In episode 168 of Veteran Made, I sit down with actor and indie film producer Matt Dallas to dig into what it really means to commit more than a decade of your life to one movie and one story. We talk about how Sheepdog grew over a 10-year journey across the country, sitting with veterans, Gold Star families, and mental health professionals in living rooms, dive bars, and VA clinics . Matt opens up about breaking out of typecasting, transforming himself physically and emotionally for the role of Daryl, and learning to trust his craft as an actor while juggling the chaos of being a hands-on filmmaker responsible for casting, background, and logistics. If you care about movies, cinema, and honest performances that come from real human connection, this conversation shows what it looks like when an actor and producer refuses to phone it in and instead builds a character from years of direct engagement with the veteran community.

We also get unapologetic about why independent film — especially adult dramas like Sheepdog — has to exist in theaters and why audiences have to show up if they want better movies. Matt and I talk about getting laughed out of rooms and the pressure to swap out the director or cast a bigger name just to unlock financing. We break down how hard it is for a small, veteran-centered drama to secure a 500-screen theatrical run, why dumping these films straight to streaming buries them, and how voting with your ticket — by actually going to the theater — directly decides which stories actors, producers, and filmmakers get to tell next.

If you’re a veteran, a movie lover, or someone who believes cinema still matters, this episode is a call to action: fund indie films, buy tickets, bring your friends, and help keep real, grounded stories on the big screen where they belong.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

https://www.instagram.com/mattdallas/

https://www.instagram.com/sheepdogthemovie/

https://www.instagram.com/teamhousestudios/

In episode 167, I sit down with actor, writer, director, and producer Steven Grayhm to dig into the 14-year journey behind his new movie Sheepdog and why truthful storytelling about veterans and combat trauma cannot afford to be filtered through a political lens. From his first encounter with a struggling tow truck driver in 2011 to years embedded with veterans, families, and VA clinicians, Steven shares how listening without prejudice became the foundation of this film and why he refused to “bend the knee” to Hollywood to get it made. Sheepdog is not another war movie or PTSD cliché but a deeply human story about post-traumatic growth, fragmented families, and the way ordinary people carry extraordinary burdens.

Throughout our conversation, we challenge the idea that stories about war, veterans, and mental health should serve any party, policy, or culture-war narrative, and argue aggressively that they must exist to serve the people who actually lived them — period. We unpack how character, craft, and performance can honor veterans and Gold Star families without turning them into propaganda pieces or pity objects, and why audiences deserve movies and podcasts that tell the truth as we see it, even when that truth is messy, uncomfortable, or unflattering to anyone’s politics. If you care about actors doing the work, about movies that respect the veteran community, and about storytelling that refuses to be weaponized, this episode will give you a clear, uncompromising case for art that chooses honesty over agenda every single time.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

https://www.instagram.com/sheepdogthemovie/

https://www.instagram.com/sgrayhm/

https://www.instagram.com/teamhousestudios/

In episode 166, I sit down with Matthew Modine who played Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, for a direct and powerful conversation about the intersection of art, memoir, and the real experiences of Veterans. Our discussion went past surface nostalgia and straight into war, trauma, and the lifelong transition veterans face after leaving service. Matthew’s journey as both an actor and memoirist — through his Full Metal Jacket Diary — demonstrates the force of honest storytelling in giving veterans a space to process and share the truth. We focused on the way art and memoir can offer authenticity and connection, which is crucial for those looking to make sense of war’s realities and the transition home.

Storytelling matters to the veteran community because it allows us to recount sensitive subjects like war and combat trauma without agenda or politics. The real power comes from telling our stories exactly as we see and remember them, openly and honestly. In our discussion, Matthew and I made it clear that sharing these narratives is critical—not just for healing, but for ensuring veterans aren’t left isolated with their experiences. By holding up a mirror to our journey, rather than a mask, we help others understand the costs and complexities of service, validating the memoir, the film, and every veteran’s art as necessary acts of truth.

Episode Sponsors:

• VM Merch
• Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order.
• True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order.
• Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order.

Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9.

SOCIALS:

https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/

https://www.instagram.com/matthewmodine/