For our continuing coverage of Power Book IV: Force season three, I sat down with Carmela Zumbado and Manuel Eduardo Ramirez to talk about the heart, heat, and pressure that define their characters. The new season puts Mireya and Miguel Garcia in the middle of Tommy Egan’s growing war for Chicago. Both actors opened up about family roots, personal connection, and what it takes to walk through a world where every choice has a price.
Stepping Into Family First
Carmela Zumbado and Manuel Eduardo Ramirez have an undeniable on screen chemistry as sister and brother. When we talked about where that emotional weight comes from, Carmela did not hesitate. She shared how her real life role as the oldest of three helped her understand Mireya’s instincts.
“My sisters are my everything in life. I’m so fiercely protective over them.”
She explained that Mireya is protective in her own way, even though Miguel is the older sibling. Mireya is a nurse who has seen the darkest side of Chicago. That experience gives her the strength to care for Miguel’s health while also navigating the violent currents of the show’s world. With Tommy in the picture, she becomes what Carmela calls a mama bear. Two men she loves. One dangerous city. A season full of impossible choices.
Becoming Miguel Garcia
Manuel Eduardo Ramirez brings a heavy emotional truth to Miguel, one of the most intense figures in the series. When I asked about the preparation behind such a dark character, his process was brutally honest and deeply grounded.
“Sometimes you get lost in the character, and it can be very exhausting.”
Ramirez pulls from lived experiences, family stories, and the people he knew growing up in San Bernardino. He talked about channeling every encounter into the role. When he gets off set, he decompresses like any performer who carries a lot on their shoulders. A drink. A joint. A moment of peace before stepping back into the storm.
Mireya’s Strength in the Chaos
Carmela sees Mireya as someone shaped by the trauma she sees every day at work. That pain builds her resilience, but it also forces her to face the hard truth that loving Tommy and protecting Miguel may eventually collide.
“She has to figure out how to be there for both of them at the same time.”
Season three pushes Mireya to trust her own voice. She carries compassion, loyalty, and the kind of quiet courage that often gets underestimated. Carmela believes this season will finally let Mireya step into her own power instead of simply reacting to the chaos surrounding her.
The Growth Ahead
When we talked about what they most wanted to see for their characters this season, both actors shared strong and clear visions. Carmela hopes Mireya will embrace her independence and stop bending herself around the needs of Miguel and Tommy. She wants Mireya to honor the love she carries but also honor herself.
Manuel kept it simple when describing Miguel’s ambitions.
“He wants to take over the entire map.”
He laughed when he said it, but there is truth behind the line. Miguel is a man with a mission. A man who hears Nana’s “Kiss Him Goodbye” playing in the background. A man who is ready to make his move.
Closing Thoughts
Talking with Carmela Zumbado and Manuel Eduardo Ramirez was a reminder of how layered Force really is this season. Their characters live between loyalty and danger, heart and violence, choice and consequence. Their performances carry the emotional backbone of the story, and season three looks ready to push both Miguel and Mireya into defining moments.
Huge thanks to Carmela and Manuel for their time. I cannot wait to see what the two bring to the rest of the season.
