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Neal McDonough, who played in “The Last Rodeo,” and director Jon Avnet sought to imbue their personal experiences and feelings into a bull riding equivalent of “Rocky.” The movie, penned by McDonough prior to collaborating with seasoned filmmaker Jon Avnet, revolves around an ex-rodeo champion whose world is turned upside down when he learns that his grandson has a grave medical prognosis. In a bid to gather the funds for the crucial operation, Joe Wainright returns to the sport that once pushed him to the brink, embarking on a journey that compels him to grapple with past failures and regrets.

In a chat with ScreenRant, Jon Avnet and Neal McDonough delve into the collaborative essence of “The Last Rodeo,” revealing how it mirrors struggles that the actor personally experienced, and emphasizing the significance of accurately portraying rodeo scenes. This heartfelt movie serves as a reminder to viewers that Neal McDonough’s talent extends beyond his popular villain characters on shows like Yellowstone.

How The Last Rodeo Became A Bull Riding Rocky

“What Jon Did Best Was Pull Out All The Emotional Moments For The Characters”

The movie, The Last Rodeo, is structured around the classic “underdog in sports” narrative, which it skillfully incorporates as McDonough’s character Joe undergoes a physical transformation. Reminiscing about his past experiences of hitting hay bales like Rocky trains with frozen meat, McDonough shared that “the entire concept originated from Jon. The idea stemmed from contemplating what would occur if anything were to happen to my wife, Ruve. I began writing, and then we started constructing” it.

Following their collaboration with Derek Presley on a screenplay, they presented it to Jon, encouraging him to “personalize it“. What Jon achieved by personalizing this movie, with those poignant Rocky-esque moments for the elderly character, and portraying the relationships between Joe and Sally as complex and damaged… what Jon excelled at was extracting all the emotional scenes for the characters. To me, that’s the unique signature of this film.

According to Avnet, upon reading the script, he found it to be “something quite exceptional.” He commended Neil for an inspired decision – the character is not a man of faith but has lost it. Since Neil is religious himself, this added complexity made the narrative more intriguing. Avnet was fascinated by the character’s journey and the reasons behind his loss of faith, as well as potential paths to rediscover it, which he considered a masterful concept.

In Avnet’s explanation, he stated that his first choice for the film was a father-daughter dynamic between Sarah Jones and Neil Patrick Harris, as they had worked together previously. He found their potential chemistry to be electrifying, and Jones delivered an excellent performance. The second choice was Mykelti Williamson, with whom both Avnet and Neil have collaborated multiple times beforehand. This prior relationship significantly influenced their performances on set. According to Avnet, Neil’s character in the film experienced a loss, which ultimately led him to give up something significant.

I found Joe transforming into a self-centered and indulgent individual quite intriguing, as he ended up causing pain not only to his family but also to his friends. His subsequent redemption, a journey I believed could be profoundly moving, is something I’ve long wanted to portray in an action movie. For me, it’s not just about the gunfights or the combat, or in this unique case, the bull riding. The emotional depth added to the story makes it all the more exciting.

Grabbing Life By The Horns In The Last Rodeo

“Neil And I Really Wanted To Get The Bull Riding Right”

The Last Rodeo is all about honoring the art of bull riding, recognizing it as a potentially hazardous activity but also admiring it as an impressive display of physical prowess. Remarking on his unfamiliarity with the sport, Avnet admitted that it was uncharted territory for him. However, this lack of prior knowledge became an attractive aspect of the project. “I’m always eager to learn!”, he said, with PBR CEO Sean Gleason being one of his many educators. Alongside Neal, they were determined to accurately portray bull riding in the film.

The fervor to accurately depict bull riding in the movie weighed heavily on both the filmmakers. McDonough reminisced about the USA Film Festival in Dallas where “Sean and his wife Candace sat next to me and my wife. I was sweating with anxiety. Sean has led the Professional Bull Riders Association since 1997. If he didn’t approve of this movie, we were finished.” Fortunately, McDonough received a warm welcome from Gleason after the screening, who hugged him and declared The Last Rodeo as his latest favorite film.

Jon played a significant role in making the bull riding scenes appear genuine, McDonough pointed out, praising the director for his work. Avnet expressed that one crucial aspect for him was “— my main goal was to make this film suitable for the big screen. I truly hope audiences will turn up to watch it, as it’s a movie best experienced on a large screen.

A significant factor, Avnet pointed out, was the impact of having Neal McDonough as the main actor. He compared McDonough to actors such as Jimmy Stewart or John Wayne, stating that he wanted viewers to perceive Neil in the same way he did. According to him, “Neil has those qualities where he can convey so much with minimal actions. His emotional depth is evident in his facial expressions. Less dialogue is required because what he portrays feels genuine and authentic.”

Neal McDonough On The Internal Fuel Behind The Last Rodeo

“I Have Worked My Butt Off To Make Sure The Audience Is Never Let Down With My Performances”

Neal McDonough has been a constant presence in movies and series for quite some time, frequently embodying a captivating yet ominous vibe as antagonists in productions such as “Tulsa King”, “Arrow”, “Justified”, and “Yellowstone”. However, it’s worth mentioning that the movie “The Last Rodeo” lacks an obvious villain. Although there are figures who challenge Joe and create obstacles for him, the film maintains a level of empathy towards these characters, which prevents it from feeling contrived or unrealistic.

In McDonough’s view, the antagonist or villain in the film is not a character but Joe’s past. He ponders how he can confront this adversary, how he can conquer his selfishness now that he stands to lose his grandson, just as he had lost his wife earlier. This deeply personal storyline resonated particularly with Neal McDonough, who drew on his own experiences when he was dismissed from the ABC series Scoundrels in 2010 for refusing to shoot explicit scenes due to his religious beliefs and commitment to his spouse.

McDonough shared his experience where he found himself jobless for a couple of years, ultimately losing everything. He drowned his sorrows in excessive drinking and became self-centered, questioning God about why He seemed to have abandoned him. In that moment, he recognized that he had been focusing solely on himself instead of serving God or his family. Just one minute later, he received a phone call from Graham Yost and Jon Avent, offering him the role of the antagonist in Justified for that year.

The call revitalized McDonough, who pledged his attendance and asserted that “I’m giving it my all. Since that time, I’ve put in immense effort to ensure my performances never disappoint.” This renewed vigor in McDonough was evident as he followed up his popular performance on Justified with numerous other well-received roles across multiple networks and genres. This determination remains a constant force for the actor, leaving director Avnet amazed during the filming of The Last Rodeo, despite their years of collaboration.

According to Avnet, “He grasps this character” – here’s what he meant: “He realized that his motivation was the pain he felt. Working with Neil, I knew his potential, and I was still amazed by his dedication. It wasn’t shocking how talented he was; he had always been. What was surprising was his level of commitment. He consistently went out of his way to assist others. In many aspects, he is the antithesis of this character. Joe is extremely self-absorbed and self-centered. I was aware of Neil’s personal struggles, and I knew he could lead the audience through them.

McDonough promptly redirected the focus towards Avnet, emphasizing his role as a pliable artist. He said, “I thrive being like a sculptor’s clay. I’m ecstatic when a great director shapes that clay into masterpiece. No one else on Earth does it quite like Avnet for me. People can say what they will about me, but this is teamwork.” Their mutual praise was a reflection of their close bond, which permeated the entirety of “The Last Rodeo”.

2025-05-23 19:15