Six years after the heartbreaking death of his mother, Glee star Naya Rivera, Josey Dorsey is beginning a new chapter of his own. Now 10, Josey has landed his first feature-film role in The Burning Valley, where he is expected to appear alongside his father, actor Ryan Dorsey. The film, directed by Evan Coury, follows a steelworker whose life changes after a mill shutdown forces him to reconsider his future in a struggling Rust Belt community. Josey is listed as playing the character “son,” while Ryan plays “father,” making the project an especially meaningful opportunity for the pair to share the screen. Filming reportedly began earlier this month, although details about the movie remain limited. For Josey, stepping into acting also connects him to his mother, who became internationally known for her work as Santana Lopez on Glee and had built a successful career in television and film.

Rivera died in 2020 after a boating trip on California’s Lake Piru, leaving Josey, who was four at the time, without his mother. In the years since, Ryan has spoken about the importance of helping their son remember Rivera while allowing him to grow into his own person. The family has even created a “Mommy Garden” filled with flowers in her memory, which Josey helps care for. Ryan has described his son as happy, smart, charming, and full of energy, while noting that small expressions and mannerisms sometimes remind him of Rivera. Josey’s first movie role therefore arrives with a powerful family connection, but it also represents something hopeful: a young boy moving forward, discovering his own interests, and creating memories that belong to him. As The Burning Valley takes shape, audiences may get their first glimpse of a new generation carrying a familiar Hollywood name.