Nomi Ruiz on Leading, Trans Role in ‘Haymaker’

Best known for her leading vocals in the dance/electronic group Jessica 6, Nomi Ruiz is now making her way to the silver screen in Nick Sasso’s feature film, Haymaker.

Tapped to be involved by Sasso himself, the romantic drama follows a music star, who like the actress is trans, of Puerto Rican descent, and named Nomi. After an attack, she hires and then falls for her bodyguard, a retired, Muay Thai fighter who is preparing for a return to the ring.

Ruiz says playing this role is a high point of pride for her career because, although the character is complex and layered, her trans identity is not the primary focus. It is simply a fact, which can be considered a refreshing take on a story that includes LGBTQ people. Ruiz also wrote original music for the movie, including a smooth, catchy 1990s R & B-influenced collaboration with Sam Sparro, “Like A Ghost,” and served as a producer.

OFM had the opportunity to chat more with Ruiz about Haymaker and how significant the role of Nomi is.

Hi, Nomi! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me. You are making your feature film debut in Nick Sasso’s Haymaker. How exciting is this for you?
It is super exciting! I never thought I would see myself on the silver screen. It has been a real journey and something that I am very much looking forward to.

Without giving too much away, can you tell us more about the film?
Yes! It is about these two unlikely characters that cross paths. One is from the world of Muay Thai who is retired and becomes a security guard at a nightclub, and the other is an international pop star. They cross paths one night in a club when he saves her from being attacked. They then sort of go on this journey of self-discovery unexpectedly through each other. There is a bit of drama, a bit of romance, all the things.Why did you want to be involved with a film like Haymaker?
Nick pitched it to me, and he is very passionate about it, and I love how progressive it felt. I have never seen a film where there is a trans woman and the film is not exploiting it. It is not focused on being trans or the complexities of it.

It just moves forward and sort of dives into other things, like romance and careers. I think that is what was important to me. I was proud to support that project in general, and then to have the opportunity to be in it and have my music in it, it felt like perfect timing.

What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
I hope people feel seen. I hope young, cis boys see it and feel free to love who they love. Men who are trans amorous, I hope it gives them a little bit of hope. A lot of times, I feel as if men need permission to be vulnerable. So, I hope this sort of gives them a little bit of permission, and I also hope that trans women are inspired to see someone like them who have a successful career and their complexities go beyond them being trans.

I just hope people feel seen, and have fun, too. It is a fun film. I talk a lot about these deep meanings and aspirations for what people get from the film, but it is also just fun.

With this being your first feature film, what have you personally taken away from this experience?
I really have a newfound love and respect for actors in general. I think the craft is very beautiful and a powerful medium. It is therapeutic. It was not easy, but I learned a lot about myself. Diving into different emotions from my past, and I learned more about the complexities of myself as a woman and the craft in general. I caught the bug. I want to do more and tell more stories.

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You mentioned it earlier, but you wrote original music for the film? You were also a producer, correct?
That is correct! One of the things I was telling Nick was that I think it is important to have original music for the film. I think the narrative for the character goes on the stage too. For me, as a songwriter, I always write from personal experience. So, I was wondering, what would this girl be singing about? What is she going through at the moment?

Sam Sparro and I wrote this beautiful song called “Like A Ghost,” which talks about your past sort of haunting you. The character is very much going through that throughout the film, and she sort of gets triggered at times by things or people that remind her of her past.

Also, like you said, Nomi’s trans identity is not at the forefront of her character. Do you think movies are starting to move away from making sexual identity and gender the sole focus on LGBTQ characters?
I think it is moving in that direction, but I think they may be diving even deeper to tell more authentic stories. Like, really getting into the grit of our experiences. I hope that, when we do focus more on our bodies and experiences, they really get into the grit of it and the nitty gritty reality of it. Then I do hope that we can move forward and just be and see romantic comedies with a trans lead and it not be a big deal. It is beautiful. We are also desirable and loveable. I hope to see more of that too.Do you believe a film like Haymaker will be beneficial in giving visibility to the community?
Definitely. Anything where we are seen in a beautiful, authentic light is helpful. We all want that. I never had that growing up. I did see films with trans narratives, but they were all shrouded in shame. Looking back, I realize now that I took on a lot of that internalized shame. It is something I had to learn how to deal with while growing up. Now, it is great that we can see films with trans characters, and they are joyful, complex, and just going through the natural human emotion. Not being shrouded in shame and darkness.

Have you done anymore acting since Haymaker?
Yes, and I will continue to do so. I want to develop my own projects and tell my story more through acting and writing. It is definitely a tool I am going to also utilize alongside my music to tell stories and connect with my fans and audience.

Millions of people know you for your music and being the lead singer of the band Jessica 6. You are also an outspoken critic about discrimination in the music industry, and you have written several published essays about sexual identity and gender. What more do you hope to accomplish with your platform?
I hope we can see more binary trans women of color in the music industry succeed. I think we have not really been allowed to share our voices in this industry. I am very thankful to be a successful, independent artist, but I think we should also be able to have access to the main stage along with everyone else and tell our stories and music.

There are so many beautiful voices out there, I just want to hear more. So, I really hope the music industry starts to also be progressive with the co-sign as well.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects, or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
My solo record is going to come out soon, finally! It is called Jet Black. The first single was released last year, but it was delayed because of COVID, but I am ready to unleash it. So, look out for that!

Haymaker is now available to view on Apple TV and iTunes. To stay up-to-date with Ruiz, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify, or visit her official website.

Photos Courtesy of Pedro Quintana