A 13-year-old actor who grew up in Walnut Creek and Clayton is bringing his latest film to the Orinda Theatre for a red carpet screening and audience Q&A on Monday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m.
Matéo Ray, who already has 57 film and television credits and two Young Artist Academy Awards, appears in The Strawberry, a 97-minute drama about an 80-year-old man facing a terminal diagnosis who decides to heal his fractured family and end his life on his own terms through Death with Dignity. The film stars MASH veteran Mike Farrell and Doug Jones (The Shape of Water, *Pan's Labyrinth), and was directed by Cambria brothers Carlos and Kyle Plummer from a script by clinical psychologist Steve Brody.
Farrell is expected to attend the August 10 screening alongside Ray and other cast and crew members, according to The Orinda News.
The film has already picked up festival recognition, winning Best Central Coast Film at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival and an award at the Desertscape International Film Festival.
Ray's path to the screen started early.
He landed his first feature film role at age 5, the same year he began piano lessons. In one stretch, he and his father made 58 road trips to Los Angeles in a single year, leaving at 4 a.m. and returning the same night so Ray could make it to school the next morning.
"If you really want to do something, you can't just say you'll do it another day. You have to commit," Ray told Diablo Magazine in a profile published Friday, July 31.
His television credits include Modern Family, 9-1-1, Mayans M.C., and Dave. He also has a Universal Pictures rom-com, One Night Only, directed by Will Gluck, releasing in August.
Ray's family has since relocated near Santa Barbara to be closer to Los Angeles, but he still returns to Clayton to visit old friends. His typical week balances band, track practice, music, and auditions. When he's on set, he does independent study.
How to attend
The Strawberry screens Monday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Orinda Theatre, 2 Orinda Theatre Square. Standard Orinda Theatre pricing is $14 general admission and $12 for seniors (65+) and children under 12; check orindamovies.com to confirm pricing for this screening. The event includes a Q&A with cast and crew afterward.
Upcoming community events
- Monday, August 10 — The Strawberry red carpet screening and Q&A, Orinda Theatre, 6:30 p.m.
- August 2026 — One Night Only (Universal Pictures), featuring Matéo Ray, opens in theaters nationwide.
