SAG nominations: Edgar Ramirez on 'Carlos'

Edgar Ramirez is amazed to be on such a streak with his film "Carlos," which played as a miniseries on television and, in an edited format, as a theatrical release. First came a Golden Globe nomination and, on Thursday, a SAG nomination.

"I was very surprised and just one day after finding out the announcement of the Golden Globe nominations; it’s surreal," Ramirez said Thursday morning. "It’s been a great week. And actually, yeah, the most beautiful thing is that it’s recognition that comes from your peers. That is beautiful. They appreciate it and internally understand what it means to be an actor and invest yourself in portraying a character."

And although creating the film itself is reward enough, it doesn't hurt to be recognized for the achievement. "Absolutely. This is the glaze over the cake? How do you say? This is the icing on the cake," said the Venezuelan actor. "Because you don’t do movies or make movies expecting for these kind of things to happen. It is not real, it is not healthy, it is not the reason why you want to make movies and why you choose projects. You do it because they speak to you, because they confront you and inspire you."

As a newcomer to the awards scene, Ramirez thinks he'll be as much a fan as he is an actor. "I’m a total newbie. I don’t really know what to expect. I’m gonna try to experience it moment by moment,  but there are gonna be -- just in my category -- there are some of the actors that I respect the most and I’m gonna talk to them. Dennis Quaid, we worked together, and I’m very happy to be there with him."

-- Amy Kaufman

Photo: Edgar Ramirez. Credit: Associated Press