Last year, Dripping Springs’ very own Walker Connor landed on the big screen, joining Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear in You Gotta Believe, a sports film based on the true story of the 2002 Westside Little League All-Stars from Fort Worth, Texas. Here, the eighth grader shares what it was like to step into the spotlight.
What was it like being a part of a real movie set?
It was very, very fun. I got to be behind the camera, looking at everything, watching them film, and seeing all the different cuts they did.
Did you know that you would be going to the set every day?
No, I thought I was just there to do one scene, and that would be it. But I got to be in two scenes with speaking roles!
Was it what you expected?
I wasn’t expecting it to take so long to get just one scene done.
Did you ever feel nervous while filming your scene?
Yes, I did feel very nervous because I was being filmed on camera, and everybody was watching me. But the director, producer, and other actors helped me out. They were all very, very nice.
What’s your favorite scene in the movie?
I think it’s the science fair nerd scene.
What’s something surprising you learned while working on this movie?
It takes a really long time to get one scene done. We filmed in Toronto, Canada, in the summer of 2023, and it didn’t come out until the fall of 2024. So it took over a year for it to become real life.
If you could do another movie, what kind would it be, and who would be your co-star?
I would want to be in a Western movie. And if I could, I’d want to be with John Wayne, if he were alive, or Clint Eastwood.
What was Luke Wilson like?
I talked to him twice—once at the premiere and then the next night at another event for the movie. He’s a really nice guy.
Did you hang out with any of the other actors while filming?
I did. I mostly hung out with the kid actors at the premiere. The premiere was in Fort Worth, and it was a lot of fun. I got to walk the red carpet with all the actors and pose for photos.