Empowerment Series: Mexican Actress, Writer & Tedx Speaker, “New Amsterdam, In the Summers, Seven Cemeteries,” Emma Ramos Shares Secret with AW

Emma Ramos was born and raised in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. It is a place known for its violence and notorious cartels. Despite the terror endured by its residents, her parents made sure to fill childhood memories with beautiful sunsets and great seafood. Her father saw life through the lens of humor and together with her mother, they showed her the happy side of life.

The Mexican Actress has an impressive portfolio of acting credits including recurring roles in hit television dramas like New Amsterdam, Law & Order SUV, The Endgame, and Unforgettable. You can also see her in the feature film, In the Summers, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She is set to star in the upcoming “Seven Cemeteries” with Danny Trejo.  Emma added Writer to her resume with Nickelodeon’s DORA!

Emma’s TEDx talk, “Muerta de risa. No muerta” (Dying of laughter. Not dead.) is as powerful, as it is impactful. She shares an account of her own “Secuestro Express,” a reference to the Venezuelan film from 2005 that follows the kidnapping of a young girl and boyfriend in Caracas, Venezuela. 

Emma’s incident took place in Mexico. It left her with an emotional and painful secret that she kept for 20 years. Instead of letting it poison her, she opted for resilience and turned tragedy into comedy. Today, she draws from personal experiences to reveal her character’s emotional truths.

AW sat down with Emma for a candid interview about the traumatic experience. We discussed how the moment changed her, the TEDx talk, family, and more.

I watched your TEDx talk. Powerful! For anyone not familiar with your story, would you share what happened to you? I was not an actress nor a US citizen, yet, when this took place. It happened during a change in administration in the country. While living in Mexico City, three men disguised as taxi drivers carried out, what is referred to as an express kidnapping. The kidnappings revolve around one man picking up a fare. Once a passenger enters the cab, the two other men jump inside the car and hold you at gunpoint. The goal of the kidnappers is to overwhelm the victim’s nervous system while in their custody. It presents the opportunity to take any valuables in your possession. Also, these crimes are predominantly led by males, and female victims are threatened with physical abuse or violence.

In the three-hour ordeal, which felt like a lifetime, they took my ID to threaten my family to get me to do what they needed. I was driven around, as they looked to withdraw cash from several cash machines. The intensity increased over hours and the last step was the “horrible thing.” I tried to negotiate my way out of the situation, even using laughter to get them to let me go. Ultimately, they dropped me off at a remote area, asked me to count to ten and now I’m here with you.

Most people would become bitter, sad, or fearful after an event like this happens. You turned your tragedy into comedy. How did you turn things around? It would seem impossible to make light of such a traumatic incident. It has to do with my dad and the way I was raised. It was a dangerous time in our town, and we were the bystanders of it. Culiacan, Sinaloa is known for its narco culture. Thanks to my parents, I know it for its beautiful sunsets and most delicious seafood. My parents were the greatest, they tried their best to keep me alive and happy. My dad confronts life through laughter. He taught me to connect through that to face the difficult times.

You have been part of lots of wonderful dramas. How did you use personal experiences to bring out your character’s emotions? Has any particular role challenged you, emotionally? I did a play called “Poison” which deals with loss. My character is part of a young couple who loses their 5-year-old child in a car accident, and then the husband leaves her. I read the play and auditioned for the role. It scared me. I played a mature woman. I don’t have children, nor do I want them, therefore, I don’t have that experience. I had to do a lot of research. It’s a play that required a lot of me, my character does the 3-act play in a cemetery. It opens with the couple reuniting after 8 years of not seeing each other. The conversation between these two characters spikes significant tension, due to so much regret and anger. The scene was challenging but satisfying to do.

AW likes to end interviews with a quote, mantra, or advice. We have millions of people on earth with heavy hearts, carrying their version of an emotional truth. What advice can you share to help them begin their healing journey? Secrets can harm and poison you. If you can find a secure connection with someone you love that you can share it with – do it, now. Don’t wait. Your body is precious. You can get sick if you ignore your thoughts. When you share your secret with someone, it helps the healing process.

AW is grateful to Emma for sharing her vulnerability and incredible story with our community. She turned a traumatic experience into an opportunity for growth and forgiveness. She learned a new definition of what it meant to be strong.

Her story is a reminder for us to keep pushing forward. Life is hard but we are more resilient than we think!

Watch the AW Confidential Podcast for the interview and sidebar conversations. Also, available on our YouTube channel.