Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub chats with Ramón Rodríguez for Prime Video’s G20.

In the movie, Ramón Rodríguez is Secret Service Agent Manny Ruiz, alongside Viola Davis as U.S. President Danielle Sutton.

Rodríguez discusses working with Davis, his past work on The Wire, and teases intense moments ahead in Will Trent.

​In Prime Video’s upcoming action thriller G20, Ramón Rodríguez takes on the role of Agent Manny Ruiz, a key figure in the efforts to thwart a terrorist takeover at the G20 summit in Cape Town, alongside Oscar-winner Viola Davis portraying President Danielle Sutton.
Rodríguez has built a diverse acting career spanning television and film, gaining recognition for his roles in acclaimed TV series such as The Wire and Rescue Me, and has appeared in notable films including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Battle: Los Angeles. More recently, he stars as the titular character in the hit ABC series Will Trent.
Rodríguez recently spoke with Collider’s Steven Weintraub about the exciting places his career is taking him, notably G20. In the interview, the pair also discuss his past work on The Wire, Michael Kenneth Williams, the experience of working with Davis, what scenes he was looking forward to (and dreading) filming in the upcoming Prime Video release, and, of course, a brief tease of what’s to come in Will Trent.
If You Haven’t Watched ‘The Wire,’ This Is Your Sign

“That was a very special experience early on in my career.”

Image via HBO

COLLIDER: I want to start with congratulations on the movie. I have a feeling this one’s going to perform for Prime Video.
RAMÓN RODRÍGUEZ: I hope so.
I’m confident. This Viola Davis character, she seems to be pretty good at her job.
RODRÍGUEZ: Oh, beyond capable. And as you’ll see in the film, and you see in the trailer, not only is she president, but she can handle herself. She can protect herself. And I think that’s a tribute to Viola, man. Beyond just in terms of acting, the physicality, what she’s able to bring to it, is really incredible.
I feel like between The Woman King and this, it’s all building towards her fighting John Wick.
RODRÍGUEZ: Exactly! Right? Yeah, that’d be awesome.

Image via Prime Video

Before we jump into a few more questions, I like throwing some fun stuff at the beginning. I’m wearing my John Candy shirt. Do you have a favorite John Candy movie?
RODRÍGUEZ: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
Same with me. Have you watched all the deleted scenes and stuff that are out there?
RODRÍGUEZ: No! I’m sure it’s worth it.
Yeah, there’s a scene that they cut where John, in the third act, is talking about how he hangs on to families in the holidays. You should watch it. It’s a beautiful scene that was not in the finished film.
RODRÍGUEZ: He’s amazing.
Nothing but positive things. Early in your career, you were on The Wire. You did eight episodes. What does it mean to you to have been on what I would feel is one of the best shows ever made?
RODRÍGUEZ: You know, that one will always stay very, very close to me. That was a very special experience early on in my career. I was spoiled early because of it. I was like, “Oh, every show is going to be like this.” And obviously you learn quickly, The Wire was one of one. Filming in Baltimore on location and obviously the cast, the writing, David Simon, and the fact that I got to act alongside what I would argue is maybe one of the best characters on television in Omar. That was really, really special. That show allowed me to go film in Puerto Rico, where I’m from, and that was incredible. I had to go back home and shoot there with Omar, with Michael Kenneth Williams — rest in peace. It was really incredible.

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Yeah, there’s a lot of talk now because they remastered it so you can watch it in widescreen, or you can still watch it in full frame, which is the way they originally shot it. So there are a lot of people online who debate what’s the proper way to watch it.
RODRÍGUEZ: The way it was originally shot, right?
Or the high-def version, which looks better, but cuts out stuff.
RODRÍGUEZ: Originally framed right because it wasn’t the original intention. I haven’t seen that one. I have seen on the DVD where they have David Simon talking you through the episodes. It’s awesome.
Anyone who’s watching this who has not seen The Wire, for the love of god, just push pause in your life and push play.
Ramón Rodríguez on Building Secret Service-Level Rapport With Viola Davis

“She’s just the best, and was willing to impart great knowledge and wisdom on her life and her career.”

So getting into G20, when you are playing a Secret Service agent, how much extra responsibility do you actually place on yourself to get it right? Even though this is a fun popcorn movie, your performance needs to be real.
RODRÍGUEZ: We had a Secret Service consultant, who was great. Greg. He was with us on set and in prep, and so I got to speak to him a lot about the process, the ins and outs. I spoke to a couple of other folks as well. And you learn very quickly how stressful this job is 24/7. Particularly if you’re on a president’s detail and how intimate that relationship really is. I mean, these agents are around the president more than the president is around their own family, and they’re seeing everything, the highs and the lows. It’s sometimes very awkward and uncomfortable, and they don’t want to be there, but they need to be physically close enough to obviously do their job at all times.
It was important for me to portray that idea of obviously being willing to put my life on the line for the president to do my job, the responsibility, the dedication. And so it’s one of the things I kind of laugh about and love. How Manny just keeps coming back. His resilience in this film. I love it. I just think it speaks to how much he cares about his job and about the president.

Image via Prime Video

We talked earlier about Viola. She’s such a gifted actor. What was it actually like working with her? Is there anything that you took away from the way she works on set that you carry with you to Will Trent or other things that you’re going to work on?
RODRÍGUEZ: She’s just so generous and gracious. Obviously, she’s a powerhouse. We met when we were training. So I was in L.A. and we started training and doing some physical martial arts in hand-to-hand combat, and that’s how we met. The first day I met her, she comes in with a big smile and open arms and gives you a hug, and you immediately feel like, “Okay, this is going to be a really safe, fun process.” And it was that.
We started rolling on the ground doing jujitsu and I thought, “How great.” What better way to build rapport in a relationship, in connection with someone, than physically being right on top of them, rolling on the ground, trying it out, because we were both new at this. We’re trying to figure it out. So it’s kind of great to start on the ground level with a new skill and learn it together, and then try to apply it on screen. But she’s just the best, and was willing to impart great knowledge and wisdom on her life and her career, but also really funny, which I maybe didn’t expect so much how funny she is and all the jokes.
We had a great time. I feel honored that I get to call her a friend, and we stay in touch. She’s just awesome. And her husband is Julius [Tennon], and they produced this together. When I watch that relationship, I’m like, “That says everything.” They’re beautiful.

Image via Prime Video

When you saw the shooting schedule, what day did you have circled because you were like, “Oh my God, I can’t wait to film this”? And what day was circled in terms of, “Oh, my God, we have to film this”?
RODRÍGUEZ: I knew the elevator fight scene was going to be huge and difficult and complicated just because of the space being in a small elevator, and trying to figure out a fight scene. It’s like fighting in a phone booth. And, so that in terms of the physicality and the demand of what that was. But what was cool was that when we started filming, that scene was quite early in the schedule, and when we rehearsed it, I could feel the buzz. People were getting excited. They saw all the work that we’d been doing, training and the previews of the stunt shooting, and I could feel them getting excited, saying, “This could be a cool scene.”
And then there’s a scene at the end with Manny and President Sutton when they’re kind of leaving each other that I thought, “If this done well, hopefully this will again underscore the heart and the relationship between these two.”
​​​​​​​Ramón Rodríguez Teases What’s to Come for ‘Will Trent’

“There’s going to be some high highs and some low lows.”

Image via ABC

Jumping into Will Trent for a second. You never really know with a show if it’s going to be a hit or not. When did you realize, “Oh, wait, this could be a hit”? And, part two is what can you tease fans about what’s coming up?
RODRÍGUEZ: I mean, you don’t know, and I’m not one to presume anything, so all I can really control is the work and trying to do quality work and trying to make sure our stories and the characters are up to par, and that we’re trying to do the best work we can. So that’s all we focused on.
And the showrunners and I – that’s all we talk about, is how do we keep elevating the stories and the character arcs here? There’s some really intense stuff coming up, is what I can tell you. I mean, for fans of the show, we just came off of a very tough episode last week. It’s going to take you on a real ride. There’s going to be some high highs and some low lows. I can’t reveal too much, obviously, but hopefully audiences will be digging what’s coming up.
G20 premieres on Prime Video April 10.

G20

Release Date

April 10, 2025

Director

Patricia Riggen

Writers

Noah Miller, Logan Miller, Caitlin Parrish, Erica Weiss

Producers

Andrew Lazar, Julius Tennon