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- Sara Ramirez And Ex Ryan DeBolt Had a Clean Split
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Sara Ramirez is known for their roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Madam Secretary, and Just Like That. Ramirez met husband-to-be Ryan DeBolt at a Grey’s after-after-party, and there was an instant connection between the two. Ramirez has called DeBolt their soulmate. In 2011, Grey’s Anatomy fans were delighted when news broke that during a romantic trip to Paris, the business analyst proposed and the actor accepted.
The couple was married a year after getting engaged, exchanging vows in a private ceremony on a beach in New York. Yet by 2021, Sara and Ryan announced their divorce.
UPDATE: 2023/03/06 16:31 EST BY LANE VASQUEZ
Sara Ramirez And Ex Ryan DeBolt Had a Clean Split
Sara Ramirez and husband Ryan DeBolt quietly called it quits after almost a decade of marriage. Later, Sara revealed the two had split long before the public announcement—but that they're still friends.
Sara Ramirez's Acting Career Paralleled Their Personal Life
The Just Like That actor has spoken about how, growing up, they had to conform to dressing in a certain way, which felt wrong for them. It was when a school teacher heard them sing, that things changed, and they could start being themself.
Cast in a musical, Ramirez impressed audiences, moving on to study at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. That led to roles on Broadway, and ultimately, a Tony Award-winning performance in the Monty Python musical Spamalot.
The theatre world allowed Ramirez to explore their sexuality, and from the age of 18, Ramirez started coming out to family and close friends. It's likely Ramirez's husband was aware of their sexual orientation before they were married.
The Tony award led to Ramirez being offered an amazing opportunity to choose a role on any ABC series. They selected Grey’s Anatomy, a series they had always enjoyed watching.
In 2006 Ramirez was introduced to Grey’s fans as Callie, an orthopedic surgeon, and girlfriend for the popular character of intern George O'Malley. The character of Callie wasn’t originally identified as queer. It was during Ramirez’s second season on the show that they and series creator, Shonda Rhimes, started to explore Callie’s sexual orientation.
In 2009, Callie Torres came out as bisexual on Grey's Anatomy and went on to become the longest-running LGBT character in television history. Callie is one of the characters Grey's fans still wish would come back to the series and has been named one of the best characters in a Shonda Rhimes show.
While the actor embraced the role, it was a more difficult decision to make in real life. Yet later, Ramirez would say of the role, "Prior to Callie Torres, I'd never seen myself represented on television."
The actor further explained, "There was so much I didn't know that I didn't know...so I've caught up with myself in a lot of ways."
Did Sara's Coming Out Impact Their Marriage?
A mass loss of life at a gay nightclub in Florida shocked the world. For Ramirez, it was a double blow: The attack had taken place on the club's Latin Night. As a result, almost all victims were Hispanic.
The Pulse nightclub shooting made Ramirez want to do something to help the LGBTQIA+ community. As a high-profile entertainer, their profile could draw more attention and empower the communities that needed help.
In October 2016, Ramirez came out at a seminar for homeless LGBT youth. A staunch protector of the rights of the LGBT community, today they are on the Board of Directors of the True Colours Fund.
In And Just Like That, the spin-off from Sex and the City, Ramirez plays Cynthia Nixon's new love interest. The character they play, Che Diaz, has not been popular with all the fans, with some calling Che the worst TV character in a decade (though that's not the only controversy from the show).
But did any of that impact Ramirez's marriage? It doesn't seem so.
Sara Ramirez And Ryan DeBolt Divorced In 2021
In July 2021, Sara posted a message on Instagram detailing their split from Ryan DeBolt. In a heartfelt post, Ramirez spoke in vague terms about the split, which was apparently not acrimonious.
They suggested that followers who felt so led should donate to and support organizations that support LGBTQIA+ and other diverse groups.
Ryan and I are no longer together. We remain loving and supportive in how we are choosing to forge our new individual paths. Thank you for holding space around our choices and respecting our families’ privacy as we navigate this process on our own terms. In the meantime, here’s an invitation to focus your energies and attention on learning about, donating to and/or uplifting the work of these orgs below. Blessings to all!
In an interview with Out, Ramirez described the separation process as “very tender and vulnerable.”
“We had a foundation of real love," Ramirez said. "I am just so grateful that we were able to work through that process with such grace, with such integrity, with such honesty and open communication.”
Ramirez added that they and DeBolt were rooting for each other throughout their separation process.
When Did Sara Ramirez And Husband Ryan DeBolt Separate?
Though their divorce was finalized in 2021, Sara Ramirez and their ex-husband Ryan DeBolt were separated long before that. In the interview with Out, Ramirez explained that they had "been amicably separated for several years, with each of them dating other folks without making the big announcement."
Ramirez elaborated that the two wanted to tell their families before the world found out, and keeping things quiet helped them achieve that.
"We felt a huge responsibility because we also have family that's going to see this stuff, and we wanted to make sure that we had had private time with them to process before the world was going to process," Sara explained.
The actor summed up, "I'm really, really proud of the way that we have moved through things."
