Neal McDonough Says God Sparked the Story Behind 'The Last Rodeo'

Michael Foust

Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
Published May 21, 2025

Actor Neal McDonough says his latest film is a story about the American heartland -- made for the heartland -- while rooted in the faith, family, and work ethic his parents passed down to him. The movie is Angel Studios' The Last Rodeo (PG), which follows a retired bull-riding champion named Joe Wainwright (McDonough) who returns to the arena for one final ride to raise money following a family tragedy. Through it all, Wainwright confronts past traumas and rekindles his own faith. It opens this weekend. 

McDonough's own independent production company, The McDonough Company, produced it.

"Hollywood's kind of lost its way a bit with -- and I'm guilty of it myself, being part of some pretty dark films at times -- I think they forgot to talk about what America really is and the values that America has in the films that they make. And we want to get back to that," he told Crosswalk Headlines. 

"And I think we did."

Read the full story here!

Photo Credit: ©Canva Pro 


Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.

You May Also Like...