The Lost Bus: Full list of cast and characters explored 

Based on one of the deadliest wildfires in California history, The Lost Bus brings a story of survival and heroism coming together, starring Matthew McConaughey. Premiering in fall 2025 in select movie theaters in the US and on Apple TV+, Paul Greengrass directs McConaughey as a school bus driver navigating the inferno-like danger to rescue stranded kids and their teacher.

The story is based on the true events featured in Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Lizzie Johnson, with the script written by Greengrass and Brand Inglesby. Besides McConaughey, a set of well-regarded actors come together to tell the compelling story of the 2018 wildfire in Paradise, California.

Find out more about The Lost Bus cast and the characters they are going to play in the upcoming disaster thriller.

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Main cast and characters in The Lost Bus

Matthew McConaughey as Kevin McCay

Matthew McConaughey plays Kevin (Image via Getty)

Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey leads the cast of The Lost Bus as Kevin McCay. He's the school bus driver in the story, who volunteered to pick up the stranded children at the 2018 Camp Fire, putting himself in danger and showcasing the destructive power of wildfires.

McConaughey has been a leading man for decades, from classic rom-coms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days to movies like Interstellar, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Dallas Buyers Club. He was also Cowboypool in Deadpool & Wolverine.

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America Ferrera as Mary Ludwig

American Ferrera plays Mary (Image via NBC)

Oscar nominee America Ferrera joins The Lost Bus as Teacher Mary Ludwig. She is the teacher of the kids who were stranded at Ponderosa Elementary during the wildfires. Together with Kevin, Mary helped rescue the bus full of children and bring them to safety. Apple TV describes her character as a "dedicated teacher."

Best known as Betty Suarez on ABC's Ugly Betty, Ferrera also played Gloria in the Oscar-winning film Barbie. Her other notable works include The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Superstore, and the How to Train Your Dragon movies as the voice of Astrid.

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Yul Vazquez as Ray Martinez

Yul Vazquez plays Ray (Image via Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Veteran Cuban-American actor Yul Vazquez plays the role of Ray Martinez in The Lost Bus. So far, the specifics of his character in the survival movie have remained undisclosed, but his casting was announced back in early May 2024.

Vazquez is best known for his role in various TV shows, including Midnight, Texas, Russing Doll, The Outsider, Godfather of Harlem, and Succession. He recently joined Severance as Petey Kilmer and Will Trent as Sheriff Caled Roussard.

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Ashlie Atkinson as Ruby

Ashlie Atkinson plays Ruby (Image via Magnolia Pictures)

The ensemble cast of The Lost Bus includes award-winning theater, film, and television actress Ashlie Atkinson, who is slated to play Ruby. Her casting was shared shortly after Vazquez was confirmed to join the project. However, her character's part in the story remains under wraps.

On TV, Atkinson can be seen in And Just Like That..., The Gilded Age, Blue Bloods, and American Horror Story. She has also done several movies, like Bridge of Spies, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Cold Comes the Night.

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Spencer Watson as Hopkins

Spencer Watson plays Hopkins (Image via AFI)

Actor Spencer Watson rounds out the cast of The Lost Bus, where he's going to play the character of Hopkins. Like Atkinson, Watson's role in the upcoming movie remains under wraps, but it's expected to add to the story's emotional depth.

Watson is Chad Fish in the TV series Mr. Student Body President, and he can also be seen in the shows Millennial Mafia, Them, and It's Sketchy. He recently starred as Mike in the 2025 romantic comedy For Worse.

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Supporting cast and characters in The Lost Bus

Per the movie's IMDb page, here are the rest of the supporting cast members and the characters they are going to play in The Lost Bus.

• Danny McCarthy as McKenzie
• Carrie Lazar as a teacher
• Peter Diseth as a PG&E Rep
• Christopher Hagen as a Concow Older Man
• Mo Beatty as C. Kierman
• Gray Kraus as Sheriff Thomas
• Jermaine Washington as Gabriella's father
• RaShayla Daniels as Gabriella's mother
• Taylor Trujillo as Jack's mother
• Joellyn Baca as Anna Ludwig
• Henry Frost as a Roe Rd. Man
• Joanne Marie as a Concow Older Woman
• Paul Thompson as a town hall employee

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The Lost Bus doesn't have an official release date yet, but it's expected to arrive in select movie theaters in the US and on Apple TV+ this coming fall.