Anthony Ramos Bio
Anthony Paul Ramos Martinez, known professionally as Anthony Ramos, is an American actor and singer born on November 1, 1991, in Brooklyn, New York City. After graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he began his career performing in regional and touring stage musicals before earning widespread recognition in the Broadway smash hit Hamilton. Over the course of his career, Ramos has built a versatile résumé that spans theatre, film, television, animated voice work, and recorded music, establishing him as one of the most recognizable performers of his generation.
Ramos first gained major attention for originating the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the original Broadway production of Hamilton, a performance that earned him a Grammy Award in 2016. He has since expanded into major Hollywood productions, including A Star Is Born, In the Heights, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and Twisters, while also lending his voice to animated features such as The Bad Guys and its sequel.
Early Life and Background
Anthony Ramos was raised in Brooklyn, New York City, where he grew up in a Puerto Rican family with African, indigenous, and European roots. He spent much of his childhood in Hope Gardens Apartments, an affordable housing complex in Bushwick, Brooklyn, living with his mother, older brother, and younger sister. His father struggled with substance abuse and was only occasionally present in his life, an experience that shaped Ramos’s close bond with his mother and siblings.
As a young student, Ramos attended Halsey Junior High School in Queens, where he sang Motown songs at school assemblies as part of a student trio. He later graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn in 2009. During his teenage years, his ambitions centered largely on baseball, and he originally hoped to play NCAA Division III college baseball before eventually pursuing a coaching career.
After high school, Ramos chose to study performing arts and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on a full scholarship funded by the Seinfeld Scholarship, run by comedian Jerry Seinfeld. He completed the musical theatre program in 2011, and the conservatory training helped him transition from a young athlete into a disciplined stage performer.
Path to Acting
Beginning in 2011, Ramos began earning roles in a variety of regional and touring musical productions, which allowed him to hone his stage presence and vocal skills. In 2012, he played Usnavi de la Vega in a regional production of In the Heights, a role that would later define a major chapter of his film career. He also performed in Heart and Lights at Radio City Music Hall in 2014, a dance show staged with the Rockettes that was eventually canceled during previews.
During rehearsals for Heart and Lights, Ramos auditioned for the off-Broadway production of Hamilton at The Public Theater, a decision that would dramatically alter the trajectory of his career. He was soon cast in the show and also appeared as Justin Laboy in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s short musical 21 Chump Street, a fourteen-minute, one-time performance recorded for the radio program This American Life on June 7, 2014.
Hamilton opened off-Broadway in early 2015, with Ramos originating the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, the oldest son of Alexander Hamilton. The musical transferred to Broadway, where it opened on August 6, 2015, and Ramos continued in the role until November 20, 2016, when he was replaced by Jordan Fisher.
Anthony Ramos Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Ramos’s early professional years were defined by touring and regional stage work, including his 2012 turn as Usnavi de la Vega in a production of In the Heights. He followed this with work on Heart and Lights at Radio City Music Hall in 2014, where he gained valuable experience performing in a large-scale production. He also collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on 21 Chump Street, a project that introduced him to one of Broadway’s most influential creators.
During this period, Ramos’s reputation as a strong vocalist and dependable stage performer began to grow within the New York theatre community. The combination of conservatory training and steady regional work prepared him for the demanding auditions that would soon follow at The Public Theater.
Breakthrough (2015–2018)
Ramos’s breakthrough arrived with Hamilton, where his performance as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton earned him a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album as part of the original Broadway cast recording. The Hamilton experience established him as a compelling leading man capable of balancing sharp acting instincts with commanding vocal delivery. He departed the production in November 2016 to pursue new opportunities on screen.
In September 2016, Ramos was cast in director Spike Lee’s Netflix comedy-drama series She’s Gotta Have It, taking on the role of Mars Blackmon. He then appeared in a supporting role in the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and directed by Cooper. In 2018, Variety also reported that he had been cast as Usnavi de la Vega in the film adaptation of In the Heights, setting the stage for one of his most personal film roles.
Continued Success (2019–2024)
In 2019, Ramos signed with Republic Records and released his debut studio album, The Good & The Bad, on October 25, 2019. The album debuted at number 21 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. He followed it with his second album, Love and Lies, released on June 25, 2021, which peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Top 200. He also released his debut solo EP, The Freedom EP, in January 2018, produced by Will Wells.
In 2021, Ramos starred in the film adaptation of In the Heights, a performance that earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He was also cast in April 2021 as the lead in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which was released on June 9, 2023. In February 2022, he was announced as Parker Robbins, also known as The Hood, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe streaming series Ironheart. He also voiced Mr. Piranha in the DreamWorks animated comedy The Bad Guys in 2022 and appeared in the disaster film Twisters in July 2024.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among his most celebrated projects, Ramos’s dual role in Hamilton stands as a defining signature work, complemented by his leading turn in In the Heights, his supporting role in A Star Is Born, and his franchise-leading performance in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. He earned a Black Reel Award nomination for Outstanding Voice Performance for The Bad Guys 2, which was released in 2025, further demonstrating his range across live-action and animation.
Anthony Ramos Award Nominations
Anthony Ramos has earned nominations from several major entertainment industry organizations over the course of his career. He received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series or Movie for the 2020 stage recording of Hamilton. He was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for In the Heights, and for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Voice Performance for The Bad Guys 2.
Anthony Ramos Awards Won
Ramos won a Grammy Award in 2016 for Best Musical Theater Album, awarded to the original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton, on which he appeared in the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton. The win was a major early milestone that helped introduce his work to audiences beyond the Broadway community.
Anthony Ramos Family
Anthony Ramos was raised in a Puerto Rican household in Brooklyn, with African, indigenous, and European ancestry, as detailed on the PBS program Finding Your Roots in 2024. On the same episode, he learned that a portion of his heritage traces back to the Canary Islands and that his sixteenth great-grandfather was Pelinor, an indigenous Guanche king of Tenerife who died in 1505. He was raised primarily by his mother, alongside an older brother and a younger sister, and his father was only occasionally present in his life.
Personal Life
Ramos met actress Jasmine Cephas Jones in 2014 during rehearsals for the off-Broadway production of Hamilton, and he confirmed their relationship in February 2015. He proposed to her on Christmas Eve 2018 in front of her favorite castle in Arundel, England, and the two were engaged from 2018 to 2021. In November 2021, they ended their engagement before officially splitting.