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Five years ago, a little independent film was released that turned an East LA unknown into a cult phenomenon with three little words: Vote For Pedro.

Thousands of t-shirts, bumper stickers, calendars, coffee mugs and mouse pads later, actor Efren Ramirez admits that although playing Pedro in the wildly successful “Napoleon Dynamite” was the turning point of his career, it did make him the go-to-guy for that particular type of character, with scripts being offered for similar roles in other movies. “As an artist you don’t want to do that, because what’s the point? Where’s the creative work in that?” asks Ramirez. “It’ll look like I’m just working for the money. It should never be about that. It should always be about pushing yourself even further.”

Pushing himself is nothing new for the young actor/DJ/author/public speaker who realized his acting dream when his mom enrolled him and his brothers in an after school program. Upon taking a theatre class at the program, he was immediately hooked. Being on stage, taking part in plays shed new light. “I thought, ‘Is this possible to actually work on television? Is it possible to work in films?’” After diligently working his way through high school theatre, commercials, short films, independent films and feature films, the answer is a deafening yes.

This spring you can see Ramirez in the equally deafening and fast paced flick “Crank: High Voltage.” Yes, he was in the first “Crank” and yes, his character Kaylo was killed in that movie. But, life goes on in the form of Kaylo’s twin brother Venus, which is sort of funny since Ramirez has a twin brother in real life. “Yeah, pretty ironic, isn’t it?” he laughs. “I just went to the screening a couple of days ago. It’s pretty intense. You walk out of the film feeling like you’ve just gone through a really crazy ride and that’s what you want the audience to feel.”

The film is one dynamic, outrageous and insane piece of work. The first “Crank” film featured Ramirez as an extremely flamboyant character, to say the least. A role he took to showcase a different side of his acting ability. “No matter what, you want to keep exploring the world,” he states. This time around as twin brother Venus, we get the darker-sided sibling who’s seeking vengeance on his brother’s death. “Venus is so different from his brother. As an actor, when you’re playing twins per say, you want to be able to make a clear difference between one character to the next or else you’re going to go ‘Oh it’s the same dude.’ Where’s the fun in that, right?”

In between his acting work, Ramirez tours as a motivational speaker at high schools and colleges around the country on the subject of education.  “It’s funny when I go to high schools and they say ‘Well, we don’t have any opportunities.’ Do you think I did?” says Ramirez. “Everybody has their own struggles in life, whether you are rich or poor. That’s the truth. But, you have to figure out ‘Hmmmm, how do I make this happen?’”

It was at one of these speaking engagements when he was approached by several teachers who suggested Ramirez write a book. Taking them up on the advice, Ramirez and business partner Chris Barrett penned Direct Your Own Life: How to Be a Star in Any Field You Choose!, . “It’s pretty much a step by step program on how to create your own goals and your own dreams and follow through with them.” A first hand account, by all standards, from someone who’s been there, done that. “I would go on auditions and you would see the rico suave kind of guy and go ‘Oh great, the guy’s a model type, some dude from Spain. What chances do I have?’ But, you’re not me. I am someone. If I go in there and do the best I can, I’ve done my job.”

A positive outlook from one positive, talented guy. Check out Ramirez in this spring’s “Crank: High Voltage,” later this summer in “The Pool Boys,” and early September in “Citizen Game,” which he calls “The next ‘Logan’s Run.’” “The sky’s the limit for me, so let’s see what happens.”