star billing in the show'sthird season, alongside fellow cast memberEric Dane, who portrayedDr. Mark Sloan.[28]
Ramírez provideda cappella vocals in the song "Silent Night" for the soundtrack of the show's sixth-season episode "Holidaze," airing on November 19, 2009. Ramírez served as the main vocalist for the musical episode ofGrey's Anatomy, "Song Beneath the Song", which aired on March 31, 2011. Marcus James Dixon of Gold Derby called them the "show-stopper" and wrote that they "stole the show in a gut-wrenching performance worthy of anEmmy award."[29]
As the series progressed, the character's popularity soared and Ramírez garnered widespread recognition and critical acclaim for their portrayal of a complex character on television.[30] Maggie Fremont, a TV critic forVulture, reviewed Ramírez andJessica Capshaw's performances during an 11th season episode, calling them "goddesses walking amongst mere mortals".[31] Ramírez was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series at theAlma Awards in 2007 and 2008.[32] Also in 2007, at the13th Screen Actors Guild Awards, the cast of Grey's Anatomy received theAward for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[33] They and the cast were nominated for the same award in 2008.[34] In 2011, at the 42ndNAACP Image Awards, Ramírez was nominated forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.[35]
In May 2016, Ramírez left the show at the conclusion of the 12th season, after having played the character for a decade.[36] They released a statement saying, "I'm deeply grateful to have spent the last 10 years with my family atGrey's Anatomy and ABC, but for now I'm taking some welcome time off."[36] Rhimes wrote of Ramírez's work on the show, "Dr. Callie Torres came into our lives dancing it out in her underwear almost a decade ago, and I could not be happier or more proud of her journey. Sara Ramírez's performance inspired me as well as millions of fans each week."[37]
Ramírez turned producer with the 2016 teen comedy film,Loserville. The project was released in partnership with the Pacer Foundation's Center for Bullying Prevention & Stomp Out Bullying.[38]
From 2017 to 2019, Ramírez co-starred in the fourth and fifth seasons of theCBS political dramaMadam Secretary, replacingBebe Neuwirth, who played Nadine Tolliver. They played Kat Sandoval, the new policy advisor of SecretaryElizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni).[citation needed]
In 2021, Ramírez was cast as non-binary podcast host and comedian Che Díaz in theSex and the City revival seriesAnd Just Like That.... The character of Díaz has received universally negative reviews from fans and critics, with Kevin Fallon ofThe Daily Beast calling them "the worst character on TV."[39]
On June 27, 2011, Ramírez got engaged to longtime boyfriend Ryan DeBolt, a business analyst at TIMEC in Paris, France.[40] They were married on July 4, 2012, in a private beachside ceremony in New York.[41][42] On July 6, 2021, Ramírez announced in an Instagram post that they had separated from DeBolt.[43] In June 2024, Ramírez filed for divorce from Ryan DeBolt, three years after announcing the couple's separation, citing irreconcilable differences as reason for the split. Ramírez also requested the pair's assets be divided per theirprenuptial agreement.[2]
In September 2016, Ramírez donated their hair toLocks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children who suffer frommedical conditions that lead to hair loss. Afterward, they sported a buzz cut, styled as anundercut.[44]
In October 2016, Ramírez described themself asqueer andbisexual at theTrue Colors Fund's 40 To None Summit (now known as the Impact Summit)[45] in Los Angeles, California.[46][47] In an email tothe Huffington Post, they wrote that their decision to come out publicly was a "very organic and natural" one.[48]
In August 2020, Ramírez uploaded a photo toInstagram wherein they came out asnon-binary, writing:
In me is the capacity to be
Girlish boy
Boyish girl
Boyish boy
Girlish girl
All
Neither#nonbinary
Prior to this post, they had updated theirTwitter and Instagram biographies to reflectshe/they pronouns,[49][50] which were changed tothey/them sometime in 2021.[2]
Ramírez released their first single, a rendition of "Silent Night", in 2009.[51] The song was featured in the tenth episode of the sixth season ofGrey's Anatomy. Their debutself-titled extended play (EP) came out in March 2011 on theiTunes Store under the label of Atrevida Records. The EP included four songs, including a cover of "The Story", which was originally recorded byBrandi Carlile for her2007 album of the same name. Two of the three songs were co-written by Ramírez and the album's writer-producer Rob Giles.[52][53]Sara Ramirez debuted at number 37 on theBillboard 200, number 9 onBillboard'sIndependent Albums chart, and number 38 on theCanadian Albums Chart.[54][55][56] "The Story" debuted the same week at number 69 on theBillboard Hot 100, number 72 on theCanadian Hot 100, and number 34 on theIrish Singles Chart.[54][57][58] Soundtracks forMonty Python's Spamalot (2005) andGrey's Anatomy: The Music Event (2011) were released under the labels ofDecca Records andABC Studios respectively.[59][60]
Ramírez is an activist and extensively campaigns forLGBT rights. They are a member of the True Colors United board of directors and The Task Force, and the San Diego, New York, and San Francisco LGBT Centers. They spoke in support of homeless LGBTQ youth at a True Colors Fund conference.[48] In addition, Ramírez supports other groups includingBiNetUSA, Bisexual Organizing Project,American Institute of Bisexuality, NDLON, and Mujeres De Maíz.
In 2015, they were awarded theAlly for Equality Award by theHuman Rights Campaign Foundation.[citation needed]
In 2023 and 2024, Ramírez became a vocal activist in support ofPalestinian liberation, participating in various protests organized byACT UP New York.[61]
Ramírez won theTony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical and theOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for their performance asLady of the Lake in the 2005 Broadway musicalSpamalot.[18] They gained widespread acclaim for their portrayal of Dr. Callie Torres in ABC's medical dramaGrey's Anatomy. They garnered nominations for the Best Actress at theNAACP Image Award, theALMA Award, and won theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[35][32][33]
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [54] | US Indie [55] | CAN [56] | ||
| Sara Ramirez |
| 37 | 7 | 38 |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [54] | US Heat. [62] | CAN [57] | FRA [63] | IRL [58] | |||
| "The Story" | 2011 | 69 | 2 | 72 | 94 | 34 | Sara Ramirez |
| "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. | |||||||
| Title | Soundtrack details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [64] | US Indie [65] | ||
| Monty Python's Spamalot (Original Broadway Cast Recording) |
| 69 | — |
| Grey's Anatomy: The Music Event |
| 24 | 5 |
| "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. | |||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
