Ryan Guzman

Ryan Guzman has carved a dynamic path in Hollywood, transitioning from a black belt martial artist and model to a leading man known for electrifying dance films and compelling dramatic roles. His journey reveals a performer dedicated to mastering diverse skills, continually captivating audiences on both the big and small screens. From unexpected beginnings, his career continues to evolve in fascinating ways. Ryan Guzman's acting career launched with a surprising leap into dance, despite having no formal training in the art. He demonstrated remarkable versatility by seamlessly shifting from high-energy dance and action roles to intense psychological thrillers and procedural dramas. Beyond his screen presence, Guzman's athletic background and early modeling roots continue to shape his evolving public image and cross-industry appeal.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

Ryan Guzman has carved a dynamic path in Hollywood, transitioning from a black belt martial artist and model to a leading man known for electrifying dance films and compelling dramatic roles. His journey reveals a performer dedicated to mastering diverse skills, continually captivating audiences on both the big and small screens. From unexpected beginnings, his career continues to evolve in fascinating ways.

From Abilene to Hollywood

Ryan Anthony Guzman's story begins in Abilene, Texas, born to Ramón Guzmán Jr., an immigrant from Mexico, and Lisa Anne, a Californian with a diverse European heritage. His family soon moved to Sacramento, California, where Ryan spent his formative years, graduating from West Campus High School before attending Sierra College.

A Path Less Taken

During his youth, Guzman briefly explored a very different path—studying in a Catholic seminary with intentions for the priesthood. While he eventually moved away from this religious pursuit, he later spoke of a more open, personal connection to faith, including revisiting the Bible on his own terms.

Athlete at Heart

Guzman's early life was marked by intense physical discipline. He started Taekwondo at the tender age of seven, swiftly earning his black belt by ten. He also excelled in baseball throughout high school and college, but a shoulder injury and an unsuccessful surgery unfortunately forced him to step away from the sport.

Before the Big Screen: Fights and Fashion

Before his acting breakthrough, Guzman explored a dynamic range of careers. He was a mixed martial artist until his fighting license expired in 2010. Concurrently, from the age of 18, he embarked on a successful modeling career, working with prominent agencies like Wilhelmina Models and Look Model Agency.

His modeling portfolio was impressive, featuring campaigns for major brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Reebok. He also starred in numerous television commercials for household names like Old Navy and Gillette, setting the stage for his eventual pivot to performance.

The Unlikely Dancer: A Leap into Acting

In 2012, Ryan Guzman landed the lead role of Sean Asa in 'Step Up Revolution,' the fourth installment of the popular dance film series. What makes this casting remarkable? He had no formal dance training whatsoever before stepping onto the set.

Guzman described the audition process as rigorous, involving four acting and six dancing calls. He credited director Scott Speer with seeing a 'magic' between him and co-star Kathryn McCormick. He quipped, 'my first dance lesson was Step Up Revolution!'

He reprised his role as Sean Asa in the 2014 sequel, 'Step Up: All In,' the fifth and final movie in the franchise. Returning to the high-energy demands, Guzman admitted the hardest part was 'matching my skill level to the professional dancers who've been dancing for 25 years.' He leaned on the discipline and determination honed during his martial arts training to make his dance believable to audiences.

Versatility on Screen: From Thrills to Heroes

Between his 'Step Up' commitments, Guzman expanded his film repertoire with roles in 'There's Always Woodstock' and 'April Rain' in 2014. He also made his television debut, charming audiences in a recurring role as Jake in the fourth season of ABC Family's 'Pretty Little Liars.'

His character, Jake, was initially intended for just one or two episodes, but producers and the cast enjoyed his portrayal so much that the role was expanded to nine episodes. This early television success showcased his ability to develop a character that resonated with viewers.

Embracing the Dark Side

In 2015, Guzman took a bold turn into darker territory, starring opposite Jennifer Lopez in the erotic psychological thriller 'The Boy Next Door.' He played Noah Sandborn, an intelligent but dangerously obsessive student who pursues his teacher, Claire, with escalating intensity after a brief affair.

To prepare for such a chilling role, Guzman delved deep into psychological research. He explained, 'I did a bunch of research on different serial killers because I feel like serial killers are people that you don't ever see coming.' He sought to understand how they mask their true nature before revealing their 'pretty evil' selves.

Landing Major Television Roles

Guzman's first main role in a television series came with NBC's superhero drama 'Heroes Reborn,' a continuation of the beloved 'Heroes' series. He portrayed Carlos Gutierrez, a war hero living in Los Angeles with his family, showcasing his ability to lead a dramatic storyline.

Since 2018, he has become a familiar face on television as a main cast member in the popular Fox/ABC procedural drama '9-1-1.' As LAFD firefighter Edmundo 'Eddie' Diaz, Guzman has endeared himself to audiences, becoming a cornerstone of the show's ensemble.

A Growing Global Presence

Beyond his film and TV projects, Ryan Guzman has recently made waves in the fashion world, gracing the digital cover of Xmag UK in late 2024. This coincided with coverage of his action film 'Midnight,' significantly boosting his visibility across European fashion media.

Around the same time, he also appeared on the cover of DA MAN magazine in Indonesia, featured in a striking fashion-editorial spread. These high-profile appearances underscore his evolution from early brand shoots to a recognized figure in editorial fashion, cementing his broad appeal in 2024 and beyond.

Life Beyond the Lens

In his personal life, Ryan Guzman connected with Brazilian actress Chrysti Ane in 2017. The couple welcomed two children into their lives. However, in 2023, Guzman and Ane announced the end of their relationship.

Filmography: Motion Pictures

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2012	Step Up Revolution	Sean Asa	
2014	There's Always Woodstock	Dylan	
2014	April Rain a.k.a. Elite Force	Alex Stone	Premiered on Showtime
2014	Step Up: All In	Sean Asa	
2015	The Boy Next Door	Noah Sandborn	
2015	Beyond Paradise	Sebastian	
2015	Jem and the Holograms	Rio Raymond	
2016	Everybody Wants Some!!	Kenny Roper	
2018	Papi Chulo	Rodrigo	
2018	Armed	Jonesie	
2018	Backtrace	Lucas	
2019	Windows on the World	Fernando Reynoso	
2019	The Cleansing Hour	Max	
2024	The Present	Richard Addison	
Unknown	Midnight	Herrera	Post-production

Filmography: Television Appearances

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2012	Cameras	Ryan	Episode: "Walrus"
2013	Ladies' Man: A Made Movie	Brett	Television film (MTV)
2013–2014	Pretty Little Liars	Jake	Recurring role; 9 episodes
2015	Heroes Reborn	Carlos Gutierrez	Main role
2016	Notorious	Ryan Mills	Main role
2017	Chopped Junior	Judge	Episode: "Three Ring Kitchen"
2018–present	9-1-1	Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz	Main role (season 2–present)
2021	9-1-1: Lone Star		Episode: "Hold the Line"
2024	Celebrity Family Feud	Himself	Contestant; Episode: "Fantasy Sweets vs Golden Five and 9-1-1 vs Jury Duty"
2026	9-1-1: Nashville	Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz	Episode: "Spirit of the Games"

Article

Ryan Guzman

Ryan Anthony Guzman (born September 21, 1987) is an American actor and dancer. He is known for his lead roles as Sean Asa in Step Up Revolution and Step Up: All In, part of the Step Up film series, as Noah Sandborn in the psychological thriller The Boy Next Door and as Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz in the Fox/ABC procedural drama 9-1-1.

Early life

Ryan Guzman

Guzman was born in Abilene, Texas to Ramón Guzmán Jr., an immigrant from Mexico and Lisa Anne (née Hudson), a Californian with English, German, French, Dutch and Swedish ancestry, and has a younger brother, Steven. His family later moved to his mother's hometown of Sacramento, California, where he graduated from West Campus High School in 2005 and attended Sierra College.

During his youth, Guzman briefly studied in a Catholic seminary for the priesthood, before dissociating from the religion. He later said he started reading the Bible again but was more religiously open.

Guzman started Taekwondo at the age of seven and continued on to earn his Black Belt at the age of ten. He also played baseball in high school and college but was forced to give it up due to a shoulder injury and an unsuccessful surgery.

Career

Ryan Guzman

Before going into acting, Guzman was a mixed martial arts fighter, until his fighting license expired in 2010, plus a print and commercial model with Wilhelmina Models and Look Model Agency from the age of 18, when he moved to San Francisco. He modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch and Reebok, as well as starred in television commercials for Old Navy, Gillette, among others. Guzman began auditioning for acting roles and landed the lead role as Sean Asa in the fourth movie in the Step Up film series, Step Up Revolution in 2012, despite having no formal training in dancing, "my first dance lesson was Step Up Revolution." He added, it was "by luck. I think everybody was drunk when they saw me audition. No, it was a long process: four acting and six dancing auditions. The director, Scott Speer, said there was some kind of magic between me and Kathryn (McCormick) he wanted to have in the movie." He reprised the lead role as Sean Asa in 2014, in the sequel, the fifth and final installment of the film series, Step Up: All In. Coming back into the high-energy franchise, Guzman said, "The hardest thing is matching my skill level to the professional dancers who've been dancing for 25 years," adding that, "acting like I can dance is one thing, but making it believable to the audience is another. I'm training nonstop with these dancers, learning the ins and outs and everything I can to make it look like I'm as good as they are." He also credited his mixed martial arts training, "the discipline and determination I had to have for martial arts, I carry on as an actor."

Between the two Step Up films, Guzman starred in two other films in 2014, There's Always Woodstock and April Rain. He also made his television debut as a recurring cast member in ABC Family's television adaptation of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars, as Jake in the fourth season. His character was originally supposed to be on the show for only one or two episodes, he explained, "I think I got along with the cast and the producers liked how I was playing Jake, so they slowly started writing me into the show more." Jake remained in the show for nine episodes. In 2015, Guzman starred as an extremely intelligent student, Noah Sandborn, in the titular role of The Boy Next Door, an American erotic psychological thriller film, opposite Jennifer Lopez, as his teacher Claire, who he had a brief affair with at her school, and then pursued her aggressively. Guzman explained how he prepared for the role,

I did a bunch of research on different serial killers because I feel like serial killers are people that you don't ever see coming. They're these people that give off this fake life, this fake attitude. And play this game with others that are around them and hide their true nature and they slowly but surely let out their true nature. And then finally when people find out they're actually pretty evil, it's way too late.

Guzman's first main role in a television series was the NBC's superhero drama Heroes Reborn, as a continuation of Heroes. He starred as Carlos Gutierrez, a war hero who lives in Los Angeles with his brother Oscar and nephew José. In 2018, he joined the second season of 9-1-1 as a main cast member, playing LAFD firefighter Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz.

In late 2024, Ryan Guzman appeared on the digital cover of Xmag UK, coinciding with coverage of his action film Midnight and boosting his visibility in European fashion media. Around the same time, he graced the cover of DA MAN magazine in Indonesia, in a fashion‑editorial spread that highlighted his modeling roots and growing style credibility. These appearances reflect his evolution from early brand shoots for labels such as Affliction and Reebok into editorial-led fashion representation, cementing his cross‑industry appeal during 2024 and 2025.

Personal life

Ryan Guzman

Guzman in January 2016

Guzman met Brazilian actress Chrysti Ane in 2017. The couple has two children. In 2023, Guzman and Ane ended their relationship.

Filmography

Film

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2012</td><td>Step Up Revolution</td><td>Sean Asa</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>There's Always Woodstock</td><td>Dylan</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>April Rain a.k.a. Elite Force</td><td>Alex Stone</td><td>Premiered on Showtime</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Step Up: All In</td><td>Sean Asa</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>The Boy Next Door</td><td>Noah Sandborn</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Beyond Paradise</td><td>Sebastian</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Jem and the Holograms</td><td>Rio Raymond</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>Everybody Wants Some!!</td><td>Kenny Roper</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Papi Chulo</td><td>Rodrigo</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Armed</td><td>Jonesie</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Backtrace</td><td>Lucas</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Windows on the World</td><td>Fernando Reynoso</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Cleansing Hour</td><td>Max</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>The Present</td><td>Richard Addison</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TBA</td><td>Midnight</td><td>Herrera</td><td>Post-production</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Television

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2012</td><td>Cameras</td><td>Ryan</td><td>Episode: "Walrus"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>Ladies' Man: A Made Movie</td><td>Brett</td><td>Television film (MTV)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2013–2014</td><td>Pretty Little Liars</td><td>Jake</td><td>Recurring role; 9 episodes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Heroes Reborn</td><td>Carlos Gutierrez</td><td>Main role</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>Notorious</td><td>Ryan Mills</td><td>Main role</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Chopped Junior</td><td>Judge</td><td>Episode: "Three Ring Kitchen"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018–present</td><td>9-1-1</td><td>Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz</td><td>Main role (season 2–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star</td><td>Episode: "Hold the Line"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>Celebrity Family Feud</td><td>Himself</td><td>Contestant; Episode: "Fantasy Sweets vs Golden Five and 9-1-1 vs Jury Duty"</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>9-1-1: Nashville</td><td>Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz</td><td>Episode: "Spirit of the Games"</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>