# Ryan Dorsey
**Ryan Dorsey** (full name Ryan Keith Dorsey) is an American television and film actor known for recurring roles on *Justified*, *Pitch*, *Ray Donovan*, *Bosch*, and *Yellowstone*, and for recent appearances in *[Palm Royale](https://www.edgepedia.org/palm-royale)* and *Tracker*. Born in 1983 in [West Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-virginia), he trained at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and has worked steadily in guest and supporting parts since the late 2000s. He was married to the *Glee* actress [Naya Rivera](https://www.edgepedia.org/naya-rivera) from 2014 until their 2018 divorce, and the two share a son, Josey.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4120006/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ryan Keith Dorsey[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4120006/) |
| Born | 1983; sources give his birthplace as Chesapeake, West Virginia[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) or Charleston, West Virginia[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/) |
| Training | The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, after brief enrollment at Western Carolina University and West Virginia University[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/) |
| Signature TV roles | Earl Lennon on *Justified* (10 episodes, 2015); Tommy Miller on *Pitch* (5 episodes, 2016); Dime Bag on *Ray Donovan* (4 episodes, 2017); Blake on *Yellowstone* (4 episodes, 2019)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) |
| Recent work | Jedebedaiah Hamil on *Palm Royale* (6 episodes, 2024–2026); Frank Whales on *Tracker* (2 episodes, 2024–2025); Wizard on *On Call* (2025)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) |
| Marriage | Married Naya Rivera in July 2014; son Josey born 2015; divorce finalized June 2018[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/) |
| Film credits | *Blood Father* (Shamrock, 2016), *Khali the Killer* (Axel, 2017), *Prettyface* (Bobby, 2017)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) |
## Early life and training
Dorsey grew up in a small coal-mining town in the hills of West Virginia and spent his high school years focused on football and basketball rather than acting.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) He intended to continue athletics in college, but a football injury ended that plan. Later that year he auditioned, on a whim, for a high school production of an [Ayn Rand](https://www.edgepedia.org/ayn-rand) play, won a lead part as a middle-aged attorney, and turned to acting.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4120006/)
He enrolled at [Western Carolina University](https://www.edgepedia.org/western-carolina-university) intending to walk on to the football program and major in theater, but left after one semester and returned home, where he made films with friends. After a year at [West Virginia University](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-virginia-university) he moved to New York City and was accepted to The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4120006/) • [3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/)
## Television career
Dorsey's early screen work consisted of small guest parts, including *The Mentalist* (2008), *Southland* (as Cody Carlos), *Parks and Recreation* (as Taylor Mitsch), and *The Vampire Diaries*, where he played Marty Hammond and, in a later episode, a body-swapped [Stefan Salvatore](https://www.edgepedia.org/stefan-salvatore).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) Further guest roles followed on *Shameless*, *You're the Worst*, *Chicago P.D.* (as Dale Griffith), *The Night Shift*, *Mob City*, and *Major Crimes*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey)
**Recurring roles.** His first substantial break came on FX's *[Justified](https://www.edgepedia.org/justified-tv-series)*, where he played Earl Lennon in ten episodes of the show's sixth and final season in 2015.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) In 2016 he appeared as Tommy Miller in five episodes of Fox's baseball drama *Pitch*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) In 2017 he joined Showtime's *Ray Donovan* as Dime Bag in the show's fifth season, which premiered in August of that year.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) He later had a four-episode arc as Blake on *Yellowstone* in 2019 and played a sheriff in four episodes of *Bosch*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey)
**Recent work.** Dorsey's credits in the 2020s include Rand Kleinsasser on *Big Sky* (five episodes, 2021), Leo on *[Stumptown](https://www.edgepedia.org/stumptown-tv-series)*, Travis Bolson on *All Rise*, Everest Jones on *The Rookie*, and Ethan Copeland on *9-1-1*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey) He played Jedebedaiah Hamil in six episodes of *Palm Royale* beginning in 2024 and Frank Whales in two episodes of *Tracker* in 2024 and 2025, and appeared as Wizard on *On Call* in 2025.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey)
## Film work
His film roles include Shamrock in *[Blood Father](https://www.edgepedia.org/blood-father)* (2016), Axel in *Khali the Killer* (2017), and Bobby in *Prettyface* (2017).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/) An aggregate count of his credits lists roughly three films alongside more than twenty television series between 2008 and 2025.[5](https://www.archytele.com/person/ryan-dorsey/movies-and-tv-shows)
## Marriage to Naya Rivera
Dorsey married Naya Rivera, known for playing [Santana Lopez](https://www.edgepedia.org/santana-lopez) on *Glee*, in July 2014. Their son Josey was born in 2015. The couple separated shortly afterward and finalized their divorce in June 2018.[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/) In 2017 Rivera was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery against Dorsey; the charge was not prosecuted at his request, according to the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office in West Virginia.[6](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/who-is-naya-riveras-ex-husband-ryan-dorsey.html/)
In July 2020, Rivera died after accidentally drowning in [Lake Piru](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-piru) in California, where she had rented a boat to take Josey, then four years old, fishing in Ventura County.[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-08-30/naya-rivera-son-josey-dorsey-acting-debut-burning-valley) Dorsey has since raised Josey in West Virginia and has spoken publicly about raising him alone.[8](https://headlinesorbit.com/entertainment/from-lake-piru-to-the-stage-ryan-dorseys-journey-of-healing-and-new-beginnings)
In 2026, Josey Hollis Dorsey was announced as making his film acting debut in *The Burning Valley*, the debut feature of writer-director Evan Coury, appearing opposite his father as an on-screen father and son; the film began shooting northeast of [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh).[7](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-08-30/naya-rivera-son-josey-dorsey-acting-debut-burning-valley)
## References
1. [Ryan Dorsey – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ryan-dorsey/)
2. [Ryan Dorsey (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4120006/)
3. [Ryan Dorsey News, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/ryan-dorsey/)
4. [Ryan Dorsey, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/35997/ryan-dorsey)
5. [Ryan Dorsey: movies and TV shows, archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/ryan-dorsey/movies-and-tv-shows)
6. [Who Is Naya Rivera's Ex-Husband Ryan Dorsey?, The Cheat Sheet](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/who-is-naya-riveras-ex-husband-ryan-dorsey.html/)
7. [Naya Rivera's son, Josey Dorsey, will make acting debut in 'The Burning Valley', Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-08-30/naya-rivera-son-josey-dorsey-acting-debut-burning-valley)
8. [From Lake Piru to the Stage: Ryan Dorsey's Journey of Healing and New Beginnings, Headlines Orbit](https://headlinesorbit.com/entertainment/from-lake-piru-to-the-stage-ryan-dorseys-journey-of-healing-and-new-beginnings)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Do to E*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license