Biography
Steven Grayhm is a Canadian-American filmmaker born in London, Ontario, Canada, to a Polish-German mother and a Canadian father whose ancestry traces back to the Weskarini Algonquin First Nation of La Petite Nation (Little Nation) in Western Quebec, Canada.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Steven was nominated for a Hollywood Discovery Award at the Hollywood Film Awards for his acclaimed short films Vodka, Winter and The Cry of Violin, which he starred in, wrote, directed, and produced. Based on a true story about a Polish couple's desperate efforts to rescue their only son from a Nazi German labor camp during the final winter of WWII, The Cry of Violin earned the 'Best International Short' award at the New York Film Festival.
Steven made his comedy debut in the summer blockbuster White Chicks, becoming a fan favorite as Party Boy alongside the Wayans Brothers. That same year, he received critical acclaim for his role as Young Eddie in Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven, starring opposite Academy Award winner Jon Voight, nominees Jeff Daniels and Ellen Burstyn, and Emmy winner Michael Imperioli, in an adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel.
On stage, Steven has performed multiple times in the title role of Hamlet and entered the Los Angeles theater scene starring opposite Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Dianne Wiest, and nominee Jessica Chastain, in August Strindberg's classic The Father.
After a hiatus to complete his feature film script Sheepdog, which focuses on the challenges combat veterans face reintegrating into civilian life, Steven recently returned to television as Liam Cullen, a season two series lead on Netflix's Between, co-starring Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy. The following year, he joined the cast of Robert Zemeckis' large-scale documentary-drama Medal of Honor.
In early 2020, Steven returned behind the camera to write, direct, produce, and star in the feature film The Secret of Sinchanee. Executive produced by Joe Newcomb (Dallas Buyers Club), the film co-stars former NFL player and Green Beret Nate Boyer, along with actresses Tamara Austin (The Walking Dead) and Laila Lockhart Kraner (Gabby's Dollhouse, Black-ish). The film premiered in the UK at the 2021 Raindance Film Festival in London and was selected for 12 international film festivals, earning 3 wins and 8 nominations. In October 2021, it received a worldwide release via Vertical Entertainment on a micro-production budget. The New York Times described Grayhm's feature debut as "a slow-burn thriller that deftly weaves issues of mental illness and family traumas into a cautionary tale set on sacred land," highlighting the film's portrayal of rural Massachusetts as "simultaneously a winter wonderland and a hellscape."
In 2020, Steven founded Team House Studios, a film and media production company dedicated to hiring and empowering military veterans both in front of and behind the camera. The company provides hands-on training and strives to create an equal opportunity environment for all genders and backgrounds. To date, Team House Studios has employed 28 US military veterans and 6 Gold Star family members.
Steven recently completed production on his feature film Sheepdog, which addresses the struggles of US military veterans returning home from combat. He wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film, which took 12 years to complete following extensive nationwide research and development trips, during which he met thousands of veterans, first responders, mental health workers, and Gold Star families. Sheepdog enjoyed a sold-out film festival run, winning major awards across all categories, including Jury Award, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film. The film stars Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen, Emmy nominee Vondie Curtis Hall, Tony nominee Lilli Cooper, SAG nominee Dominic Fumusa, Matt Dallas, and Grayhm as combat veteran Calvin Cole. Praised as "a rare perfect film" with five stars, top film critic Joe Neumaier stated, "Sheepdog stands tall alongside giants such as Coming Home, American Sniper, and The Messenger." Shot on location in Western Massachusetts, Sheepdog is the first film of its generation to deeply explore the physical and psychological effects of trauma, emphasizing Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). It delivers an uplifting original story inspired by numerous firsthand accounts of recovery, redemption, and the healing journey. Top film critic Tony Toscana calls Sheepdog "one of the best films of the year.
