[Si] TV

For Ramon Rodriguez the world is never enough; the Puerto Rican actor/musician/dancer is also pretty nice with a basketball. But what Rodriguez is most known for is his role as Renaldo on HBO's hit series The Wire. In addition, audiences will witness his funnier side this summer when he joins Matthew McConaughey in Surfer Dude. In an exclusive interview with Si Entertainment Rodriguez discusses his b-ball prowess and the final season of The Wire.

Si Ent.: So what's been the highlight of working on HBO's The Wire for you? RR: There's no doubt about it shooting this season in Puerto Rico in La Perla. We shot right in the most world renowned hood in PR, man. First of all you can't shoot in La Perla without permission from the cats that run it. There is only one way in and one way out and the cops don't even go in there. For me it was an eye opener because it looked like a Third World country. And you can throw a rock at Old San Juan where all the tourism money comes from but the worst poverty in Puerto Rico is right there. Even Michael Williams who plays Omar said, "Yo, they showed us so much love out there." I had to thank the producers of the show for that experience, because it was truly a once in a lifetime.

Si Ent.: Have you ever caught any flack from friends or family for playing a homosexual character on TV?
RR: Never, never and I'm going to be really honest with you. It's funny that you ask that because originally when I got the role I had never seen the show. But after I landed the part I did my research and realized I was going to be a part of a really good show. I remember asking Michael the same question and he told me he never got disrespected. And I think one of the reasons is because the show is so well-written. So to answer your question it was a concern of mine but I've never been disrespected. It just so happened that our first damn scene was me and Michael naked in bed, no warm-up or nothing.

Si Ent.: Is this really going to be the final year of the show?
RR: I think it is because they only gave us 10 episodes. But you're going to enjoy the rest of the season. The streets were crying when Prop Joe got murdered. It's crazy because even Barack Obama was talking about the show and how Omar was his favorite character. So it just goes to show we really have our finger on the pulse.

Si Ent.: So you're an actor, a musician, a dancer, and you're nice with a basketball. Tell me this, what don't you do?
RR: I don't do anything I'm not passionate about. Everything you just mentioned I'm very passionate about. I played basketball in college and fell in love with the trick stuff and eventually formed a group called Project Playground. Dance came in around the same time as basketball and it was something I developed a quick passion for. I grew up in a household full of women and they always tried to get me to dance, but it wasn't until much later that I took lessons with a real cool cat named Frankie Martinez that I really got the fever. So everything I'm a part of I'm real passionate about.

Si Ent.: What is your first love?
RR: Acting is definitely taking the forefront of everything for me. The deeper I get into it, the more I love it and it's been fun. For me it started with Nike commercials and then went into TV and now film. Once I started reading quality scripts like Bella I started to realize there was really good work out there. But what I also realized is that there isn't too much for Latinos out there in acting. I started by acting as the drug dealer and the negative characters all the time and then I felt the need to uplift my people and not continue to represent my people in such a negative light. So that has inspired me to get into writing. So I've been writing for the last year, trying to develop my own projects for myself and other Latinos in the business.

Si Ent.: Using projects like Latino Hoops have you had the opportunity to reach down and pull anyone out of their current situation?
RR: With basketball I've gotten to do it several times. With the group alone we've traveled all over the country with the NBA holding basketball camps for kids. And when you do tricks in front of kids they really bug out and open up to you. So once you get their attention you can talk to them and get your message across. I always bring a positive message that anything they want to do they can and I'm living proof of that. But the best thing I was able to do with basketball was to put a guy named Kenny Rodriguez down with the Harlem Globetrotters. He's amazing and he's the first Dominican to be a Globetrotter and he's now touring the country so it's a great success.

Si Ent.: So what can we expect from you in the next five years?
RR: I'm definitely going to be putting out a film that I'm writing. Just look forward to me producing quality work period. I want to put out films that everyone is going to enjoy. And of course I'm going to continue to act. I just finished a comedy called Surfer Dude with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson coming out this summer and I'm looking forward to more major roles like that. I'm looking for more quality work.

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