--- title: "Army veteran Ryan Curtis brings action to ‘Hollywood Grit’" date: "2025-08-21" modified: "2025-08-21" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/army-veteran-ryan-curtis-brings-action-to-hollywood-grit/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" tags: - "Entertainment" - "Movies" - "Veterans" --- # Army veteran Ryan Curtis brings action to ‘Hollywood Grit’ ![hollywood grit]() *Max Martini and Caylee Cowan in "Hollywood Grit." In select theaters Friday, August 22.* Ryan Curtis is no stranger to We Are The Mighty, from [hosting his entertaining series "Oscar Mike]()" to running a marathon for Team USO. The Army veteran has paid his dues as a filmmaker and is ready to celebrate with his debut feature film, "Hollywood Grit." “When his daughter vanishes from a scandalous Hollywood jazz club, a disgraced detective must battle mobsters, starlets, and his own demons to unearth the sinister truth lurking behind LA's neon lights.” – Official Synopsis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qqLdHoyp_o "Hollywood Grit" follows Mitchel “Grit” Thorn (Max Martini, "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi"), a once-respected private investigator whose life and career have unraveled. When his estranged daughter — a jazz singer at a notorious Hollywood club — goes missing, Thorn dives deep into the grim annals of the city and his own dark past to get her back. It’s a story of redemption while also packing in atmospheric tension and a heaping of fun. It’s a Ryan Curtis project, after all. Curtis is the director and co-writer, along with long-time collaborator Kristina Denton. Together, the two bring dark humor and clever action sequences to the screen. “Hollywood Grit invites you to experience Los Angeles as both dream and nightmare — where every promise comes with a price, and every shadow hides another secret,” [lures]() the official website for the film. You can bet there will be complex characters, some unexpected turns, and plenty of wry humor and heart. ![hollywood grit david b meadows]() *David B. Meadows as "Cowboy" in Ryan Curtis' "Hollywood Grit."* What’s great about Curtis as a filmmaker and leader is not just his talent or eye for fun; he’s also a great advocate for the military community within the entertainment industry. In "Hollywood Grit," Curtis hired over fifty veterans in front of and behind the camera, from the gaffer to the onscreen talent, including another favorite collaborator of his, [U.S. Navy SEAL David B. Meadows](). “It’s important to me to help new folks come up, and also I like to find people who are really good at their jobs, and military veterans are able to take all the stress and craziness that is movie-making, and they’ll make the best of it,” Curtis told We Are The Mighty. ![hollywood grit max martini]() *Max Martini is Mitchel “Grit” Thorn in "Hollywood Grit."* Additional cast members include Tyrese Gibson ("Furious 7"), Linda Purl ("Mighty Joe Young"), Patrick Duffy ("Step by Step"), Nikki Howard ("Cotton Candy Bubble Gum"), Linc Hand, ("42") David B. Meadows ("Walker"), Caylee Cowan ("Frank and Penelope"), Benito Martinez ("9-1-1 Lone Star"), and Ysabela Espinosa. In addition to employing military veterans within the cast and crew, a portion of the proceeds from "Hollywood Grit" will be donated directly to Veterans in Media & Entertainment (VME), a non-profit organization that provides essential resources and support for vets pursuing careers in the entertainment industry. "[Hollywood Grit]()" opens in select theaters nationwide starting Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()