Anthony Ramos Is Making Running a Community Conversation

There are very few challenges that Anthony Ramos is not prepared to take on. Since his breakout role in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton in 2015, the Puerto Rican actor has forged an impressive path for himself, quickly becoming one of the most prominent Latinos in Hollywood, with standout roles in A Star Is Born and the role of Usnavi de la Vega in the film adaptation of A Star Is Born.On topHis latest project, Kathryn Bigelow's thriller House of Dynamite, recently hit theaters and is now streaming on Netflix.

In addition to acting, born-and-bred Brooklyn Boricua has also made a name for himself in music as a singer-songwriter—even going viral on TikTok with his Sergio George-produced song “I Was the One.” He is also currently writing a musical. But perhaps one of the most noticeable changes in Ramos's life lately has been his commitment to fitness and overall health—so much so that he trained for and completed his first New York City Marathon this year.

In fact, he took the challenge so seriously that Ramos partnered with Brooks Running for the marathon and trained with professional runner and Olympian Des Linden.

“This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, and one day I just woke up and was like, 'Yo, I think I want to run a marathon. I think this is the year,” Ramos tells POPSUGAR. “I just called my agents and said, 'Hey guys, I don't know if there's a partnership opportunity here, but I'm just letting you guys know that I'm doing a marathon.' And Brooks said, “We'd like to collaborate with him.”

The brand was able to provide Ramos with a coach and full sports equipment. Although he was unable to train with Des Linden in person because they live in different cities, Linden sent Ramos a message every week with that week's training plan. According to him, Ramos's only goal was to get to the finish line.

“That’s really all I wanted to do,” he continues. “I mean, I wanted to get over the finish line. It was really hard. It was really hard. It was hard on the body. When they tell you, 'Mind over matter,' it's really all mental. It really is. You just have to keep moving forward. You have to tell your body that it can do it, because your body wants to stop.”

Ramos also ran a marathon the day after his birthday. “I turned 34,” he says. “The past year has been full of difficult decisions. Life decisions and a lot of moments where I think, “Okay, I really need a lot of faith. I don't know if this is the right decision, but it feels like it is, so I have to do it.”

Ramos took this opportunity to encourage members of the Latino community to consider running away. Since his breakout role, the actor has become beloved by the Latino community for how deeply he embraces his Puerto Rican roots and identity, often highlighting them as his strengths. He has spoken candidly in the past about how industry insiders have advised him to erase his past or work on presenting himself as more “ethnically ambiguous” and “less Latino.” So for Latinos, Ramos taking on the challenge of running a marathon is another example of what we are capable of. He acknowledges that he also understands the economic and systemic barriers that can sometimes stand in the way of Latinos prioritizing their health.

“I didn't grow up in a home that said, 'We eat quinoa and let's watch our weight.' We ate whatever we could afford,” says Ramos. “Mom was creative with what she could afford, and yes, she made sure we had salad with everything we ate, but whatever she could afford that week, we ate.

He says that while training for the marathon, he was forced to eat a healthy and nutritious diet, which made him much more aware of his food choices and the importance of balance. “We can still eat our food and eat the food that we love, the food that we grew up with and the food that is part of our culture, but there is also a certain level of work to keep our bodies in good shape so we can enjoy things like coquito from time to time,” he says.

Running has not only kept Ramos physically healthy; he also noticed a significant difference in his mental health and overall well-being.

“Some of the runs were emotional for me. When you're outside and just moving around by yourself, your body is under pressure and it naturally releases,” he says. “Whatever is holding it back from continuing to do what you ask, it will release.

“And you're like, maybe I need to let this person go, or I need to stop doing this job, or I need to call that person I haven't talked to in a long time. I have to fix this relationship. Whatever is pressing on you, you will feel it when you run.”

He is currently planning to run the marathon in Puerto Rico next March, a place that has great meaning to him.

“I think my first two places I ran are the places that made me. I was born in New York and by way of Puerto Rico. My grandmother came to New York and started life here in the 50s,” Ramos shares. “She is from Naguabo and my father’s family is from Bayamón. Puerto Rico means a lot to me. This is my other home besides New York. Miami is where I live now, but Puerto Rico is still home to me, and I think it means a lot to me to run there—to run those streets and feel that energy.”

Ramos celebrated his marathon with friends and family at his new restaurant. Milly's Neighborhood Bar, located in Bed-Stuy. The restaurant is named after his mother, Mildred Ramos, and is inspired by her community-minded hospitality.

“My mom always accepted everyone when we were growing up. She had a two-bedroom apartment in a project in Brooklyn, and it seemed like we barely had enough space, but she would always say, “Oh, the cousins ​​from Puerto Rico are coming for two weeks. They will stay here,” he shares. “I always asked: “Where?” But she always made it work. If it was someone’s birthday, my mother would raise her hand and say, let’s do this. She and my Aunt Lucy.”

Ramos says that although his mother doesn't work at the restaurant, she is almost always there, hanging out with family, friends and locals. Millie even has her own corner where you can usually find her.

“She brings her friends with her. This is our place to just have fun,” he adds.

Ramos says that in addition to paying close attention to nutrition and staying in good physical shape, he also relies on therapy and spirituality to stay afloat.

“I thank God for everything. Without God I am nothing. I also have an amazing therapist,” he shares. “Donna has been in my life for four years now. Honestly, she's just been incredible at teaching me skills and also teaching me how to communicate better, how to get information from people better, and how to adapt to different people's personalities.”

As for what he wants people to take away—not just from his career, but from his story in general—Ramos says he wants people to see him as someone who takes risks and is intentional about his roles and the art he creates.

“I want people to see that there's always something deeper behind the roles I play, whether it's a romantic comedy or a thriller like House of Dynamite or Transformers or In the Heights,” he says. “I want people to see that I choose my roles intentionally, because I really am.” It’s just about being intentional about your life in general.”

Johanna Ferreira is the content director of PS Juntos. With over 10 years of experience, Joanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latinx culture. She previously spent nearly three years as deputy editor of HipLatina and has freelanced for numerous publications, including Refinery29, The Oprah Magazine, Allure, InStyle and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on issues of Latina identity.