ComingSoon caught up with actor and musician Anthony Ramos about starring in Walmart’s new Deals of Desire series, which has been premiering on its YouTube channel. Ramos discussed his history with Black Friday shopping, his role in Deals of Desire, and much more. Walmart’s Black Friday deals are now live through December 1, and Walmart+ members can get even more benefits.
“Get ready for the hottest new drama (and Deals!) of the season. Deals of Desire is a shocking, supernatural, action-packed, historical, western drama like you’ve never seen before. There will be laughs. And there will be Deals,” says Walmart’s description.
Tyler Treese: You’re a part of the Walmart Deals of Desire campaign. I saw the trailer. It’s really over the top and fun. It’s described as a “shocking, supernatural, action-packed, historical, western drama.” That’s a lot. What kind of drew you to this? It seems like something you could work on with some talented people and have a lot of fun with.
Anthony Ramos: Honestly, man, it was just that. Like, it sounds crazy, but it sounds like it’d be a lot of fun. I was just surprised at how they wanted to shoot these little mini-movies for this. But it was like funny, like comedy, it just felt like something that would be a lot of fun to do, you know what I’m saying? I always like to show a different side, man. I like to be able to tap into the comedy and just have those moments when I can do stuff like that, which is light and fun. It was crazy, bro. We shot in this wild mansion in the valley out here in California. It was horses and all types of animals. It just felt like it could be something that could be fun.
What can we expect from your character?
I’m playing this stable boy who basically gets a glow-up and inherits this deal — he’s a Walmart+ member. It’s passed down from a relative who was lost at sea. So he inherited this membership, and all of a sudden, the princess is like, “Wait, what? You’re like a Walmart+ member? You have to come with me to the ball. You gotta be my date.” He’s like, “Wait, like me? For real? I’m just this lowly stable boy guy,” and she’s like, “Yes, you’re my man. We are going to the ball.”
It is just a lot of fun, bro. Just this guy who gets a glow-up ’cause he’s a Walmart+ member, and he is about to get early access to the deals. That’s the secret. You gotta have early access, my brother. If you don’t got early access, what are we talking about? We skipping the line.
This is leading up to the big Black Friday deals. Did you ever go into the wild crowds or are you more of a Cyber Monday guy?
Nah, bro, I’ve definitely gone crazy on Black Friday, for sure. Because the deals on Black Friday are legit, bro. You’re getting TVs at 50% off, and it’s just wild, you know what I’m saying? I haven’t been in the crowds on Black Friday in a minute. I’ve also even missed Cyber Mondays, but I would say probably a few years ago I was pretty consistent with Black Friday. I would get out there, you know what I’m saying? I’ll be in the mix. I try to get there early too in the morning so I can get all the good shit.
This is an exciting time for you. I listened to your new single, “Vicariously,” which is a beautiful track. I saw your songwriting credit as well. What do you hope people get out of that? This is a very relatable song.
Thanks, man. It’s the first song off of a bigger project that we’re gonna put out next year, man. We’re gonna start rolling out these singles for the next album. I’ve been through a lot during the last three or four years, and I think that I finally have the songs to tell the story. Then the music feels like it’s another level, and I hope people just really feel where I’m at right now in life and what I’ve been through. They could really start to kind of get a better picture of what it’s been like in the last few years, bro.
It’s just been fun, bro. Like, really flexing, you know? It’s been probably three years now, it’ll be four since I put out my second album. So, this one feels almost like a rebirth, you know what I’m saying? I’m just excited, bro. I’m using sounds I never used. I’m using vocal chains, like distortions on my voice, that I’ve never done before in my music. Like really just getting experimental with production and, and I’m always about the lyrics, and I think we take that, and really get most dope producers and get with people who are just making like really, really dope shit. This dude, Sam Homaee, produced this track, and as soon as we got in the studio that day, it was me, Sam Homaee, and Sabrina Claudio. We had that session. It was like instant, bro. The song was just writing itself.
I love the production of it. There’s a section before the last chorus where the instrumental cuts out and it’s just your voice with some distortion, and it was just such a great build there.
That’s sick. That’s what’s up. That’s what’s up. I love it. There’s all of that, bro. We’re doing all of that on this next project, bro. We are getting crazy with it.
You’re joining the MCU soon with Ironheart. When you’re doing a role like that, do you dive into like a ton of the comics? That’s such a crazy rabbit hole. There’s so much history there.
No, I didn’t really dive into the comics. I just really focused on my character, and you just follow the script. But it was also like, yo, how do I make him singular? How do I make him different? Parker Robinson in the comics is from New York. Our guy is from Chicago, our show is set there. So I just wanted to make him super dynamic. Like every character, I just see how I relate to him, and I try to put as much of myself into the character. I think that was how I looked at it. But for sure, I referenced the comics. He has a certain look, but Parker Robinson in the comics looks different than me, you know? So, it was cool being able to almost recreate this guy.
He is a real badass villain, and you’re so naturally likable. So, how is it really embracing that other side and showing your range here? I haven’t seen you as a villain too much.
Yeah, man. It is cool. I’m starting to get these bad guy roles. Even in Twisters, I wasn’t necessarily the good guy in the movie, you know what I’m saying? I think we all have that side to us, you know? I appreciate that. It’s very nice of you to say that I’m a likable guy. I appreciate that, my brother. That’s what makes it even better to play these kind of roles. Because even some of our favorite villains are still likable, right? You think about the Joker, right? There are villains in movies that you’re just like, “Dang, I really, really like this dude, but he is the worst.”
Every villain has their reasons, bro. They’ve got their reasons, whether it makes sense to you or not, and whether you agree with what they do. They’re like, “Well, I do this because of that…” My favorite part about playing a bad guy is that you really get to tap into the mind of a person who is essentially doing wrong, but they have justified why they do it. To them, their reason is legit, and it’s a good reason. So, that’s been fun exploring that with not only the Hood, but these different characters that I’m playing.
You mentioned Twisters, and that was such a sensation this summer and such a fun time in the movies. There’s some debate from people, though. They were arguing if Javi had romantic feelings for Kate. What was your read on that?
Oh, sure, for sure, a hundred percent. Yeah. He has that line. He is like, “There was a time where I’d do anything for you, Kate,” and I look at her with them eyes like, “Yo, you know I would’ve done anything for you, but you never picked me.” That kind of thing. Yeah, he is salty a little bit, but then he gets over it.
People were also divided by the lack of a kiss. I assume Javi was on Team No Kiss then?
Well, you know what? On the contrary, at the end of the movie, I’m like, “Bro, go get it.” Like, “What are you doing?” I think it would’ve been better if he would’ve kissed since it would’ve put Javi out of his misery. Now that they didn’t kiss, it’s open-ended. Now he might still have hope and think that he could probably get her. I hope we get a sequel, and then I hope someone else comes along, and then it’s like, “Oh, nevermind Kate,” you know?
What’s also crazy is you’re gonna be voicing Bob The Builder. Have you been practicing your “Can we fix it?” delivery?
Nah, bro. Not yet. We’re developing, we’re working on the script. We are really developing the story now in a bigger way. We’re already doing it, but now we got the team together, we got our studio,and now we’re getting into it in a bigger way, bro. I’m just so excited, man. I’m just grateful that I’m able to be a producer on this movie and work on the music for the film and really just like, be a part of this movie in such a big way, bro. It really is a blessing.
It’s been fun already. The team is incredible, man. Mattel Jennifer [Lopez]’s team have been great, and it’s just been dope, man. ShadowMachine is incredible, man. My manager, Jill, has just been killing this, so everybody’s just been super dope. We got a great writer named Felipe Vargas. He’s amazing, bro. He’s so phenomenal. I just can’t wait for y’all to see it. I mean, it’s gonna take a while till we make this, till we put it out because animation takes a minute, but I feel like it’s gonna be worth the wait, man.
You mentioned being a producer. How much more fulfilling is that really getting to help form these projects when you’re producing as well?
It’s really dope. Like even being an executive producer now on the Ryan Murphy show I’m doing. Like Ryan, when we first spoke, he was like, “Yo, whatever you want this character to be, we can make him. Think about whatever kind of role you’ve always wanted to play, and whatever that is, let’s try to work together to put that into this guy.” It’s just really cool being able to come into projects as more than just an actor, as a collaborator on the backend. I’m starting to produce short films, obviously bigger films like Bob The Builder, and this is what I’ve always wanted, man.
This is what I’ve always dreamt of. Even with my music, assembling the whole creative team internally. That’s the dream, man. It is being able to get to a place where you build relationships with people, and you’re able to just make calls, and people are like, “Yeah, I’m gonna pull up. Yeah, I’ll be the grip. Yeah, I’ll be the director, I’ll be the DP, I’ll work crafts, I work this, I work that, I’ll produce that. I’ll be the line producer.” All those things, man. Those are all blessings, man. Gifts, bro, that have come over time.
Thanks to Anthony Ramos for taking the time to talk about Walmart’s Deals of Desire and more.