Josey Hollis Dorsey, the ten-year-old son of late Glee star Naya Rivera and actor Ryan Dorsey, has landed his first feature film role in the upcoming drama The Burning Valley.
The young actor is set to appear alongside his father in the project, which is being written and directed by filmmaker Evan Corey, according to details listed on IMDb.
In his screen debut, Josey Dorsey will play a character currently designated as Son, while Ryan Dorsey will portray a character named Father. The production marks a major professional milestone for the ten-year-old as he follows in the acting footsteps of his parents.
Naya Rivera gained widespread fame for her role as Santana Lopez on the hit musical comedy-drama series Glee, which aired on the Fox network. Ryan Dorsey has established a career as a television actor, appearing in series such as Ray Donovan, Justified, and Pitch.
Film Plot and Production Details
An official synopsis for The Burning Valley has not yet been published on IMDb. However, writer and director Evan Corey shared details about the narrative during an interview with Pennsylvania newspaper The Tribune-Review.
Corey told the newspaper that the story focuses on the theme of deindustrialisation. He explained that the plot centers on a steelworker who loses his job when the plant announces its closure. Filming for the project began in the local region in early August.
The film represents Corey's directorial debut. He previously worked as an actor, with IMDb credits including the 2015 short film Adopted and the 2022 feature drama Dear Zoe, which starred Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink.
According to IMDb, the supporting cast for The Burning Valley includes Tyler Miles, Jay B. Brown, Joseph Ducar, Whip Hubley, Patrick Jordan, Sam Lothard, Joseph Maza, and Sheila McKenna. Social media coverage by People magazine also confirmed news of the casting decision.
Theatrical Background and Family Move
Before securing his first movie role, Josey Dorsey made his stage debut at eight years old in 2024. He appeared in a local production of the musical Seussical Jr. in West Virginia, according to reporting by NBC.
Ryan Dorsey and his son relocated from Los Angeles to West Virginia in 2023, moving to the father's home state in the eastern United States. The move came three years after the tragic loss of Naya Rivera.
Tragic Drowning and Family History
News of Josey's feature film role comes six years after Naya Rivera died on July 8, 2020, at thirty-three years old. The actress drowned while on a boating outing with her son at Lake Piru, a reservoir located in Ventura County, California.
Rivera and her young son had rented a boat on the lake when the actress encountered difficulties while swimming. Investigators located her body following a multi-day search operation in the area.
Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey were married in July 2014, three months after the actress ended her relationship with rapper Big Sean. The couple remained married for two years before Rivera filed for divorce in 2016, when Josey was fourteen months old.
