How Graham Harvey Connected with His Character

In the middle of filming The Last Rodeo, one of Graham Harvey’s cousins was injured in a car accident.

The incident resonated with the Preston Hollow teenager more deeply because his character spends much of Harvey’s big-screen debut in a hospital bed, afflicted with cancer.

“The difference was when filming was over, I could just get up and walk out,” Harvey said. “That experience connected me to the character in a way I couldn’t have expected.”

Harvey takes on the biggest role of his burgeoning career in the family-friendly drama set for release in theaters on May 23. He plays Cody, the grandson of a retired rodeo cowboy (Neal McDonough) who confronts his past while returning to compete in a high-stakes bull riding competition to raise money for Cody’s treatment.

The film co-stars Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump) and Christopher McDonald (Happy Gilmore) and was directed by Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes) — all seasoned Hollywood veterans who provided some sage wisdom for the relative newcomer.

Harvey, 14, won the part following an audition and spent about a month on set last spring in Oklahoma. Before production, he attended some rodeos and learned horseback skills to prepare.

“I had never ridden a horse on my own before,” he said. “I couldn’t walk the next day. I didn’t know you could get that sore. But I would love to pick it back up.”

Harvey’s interest in performing goes back to when he was about 5, when his mother agreed to take him to acting classes. Two years later, he landed a meeting with an agent and booked his first audition for a Crayola commercial.

He had a breakthrough appearance in the Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole alongside Kiefer Sutherland, which he filmed in Toronto, and also played recurring roles on Chicago P.D. on NBC and The Night Agent on Netflix.

Harvey has shown an affinity for music, too, playing guitar and drums in addition to starring in several musical productions on stage.

After attending Withers Elementary School, Harvey now takes online classes to help facilitate his acting schedule, which he’s optimistic will continue to grow.

“In this business, you get a lot of nos before you get a yes,” he said. “Instead of being discouraged, I would use that more as motivation.”