By Adrian Gomez / For the Journal
Kenneth Miller ’07 went from living on his personal Texas ranch to the set of “Ransom Canyon” last year.
The Albuquerque native is one of many celebrating the success of the Netflix series as it continues to hold in the top five in its third week of streaming.
“My girlfriend is also an actor and when she books projects, she gets to go to Hawaii, New York and Vancouver,” he says. “When I book something, it’s either Los Angeles or New Mexico. These are two places that I already live part time. It’s always amazing to get booked for a job. This time I was back on the turf I know so well.”
“Ransom Canyon” is a romantic Western series based on the Jodie Thomas series of books. The season premiered on Netflix on April 17 and is available to stream.
According to Netflix, the series follows three ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of the land, their lives and legacies, as it is threatened by outside forces intent on destroying their way of life.
At the center of it all is stoic rancher Staten Kirkland, played by Josh Duhamel, who is healing from a heartbreaking loss and on a quest for vengeance. Staten’s only glimmer of hope rests in the eyes and heart of Quinn O’Grady, played by former Albuquerque resident Minka Kelly, longtime family friend and owner of the local dance hall.
But as the battle to save Ransom wages on, a mysterious cowboy Yancy Grey, played by Jack Schumacher, drifts into town, dredging up secrets from the past.
Staten fights to protect the land he calls home, and the only love that can pull him back from the demons that haunt him.
In the series, Miller plays Freddie Gates, who is Grey’s menacing old prison mate. Arriving in Ransom, he threatens to expose Grey’s past.
“Freddie is pure mayhem,” Miller says. “The coolest thing is when I was cast for the role, I was told to come in and shake things up. I love Jack and to be able to play his rival was so fun.”
Miller had roles in “The Cleaning Lady,” “12 Strong,” “Only the Brave,” “Waco,” “On Call” and “S.W.A.T.” This was the first role where he truly had the opportunity to be the bad guy.
“In my daily life, I’m a good guy,” he says. “I told Jack that I didn’t envy his role with Yancy because he has to hide who he is. I get to walk on set and let the crazy come out.”
In the show, the two characters met in prison and have a lot of animosity between them.
“I’m hoping the series will dive into their past more during season two and how we became such fast friends,” Miller says. “Being able to play a character that can cause so much drama in a short amount of time is amazing.”
The New Mexico Film Office announced the Netflix project in February 2024 and it filmed through June 2024.
The series filmed in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico.
According to the film office, the production employed over 700 New Mexicans — 380 crew members, 40 principal actors, and 300 background talent.
Starring alongside Duhamel, Kelly, Miller and Shumacher are James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Marianly Tejada, Garrett Wareing, Andrew Liner, Jaren K. Robledo, Casey W. Johnson, Jennifer Ens, Brett Cullen, Kate Burton, Niko Guardado, Philip Winchester, Justin Johnson Cortez and Tatanka Means.
Miller’s journey has been fruitful since booking his first role when he was a junior at Albuquerque Academy.
For the last 10 years, he’s split time between Los Angeles and New Mexico, and within the last year bought a 100-acre ranch in Texas.
“It’s the best,” he says. “The closest highway is like five miles away and my ranch is over two county blocks. It’s so quiet where you can hear frogs, crickets and songbirds all day long. My dad, brother and I are doing a lot of construction and it’s a joy because we’re building this space with our hands. Last week, I was back in LA and my nephew is still in Albuquerque, so I can visit him and old friends. It’s the best of all the worlds.”
After nearly 20 years making films, Miller says his love for the craft continues to grow.
“Though my love for the industry ebbs and flows,” he says. “I miss movies that are made for pure entertainment. ‘Ransom Canyon’ has all the emotions. It’s an escape with a little bit of romance and cowboys. I’ll always be honored to portray those in the Armed Forces, but it has been amazing to jump into the bad guy role and sink my teeth into it.”
