From her early obsession with pop culture to her breakout role on ‘American Dreams,’ Sarah Ramos brings a lifelong love of fandom to her role as in ‘The Napa Boys,’ an irreverent comedy with layered homage to franchise filmmaking.
“I believe that fandom is truly in my blood in a different way than I think the other people involved in the movie are,” Ramos says of what she brings to the film. “[Nick and Armen] have this encyclopedic knowledge of, again, every iteration of ‘Star Wars.’ I think I bring the Olsen twins filmography, Gilmore Girls, and a real respect for the duality in tones there.”
Ramos tells Awards Focus that she credits the laughter of the table read and her lifelong pop culture fandom—including experiences ranging from a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen cruise to her own podcasting—as key influences on her performance. Ramos discusses how the film’s layers, from absurd humor to cinematic commentary, kept her engaged, and shares her excitement for exploring the film again. She also reflects on her early career on ‘American Dreams,’ enduring friendships with cast and crew, and her upcoming feature directorial debut, underscoring her passion for creating and participating in bold, inventive projects.
Though billed as the latest installment of ‘The Napa Boys’ franchise, this debut film is a wild mix of ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ and ‘Sideways.’ A mysterious figure known only as The Sommelier sends a group of friends on a chaotic and comedic road trip through California wine country, blending absurd humor with affectionate nods to beloved pop culture and franchise filmmaking.
Magnolia Pictures will release ‘The Napa Boys’ in theaters in Los Angeles on February 27 and in New York City on March 6. Additional markets will follow.
Awards Focus: It’s so nice to meet you today. How are you doing?
Sarah Ramos: Hi, Danielle. I’m doing well. How are you?
AF: I’m doing well.
Sarah Ramos: Great.
AF: What was it about the script that drew you to the character of Puck in ‘The Napa Boys’?
Sarah Ramos: Oh my gosh. What a question. First of all, have you seen the movie yet?
AF: I was in Toronto. I saw it there.
Sarah Ramos: Okay, you were in Toronto. Well, thank you for being there. What was it about the script? ‘Napa Boys’ is a movie that is hard to give straight answers about. I don’t know if I had just read the script without knowing Armen. I would have completely understood what was happening. I mean, even knowing Armen, I didn’t completely understand, but I just had faith in him.
We did a table read of the script and we were all laughing so that’s really what drew me to it was the laughter.
AF: Given that the film is a spoof of franchise filmmaking and Hollywood’s obsession with franchise filmmaking and IP content, that does not surprise me. To be a fly on that wall!
Sarah Ramos: Of the table read?
AF: Yeah.
Sarah Ramos: Yes, there’s so many layers to this movie. Again, I didn’t completely understand and I’ve only seen it one time. I’ve only seen the movie at TIFF as well. I’m interested in seeing it again so I can unpack another layer.
I know Armen and Nick are serious fans of all of these franchises. So, to an extent that I don’t even have the knowledge, they really have a respect for the cinema and for these characters. In ‘Star Wars’, for example, they’re using cinematic structure and language that’s just layer upon layer deep. You could read it on one level as, haha, there are funny dick and poop jokes in this movie. And then you can also be like, wow, what a comment on the state of cinema today.
AF: And during a time when comedies just are not really getting released in cinema at the level they used to.
Sarah Ramos: Absolutely. I think this is a bold entry to the comedic, cinematic space at this time, and to the point where I was very concerned people would not understand what was happening. But then thankfully, the audience at TIFF really did get it to a degree that more than I thought possible. Everybody was just like, I can’t wait for the Napa Boys to be back. Let’s go.
AF: Given that you play a podcaster and comic book fan, was there anything in particular that you did to prepare for the role?
Sarah Ramos: I did prepare for the role with specific instructions from Armen with films to watch, but they were not podcast specific. They were to watch ‘The Village’ and to watch ‘Rudy.’ Those were inspirations for the role of Puck.
I have had my own podcast in the past with a friend of mine. We made a Jeremy Renner podcast about the Jeremy Renner app called The Renner Files. If you remember the Jeremy Renner app fiasco, it was like Instagram, but just for Jeremy Renner fans. I had a little bit of experience doing that kind of investigative podcasting as a fan. That I feel like came second nature to me.
I’m a lifelong fan of pop culture. I like to say pop culture raised me. But diving specifically into the psychology and tone of Puck in Armen and Nick’s world required studying ‘The Village’ and ‘Rudy.’
AF: With a cast of this nature, was there room for improv on set?
Sarah Ramos: There was some improvising. For instance, the poster image of us walking up a hill and dancing. That was, I think, the first thing we shot. Nick just said, “Okay, and you’re arriving in Napa and it’s amazing, and really, really dance that out.”
And again, the layers of this movie—I ’m reading the synopsis now and seeing, oh, The Sommelier has sent them all on a journey. I’m kind of like, oh, The Sommelier sent us on that journey. I see. We were arriving in Napa at the instruction of The Sommelier so we were improvising the wonder of Napa.
AF: Was there anything you brought to the character that was not on the page?
Sarah Ramos: Well, I think I brought my lifelong history of fandom. As I said, I’ve always been obsessed with pop culture. When I say my origin story began on a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen cruise—when I was 10 years old, I convinced my family to pay money to go on a Caribbean cruise that the Olsen twins attended to meet fans. It changed my life. After that, I was like, I need to become an actress.
I started attending premieres once I got cast on a TV show, but less as an actor, insider, and more as a fan where I would collect photos with celebrities at these events. I believe that fandom is truly in my blood in a different way than I think the other people involved in the movie are.
They have this encyclopedic knowledge of, again, every iteration of ‘Star Wars.’ I think I bring the Olsen twins filmography, Gilmore Girls, and a real respect for the duality in tones there.
AF: On that note, I never missed a single episode of ‘American Dreams.’
Sarah Ramos: There you go. Wow, you know!
AF: I watched it all the time and was so sad when NBC announced that the third season would be its last.
Sarah Ramos: I know. It’s so sad. I really wish it could be on streaming now. I think it would be really popular, but you may know as a fan that the music rights were so complicated because they had stars from the 2000s play stars from the 60s. They had double layers of like needing to clear the 60s music rights and then clearing the covers. I guess it was a big mess and they didn’t foresee streaming, but I think it would be a big hit.
AF: Yeah. I think so too. That’s one that I would love to rewatch if I had the chance.
Sarah Ramos: I know. Only season one is available on DVD. You can’t even access two and three.
AF: Yeah. Is it hard to believe that it’s been over two decades since the finale aired?
Sarah Ramos: Oh my gosh. I mean, yes and no, because I was in a very different period of my life. I think I was 13 when the finale aired so I was getting Bat Mitzvahed and still kind of like, what was on TV. I mean, so, no, but also the 2000s are back, you may have noticed in pop culture.
As somebody who was really obsessed with the culture at that time, but still a little shy to participate in it and dress like—I didn’t have a juicy couture jumpsuit. I’m kind of very excited for the 2000s to come back because now I feel ready to participate. I’m confident enough now.
AF: Yeah. You just mentioned getting a Bat Mitzvah. How did it feel to be Jewish and playing this character in a Catholic family?
Sarah Ramos: Oh my G-d. In ‘American Dreams,’ it was very interesting. I learned about Philadelphia. I learned about the Philadelphia accent. I learned all about the 60s. They gave us this huge packet on what to learn and it was like—I don’t really know how to answer it. I didn’t really focus on the Catholicism of it, but I was like, we’re getting dressed up and we’re going to church and that’s going to be a moment, and we have to look good to our neighbors and save face.
AF: Yeah. Is there anyone that you’ve stayed in touch with the most since the series ended?
Sarah Ramos: Yes. I love everybody from the show. I celebrated my 18th birthday with them and I kept in touch with all of them to different degrees. I still talk to Brittany Snow, who played Meg Pryor, my older sister, and I’m always excited to see her. I just watched ‘The Hunting Wives’ and ‘The Beast in Me’. She’s in everything right now.
Liz Tigelaar—she was a writer’s assistant on ‘American Dreams’ and now she’s a big time showrunner who works with Reese Witherspoon. I wrote my screenplay when I was 12 years old, ‘City Girl,’ on Liz’s computer and Final Draft. We still keep in touch, too.
AF: Yeah. Back to ‘The Napa Boys,’ how did working on the film compare to that of ‘The Bear’?
Sarah Ramos: (Laughs) Whoa. They’re very different universes. The similarities for me were that I’ve known Armen Weitzman forever and I’ve known Chris Storer forever. They both invited me to join their completely different worlds. Ever since I was a kid and this pop culture fan and entering Hollywood, that’s all I wanted to do was make stuff with my friends.
You don’t always get to do that. People aren’t always lucky enough to be successful with the stuff that they make or bold enough to get to do something creative and unique. I think I got to do that on both of these projects so maybe there’s more in common with ‘The Napa Boys’ and ‘The Bear’ than you might think.
AF: Do you ever see yourself making a feature directorial debut?
Sarah Ramos: Yes, I’m working on that now. I have my erotic thriller, ‘Zaddy,’ which I wrote as an Audible Original in 2021. We’re slogging it through the independent film trenches and looking for cash money.
AF: It was so nice to meet you and talk about ‘The Napa Boys’ and especially ‘American Dreams.’
Sarah Ramos: Nice to meet you too. I can’t believe you know American Dreams.
I’m a fan of the Beatles, so naturally I’m a fan of the 60s-era music.
Sarah Ramos: Yes.
AF: We watched all the time in a world without the DVR or TiVo.
Sarah Ramos: Wow, live!
AF: Yeah.
Sarah Ramos: Well, we’re ready. I’m ready for it whenever they figure out the streaming rights.