I Interviewed the McFarland, USA Cast: Their Stories Behind the Film
I sat down with the seven young actors who played the 1987 cross-country team in McFarland, USA to ask about their characters, the intense running they did for the film, working with Kevin Costner, and the real McFarland community behind the story.
This first-hand McFarland, USA cast interview goes beyond a list of actors and characters. Several of the young men had real ties to McFarland, some were already athletes before being cast, and all seven had their own stories about what happened behind the scenes.
McFarland, USA Cast Interview: Who I Met
Before we get to the stories, here is the quick answer for anyone searching for the actors in McFarland, USA.
The seven young actors I interviewed were:
- Carlos Pratts as Thomas Valles
- Johnny Ortiz as Jose Cardenas
- Hector Duran as Johnny Sameniego
- Sergio Avelar as Victor Puentes
- Michael Aguero as Damacio Diaz
- Ramiro Rodriguez as Danny Diaz
- Rafael Martinez as David Diaz
Kevin Costner plays Coach Jim White, but this particular conversation centered on the seven young men who became the runners on screen.
I had the privilege of sitting across from them during a press event for McFarland, USA. I expected to hear stories about auditions and movie sets. I did not expect the conversation to become so personal.
What quickly became clear was that this was more than another Hollywood production for several members of the cast. Three of the actors had been raised in McFarland or the surrounding area. Others discovered just how demanding cross-country running really is. Together, they formed a bond that felt much bigger than the script.
That is what I want to preserve here: not polished movie promotion, but what the actors actually told me when I had the chance to sit down with them.
Three McFarland, USA Actors Had a Real Connection to McFarland
One of the most interesting things I learned during our conversation was that three of the actors were not simply playing young men from McFarland. They had genuine connections to the community.
Sergio Avelar, who plays Victor Puentes, Michael Aguero, who plays Damacio Diaz, and Ramiro Rodriguez, who plays Danny Diaz, were raised in McFarland or the surrounding area.
Sergio and Michael were actual runners. Ramiro had been a soccer champion before stepping into the role of Danny Diaz.
That connection gave them something no acting exercise could manufacture.
Sergio told us that he had grown up knowing Thomas Valles, the real runner who inspired Carlos Pratts’ character.
“Thomas was my coach since I was a little kid in elementary. He always took time off work to travel with us runners, taking us all over the country to compete. The support he and the Diaz brothers have for McFarland, even today, is just amazing.”
Hearing that changed the way I looked at the movie. These were not actors arriving in a town, learning a few facts, and going home. For some of them, the story was connected to people and places they had known long before a camera arrived.
What the McFarland, USA Cast Said About the Film’s Message
McFarland, USA tells the story of a cross-country team formed in California’s Central Valley and the relationship that develops between the runners and Coach Jim White.
But when I talked with the actors, it became clear that they saw the film as being about much more than races and finish lines.
Johnny Ortiz, who plays Jose Cardenas, spoke about the kinds of roles available to Latino and Hispanic actors and why the message behind a project mattered to him.
“I think as an actor, what I take from this is the message it gives. It’s important that I choose my roles carefully because, as Latino-Hispanics, we’re often seen as gang members. But why can’t we be the doctors, the lawyers, the detectives?”
His answer stayed with me.
The film asks viewers to look beyond where someone starts. The young men at the center of the story are not defined by limited resources or by other people’s expectations. Their families, work ethic, friendships, and determination matter just as much as their speed.
For the actors bringing those characters to life, that message was personal.
What Was It Like Working With Kevin Costner?
Naturally, I had to ask.
What was it really like for these young actors to work with Kevin Costner?
Every single one of them lit up at the mention of his name.
They described him as humble, generous, and willing to share what he had learned during his career. Their stories made him sound less like the distant Hollywood legend I might have expected and more like a mentor who understood what it meant for these young actors to be stepping into a major film.
Hector Duran, who plays Johnny Sameniego, told us about the time he tried to correct one of Costner’s lines.
A bold move.
“Kevin’s got more stories than a library,” Hector laughed. “It was a great experience.”
Carlos Pratts, who plays Thomas Valles, kept his answer short but powerful:
“Working with Kevin Costner is so much more than amazing.”
Ramiro Rodriguez shared one of my favorite stories from the conversation.
“My mom kept telling me, ‘Can’t you just ask Kevin to get you another job?’ And I had to laugh. It doesn’t work that way! But she always believed Kevin could make anything happen.”
There was so much affection in the way the actors talked about him. The stories were funny, but underneath them was real respect.
Behind the Scenes, the McFarland, USA Cast Became Brothers
What struck me most about the seven actors was the camaraderie between them.
They had not simply learned their lines, filmed running scenes, and gone their separate ways. They had become a team.
Ramiro Rodriguez described the experience of filming in McFarland and then looking at his hometown differently.
“I just wake up every morning and look at the building where they put the runners, and I remind myself, ‘It’s not a dream. It’s not a dream.’ This town has changed so much for the better. It’s become a real community.”
Michael Aguero had a different kind of first while filming.
He had never seen the ocean before shooting the scene where the team visits the beach.
“It was freezing!” he laughed. “But I’ll never forget that moment. It was as surreal for me as it was for my character.”
That may be one of my favorite behind-the-scenes details from the entire interview.
Moviegoers see the characters arriving at the ocean. Michael was experiencing that first for real.
How the McFarland, USA Actors Trained for the Running Scenes
The actors may have been making a movie, but the running was real.
And there was a lot more of it than viewers ever saw on screen.
Hector Duran explained just how demanding the training became:
“We did a lot more running than you see in the film. Every single day, we would run 5 or 6 miles as a warm-up, then hit the elliptical or bike. The amount of running we did for takes, from different angles and perspectives, was more than the actual 5K race!”
Johnny Ortiz had played football and soccer before the movie. Cross-country gave him a new appreciation for runners.
“Running is hard. I thought I had it easy with football and soccer, but cross-country is no joke. It’s a tough sport!”
That is one of the details easy to miss when watching a movie. A race scene may last only minutes on screen, but the actors had to run it over and over as cameras captured different angles and takes.
By the time filming was finished, they understood the physical demands behind the sport they were portraying.
What the Cast Told Me About the Real McFarland Community
The conversation kept returning to McFarland itself.
For the actors who knew the area personally, the film changed how people responded when they heard the town’s name.
Sergio Avelar described what that recognition meant to him at the time of our interview:
“Now, when people ask where I’m from and I say McFarland, they know exactly where that is. It’s no longer just ‘the town that smells like cows.’ It’s a place of pride—a place people are proud to call home.”
That may be the part of our conversation that best explains why this story has lasted.
McFarland, USA is not simply about a cross-country team winning a race. It is about what can happen when young people are seen, challenged, supported, and given something worth running toward.
It is also about a community whose families, work, sacrifices, and pride mattered long before Hollywood arrived.
Frequently Asked Questions About the McFarland, USA Cast
Who are the actors in McFarland, USA?
The seven young actors who played the main cross-country runners are Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar, Michael Aguero, Ramiro Rodriguez, and Rafael Martinez. Kevin Costner plays Coach Jim White.
Who played Thomas Valles in McFarland, USA?
Carlos Pratts played Thomas Valles. During our cast interview, Pratts also spoke warmly about working with Kevin Costner.
Who played Danny Diaz in McFarland, USA?
Ramiro Rodriguez played Danny Diaz. Rodriguez had ties to the McFarland area and shared several personal stories during our interview, including what it felt like to see his community represented on screen.
Which McFarland, USA actors were actually from the area?
Sergio Avelar, Michael Aguero, and Ramiro Rodriguez had real connections to McFarland or the surrounding area. Their personal knowledge of the community added another layer to the experience of making the film.
Did the actors in McFarland, USA really run?
Yes. The cast trained extensively for the running scenes. Hector Duran told me they sometimes ran 5 or 6 miles as a warm-up before additional training and repeated takes.
What did the McFarland, USA cast say about Kevin Costner?
The young actors described Kevin Costner with warmth and respect. They talked about his stories, humility, humor, and the guidance he gave them while they were making the film.
Is McFarland, USA based on real people?
Yes. The film was inspired by the McFarland cross-country team and Coach Jim White. I also interviewed the real men behind the story about their lives, the championship season, and their reaction to seeing their experiences portrayed on screen.
Related McFarland, USA Interviews and Stories
This cast interview is strongest when read alongside the people on both sides of the film.
- Meet the men who inspired the story in my interview with the real McFarland, USA cross-country team.
- Hear from the film’s star in my Kevin Costner interview about McFarland, USA and the American dream.
Watch the McFarland, USA Trailer
After hearing the actors talk about the training, the community, and the friendships behind the film, the running scenes look a little different.
My Final Thoughts on Meeting the McFarland, USA Cast
I went into the interview expecting to meet seven actors.
I left thinking about athletes, families, a community, and a group of young men who had become brothers while telling someone else’s true story.
I remember Sergio talking about Thomas Valles. I remember Michael laughing about how cold the ocean was the first time he saw it. I remember the way every face at the table changed when I asked about Kevin Costner.
Those are the details a cast list cannot give you.
I was there to hear their stories, and years later, that is still what makes this interview worth protecting.
If the story inspired you too, you can add McFarland, USA to your movie collection.
Next interview to read: Continue with my first-hand conversation with Kevin Costner about McFarland, USA, young people, and the American dream.