Edgar Ramirez

Actor Edgar Ramirez specialized in playing thuggish, brutal types onscreen -- an image he used to portray characters on both sides of the law with great effectiveness. Growing up in his native Venezuela, Ramirez originally planned to enter a career on the landscape of global politics, as an outlet for his fascination with the human condition. Instead, he caught the drama bug early on (when a university professor felt impressed by Ramirez's work in a student film and suggested that he continue acting), and in fact warmed to it for the same basic reason -- because it gave him an opportunity to explore different perspectives, scenarios, and ideas. In the mean time, Ramirez did in fact involve himself in Venezuelan politics, specifically in the organization Dale al Voto. The actor appeared onscreen in Spanish-language productions in the early 2000s, but signed for his first major international crossover role as a bounty hunter in Tony Scott's hell-raising actioner Domino (2005). Ramirez followed this up with a high-profile turn as a nasty hit man who marks Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) for death in Paul Greengrass' The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and appeared in a small supporting role in the political thriller Vantage Point (2008), starring Dennis Quaid and Forest Whitaker.