Exclusive

Power Star J.R. Ramirez Teases Julio's Big Episode: "It's Time He Gets His Hands Dirty"

Exclusive: Power star J.R. Ramirez teases Sunday's episode of the Starz drama, working with 50 Cent and stripping down in a recent episode

By Tierney Bricker Jul 28, 2017 2:00 PMTags
Power, J.R. Ramirez, JR RamirezStarz

If it's up to J.R. Ramirez, you won't see Julio strip down on Power again any time soon.

Fans received quite the treat in a recent episode of the Starz drama when Ramirez's character Julio got it on.

 "It's funny I told my manager, if I don't have to do one of those ever again, I'll be happy," Ramirez tells E! News. "And they just laughed at me and were like, ‘Yeah right!'"

But Sunday's episode is Ramirez's "favorite" of the season, and not because he doesn't have to strip down in it. 

"I just feel like Julio this year—and especially this episode—he's just trying to make the right moves," Ramirez previews. "He's just trying to do right by the organization. He's in a pickle, he's in a hard place. People are trying to take his job away and come at him and he might have to throw some 'bows. It's time he gets his hands dirty."

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Uh-oh.

As for working with 50 Cent, who serves as a producer in addition to playing Kanan Starks, Ramirez admits the celebrated rapper has surprised him over the years.

"When I first met him, you have this kind of idea of an intimidating rapper but the guy couldn't be sweeter, more professional," he says. "He's a total jokester. I've worked with him a few times and it can be hard to get my lines out because he's always keeping things light. He's a pro, in every aspect. The guy is really smart, you have to respect him."

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While he sports a shaved head as Julio, Ramirez grows his hair out after each season, with fans failing to recognize him when he's out and about in New York City.

"It's funny because now I have hair, my hair grows like a Chia pet and it grew out pretty quickly after the show ended," he says. "Before, I would get people stopping and yelling my character's name. Now I just go on the subway and no one says a word to me. No one even looks my way, I'm like, this is nice!"

Still, since becoming a series regular in season two, Ramirez says, "Power has definitely been an immense stepping stone for me, it's opened up doors that I could only have dreamed of. I've worked really hard and I'm very grateful to the show."

—Reporting by Beth Sobol

Power airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Starz.