Ryan Guzman is a former MMA fighter who caught the attention of Hollywood, transitioning into an acting career. He stars in the ABC drama "9-1-1" as Eddie Diaz, and the show has become the number one drama in prime time for adults 18-29 since switching from FOX to ABC.
Born in Texas and raised in Sacramento, Ryan Guzman never considered becoming an actor. At the age of seven, he developed an interest in martial arts, earning his first black belt in Tae Kwon Do by ten. This led him into the octagon as a MMA fighter in Sacramento until his fighting license expired. He was also a gifted athlete, with a fastball clocked between 87-90 miles per hour, but a shoulder injury ended his career, which transitioned into print modeling and acting.
Guzman worked successfully in San Francisco, starting with LOOK Modeling Agency at 18, and later in Los Angeles, joining the esteemed Wilhelmina Agency at 22. He modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch, Affliction, and Reebok among others, and starred in television commercials for Old Navy, Gillette, Candies, and the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Ryan Guzman has cultivated a thriving career in both television and film. He began his journey in the film industry as the male lead in "Step Up Revolution" (Lionsgate),which launched his career. Following the film's success, he took another lead role in the indie film "Beyond Paradise" and appeared in supporting roles in indie projects such as "There's Always Woodstock" and "April Rain."
He reprised his role as 'Sean' in "Step Up: All In," starring alongside Briana Evigan from earlier installments of the franchise. Ryan's career elevated when he starred as the male lead opposite Jennifer Lopez in the Universal Studios thriller "The Boy Next Door" and starred as the male lead in the iconic 80's live-action remake of "Jem and the Holograms," playing 'Rio Racheco,' the road manager and love interest for Jem.
Ryan joined the lead cast in "Everybody Wants Some," the sequel to "Dazed and Confused," from writer and director Richard Linklater, that centers around a group of guys on a baseball team in the 80s. The film released to great reviews. Guzman continued on to star alongside Sylvester Stallone in "Backtrace," opposite Edward James Olmos in the indie thriller "The Cleansing Hour," and in the family comedy "The Present" alongside Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear.
On television, Ryan Guzman has recurring roles in the hit ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars" and a series regular role in NBC's "Heroes Reborn." He booked his first leading TV role in ABC's "Notorious" alongside Piper Perabo, and soon after joined the smash hit "9-1-1" as the series regular 'Eddie Diaz.' He has also guest starred on "9-1-1: The Lone Star" as his "9-1-1" character 'Eddie.'
Ryan Guzman has spent his career advocating for his Latino community, being awarded the Horizon award from the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts in 2017, and the city of Sacramento proclaiming May 15th "Ryan Guzman Day" in 2019.
Ryan currently resides in Los Angeles.
