New Mexico singer, actor recount experiences working on Clint Eastwood's film 'Cry Macho'

LAS CRUCES – “Cry Macho,” the recently released Clint Eastwood movie, not only featured New Mexico landscapes, but also talent from the Land of Enchantment.

The latest of many movies Eastwood has filmed in New Mexico, “Cry Macho” was released in theatres Sept. 17 and for streaming on HBO Max through Oct. 17. It follows the story of a former rodeo star who teaches a boy about what it truly means to be a good man as they travel across rural Mexico.

Eastwood stars in and directs the movie, filmed mostly in the Belen area. it opens with the song “Find a New Home,” which is performed by a native of Portales. Among the supporting actors in the film is a man from Las Cruces.

'Find a New Home'

The song “Find a New Home,” written by Mark Mancina, is performed by Will Banister in the movie.

Banister, from eastern New Mexico, is a country singer who's been performing professionally for about 12 years. He said producers reached out to him because they wanted a Merle Haggard-like sound. It's a comparison Banister said is a great compliment.

About a month ago, Banister said he and his band flew out to California to perform for Eastwood at his private golf course. A few weeks later, Banister and his wife, Tessa, were flown back to California for a private screening of “Cry Macho.”

More:Get ready to dance at Las Cruces' first Latin Music Day

“We got to hang out with Clint Eastwood a few times and got our picture took with him,” Banister said. “Personally, it was an honor to get to experience something like that …. I grew up watching his movies.”

Banister said he is currently working on songwriting for a future album. He is also touring with dates lined up through February 2022 in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Performance information can be found online at willbanister.com.

'It was an honor'

Las Cruces-based actor Rocko Reyes said he was also honored to work on a film with the Academy Award-winning Eastwood.

Reyes has been in several films including the recently released Bruce Dern film, “Death in Texas,” which is set in El Paso and was filmed largely in Las Cruces. He played one of the villains opposite Ronnie Gene Blevins’ protagonist.

In “Cry Macho,” Reyes plays Capitan Garcia — a different and smaller role than he said he was initially expecting to play. He said before filming began, he tested positive for COVID-19. He lost the bigger role, but about a month later he said production contacted him again asking if he felt up to returning to the movie in a different role.

He said he was nervous to work with Eastwood at first, but warmed up to the work when he found that the director was humble.

“That was the best part of that project for me, Clint Eastwood asking for me,” Reyes said. “It's one of the most beautiful things of my career, working with him. It was an honor; it was a pleasure.”

More:Las Cruces International Film Festival to return in-person March 2022

Reyes has more acting gigs lined up. One of his next projects is in post-production. Western movie “Dead for A Dollar,” filmed in Santa Fe stars Hamish Linklater, Christoph Waltz, Rachel Brosnahan and Willem Dafoe. He is also involved with the TV series “The Cleaning Lady,” starring Rana Haddad, Jay Mohr and Shiva Negar.

Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, lromero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.