At just 13 years old, Texas native Carson Minniear is emerging as one of Hollywood’s brightest young talents — with exciting new roles across film, animation, and a soon-to-be-released television series! Best known for his heartwarming and inspirational role in 5000 Blankets opposite Anna Camp and he has been working continually since the age of 6 years old. Carson’s on-screen credits include appearances in hit series such as The Purge, Doom Patrol, Mayfair Witches, and The Chosen. His feature film work includes Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake. His ability to emotionally connect with characters and deliver grounded, heartfelt performances has been praised by directors and casting teams alike.
Carson stars in the upcoming thriller Site (Releasing Aug 8) based on a powerful true story, where he plays the son of Jake McLaughlin’s character — a young boy who loses his vision following an ATV accident. The cast also includes: Arielle Kebbel, Theo Rossi. The emotional role challenged Carson to perform much of the film with his eyes covered, delivering a heartfelt and grounded performance well beyond his years. Early this summer he also appeared in Eye for an Eye, a chilling supernatural thriller shot in Savannah, where he plays a bullied teen who turns to the paranormal for revenge. The film co-stars Whitney Peak and Bridgerton’s Golda Rosheuvel and shows off Carson’s darker, dramatic side.
Next up, Carson can be seen in a highly anticipated television series set within a globally recognized franchise. Originally cast for a small part, his role was expanded significantly during filming — a testament to his on-set presence and natural talent. More details will be announced closer to release.
Carson is also a standout voice actor, currently recording season three of Disney’s hit animated series Pupstruction, where he voices a series regular. His past voice work includes Netflix’s Leo alongside Adam Sandler, Nickelodeon’s Wild Pack, and Disney’s Little Mermaid Flounder attraction.
Carson, welcome to OLC! You started acting at just six years old — what do you remember most about your very first role, and what made you want to keep going?
Thanks for having me! I’m super excited to chat with OLC! I started acting when I was six, and officially booked my first professional role at eight. It was a small non-speaking role on The Purge, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I remember being on set, smashing robots and thinking, “Wait…this is a job?!” I got to play pretend, meet awesome people, and eat snacks in between takes! What’s not to love? 
After that, I just knew I wanted to keep going. I loved how every role was different and how I got to learn new things each time. It never gets boring, and that’s what keeps me coming back!
Your role in 5000 Blankets really touched a lot of people. What was it like working with Anna Camp, and what did that story mean to you personally?
Thank you! 5000 Blankets was such a special project to be part of. Working with Anna Camp was amazing! She’s super talented and also really kind. She made me feel comfortable right away, and we had a great connection on set, which made the emotional scenes feel really real.
The story meant a lot to me because it was based on a true story (close to my hometown in Fort Worth, TX) and really powerful. It showed how one act of kindness can turn into something huge and help so many people. It reminded me how important it is to care about others, and even as a kid, you can make a difference. I’m really proud I got to help tell that story.
You’ve worked with big names like Justin Timberlake in Palmer — what was the most memorable thing you learned from that experience?
Palmer was such a cool experience, and the handful of times I got to work with Justin Timberlake were honestly awesome. He’s super down-to-earth and really focused when he’s acting, which taught me a lot about staying in the moment during scenes.
One of the most memorable things I learned from working on Palmer was the importance of accepting others, even if they’re different from you. The story really showed how powerful kindness and understanding can be, and it made me think about how we should treat everyone with respect, no matter what. It was also the first time I had to play a school bully, which was totally different from who I am in real life. That made it a fun challenge, but also helped me see the story from a new perspective.
In Site, you play a boy who loses his vision after an accident. How did you prepare for such a challenging and emotional role — especially acting with your eyes covered?
It was super challenging at first, because I had to rely on sound, touch, and memory instead of looking around like I normally would. But over time, it started to feel more natural, and it really helped me connect to what my character was going through. It made me realize how strong people are who live with vision loss every day.
Your new film, Eye for an Eye, shows a darker side of your acting. Was it difficult to step into that kind of role, and how did you get into character?
Yeah, Eye for an Eye was definitely a darker project and way different from anything I’d done before. My character wasn’t directly involved with anything too creepy, but he was the reason a lot of things started happening, so that made it really fun to play.
You voice a regular character in Disney’s Pupstruction. What’s the biggest difference between voice acting and live-action work for you?
Great question! The biggest difference for me is that with live-action, people can see everything you’re doing, but in voice work, you have to put all the emotion, energy, and personality into just how you sound. You’re in a booth by yourself, so you have to imagine everything that’s happening around you. It can be a challenge, but it’s also really fun! Plus, I love dogs, so getting to voice a talking dog is pretty awesome!
You’ve worked with legends like Adam Sandler on Netflix’s Leo. What’s something fun or unexpected about doing voice work with such a big cast?
The crazy thing about voice acting is you don’t always work directly with other actors. So for Leo, I recorded everything remotely in Dallas, Texas, and didn’t really learn that Leo was Adam Sandler’s movie until later.
You’re a straight-A student and a big sports fan. How do you balance school, acting, and still find time to play baseball and golf?
It definitely takes some juggling, but I’ve got a great team that helps me stay on top of everything. My parents, teachers, and set tutors are all super supportive. When I’m filming, I do schoolwork on set, and I try to stay ahead whenever I can so I don’t fall behind.
I love acting, but I also don’t want to miss out on being a kid, so I make sure to carve out time for sports like baseball and golf, which are a big part of my life. It helps me stay active, hang out with friends, and just have fun.
You’ve mentioned you’d love to work with Jason Sudeikis or Tom Cruise one day — what draws you to those two actors in particular?
Yeah, I’d love to work with Jason Sudeikis or Tom Cruise someday! They’re both awesome, but for totally different reasons!
Jason Sudeikis is just hilarious. I love how he can be funny but also really genuine and emotional, like in Ted Lasso. He makes his characters feel real, even when they’re cracking jokes, and I think it’d be so fun to learn from someone with that kind of timing and heart.
Tom Cruise is a legend when it comes to action. He does his own stunts and gives 100% in every role, which is super inspiring. I think it’d be amazing to work with someone who pushes himself like that.
You’ve played everything from an inspiring son to a supernatural antihero. Is there a dream role or genre you haven’t tackled yet that you’d love to try?
Yeah, I’ve been lucky to play a bunch of different types of characters, but one genre I really want to try more of is comedy! I think it’d be so fun to do something that’s just straight-up funny…like a comedy movie or a sitcom where I get to be goofy and make people laugh.
I love making my friends and family laugh in real life, so getting to do that on screen would be awesome. Plus, I think comedy is actually really challenging in a fun way…it’s all about timing and energy, and I’d love to see how I could grow in that kind of role.
With so many cool projects under your belt already, how do you stay grounded while also dreaming big in Hollywood?
I think the biggest thing that keeps me grounded is my family and friends. They’ve been with me since the beginning and treat me the same no matter what project I’m working on. At home, I’m just Carson…not “movie Carson” or anything like that. They make sure I stay focused on what really matters, like being kind, working hard, and just being a good person.
At the same time, I still dream big because I love what I do. Acting is so much fun, and I have a lot of goals I want to reach. But I try to take it one step at a time and enjoy the journey. There’s a lot of rejection in this business, so with that, I’m super grateful for every opportunity, and I never take any of it for granted.
What advice would you give to other kids in small towns who want to follow their dreams like you have?
You don’t need a big city to do big things. If you love something, whether it’s acting, sports, music, whatever…put your heart into it and don’t be afraid to mess up or learn along the way. Work hard, stay humble, and surround yourself with people who support you. And most importantly, believe in yourself, even when things feel tough. Dreams don’t care where you’re from…they just need you to chase them!
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