What to Know
It’s hard to believe that six years has already gone by since actress Naya Rivera tragically died at the age of 33. But her son, Josey, who is now 11 years old, has grown so much since then, and as it turns out, he’s following in his mom’s footsteps. Josey is set to make his movie debut in an upcoming film, acting alongside dad Ryan Dorsey who is in the role of his on-screen father.
Josey will appear in a new movie.
As multiple outlets including Page Six have reported, Josey’s IMDB page shares that he will be playing the role of “Boy” in a movie called The Burning Valley, while Ryan has signed on to play a character named “Sam Pope.”
“Ryan says he is a very proud dad,” Ryan’s rep said in a statement to People. “Josey has been working very hard and has shown incredible growth as an actor.”
It must be so special for Josey to take on this adventure, doing something that both of his parents loved so much — and just as special for Ryan to experience it along with his son.
Filming on the project just started.
According to a local paper, The Tribune-Review, filming on The Burning Valley began earlier this month in Pennsylvania, the home state of the movie’s director, Evan Coury.
“The movie is about a steelworker who loses his job when the mill announces a shutdown,” Evan told the outlet. “It sets him on a journey as he wanders through his Rust Belt town.”
He added, “My hope is to encapsulate the history of our region through one guy’s personal experience.”
So far, there aren’t any other details about Josey’s role (or the movie itself), but since filming is just getting started, there’s no doubt more information will come out soon.
Ryan has shared glimpses of Josey’s upbringing on social media.
Over the years that Ryan has continued to raise Josey as a single dad, he has shared updates on his son as he grows. Fans who follow Ryan on Instagram already know that Josey has been into acting and theater for a while now, so it’s no surprise that he’s taking the next step in his acting career.
Ryan spoke publicly for the first time about Naya’s death in an interview with People in February 2025 and how difficult it was for Josey to have been on the boat the day his mom drowned in 2020. At the time, he also shared the ways that Josey was already showing he was just like his mom.
“He’s definitely his mama’s son, because when he doesn’t get the answer he wants, he keeps talking,” Ryan said. “He likes to talk, and that’s mama for sure.”
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