'Pedro' pays a house call

Vote for Pedro.

It's quite possibly the most popular T-shirt slogan of 2004. After first appearing in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, the words have become an almost cult-like salute to the underdog.

The man who made Pedro famous -- actor Efren Ramirez -- paid a visit to the UW Monday night to speak before a screening of Napoleon Dynamite presented by the UW Film Club, ASUW Arts and Entertainment and Student Activities and Union Facilities.

After a 20-minute exhibition of UW student films, Ramirez, dressed in black and without the Pedro mustache, fielded a few questions from students, including one about rumors of a sequel to the popular independent film that made him famous overnight.

"If it ever comes out, it's going to be with director approval and the original cast," he said.

But Ramirez didn't comment extensively on the rumor, saying only that there had been "talk of a sequel."

Ramirez turned down a role in the 2004 production of The Alamo to play Napolean Dynamite's shy Hispanic friend who runs for student body president of their high school.

The Los Angeles resident has been acting most of his life, but didn't find himself in the limelight until his portrayal of Napoleon's mustachioed sidekick.

ASUW Arts and Entertainment and the UW Film Club were the ones who brought Ramirez to the University. Film Club director of development Greg Wylie had a moment to catch up with him between appearances.

"I started asking him about his career and what it was like for him," said Wylie. "He started acting when he was about 13. A lot of the kids thought it was really weird so he kind of kept it on the down-low."

Onstage, Ramirez was relaxed, said Wylie.

"He's kind of laidback," he said. "He spent some time doing the whole Pedro routine."