After more than two decades in the entertainment industry, Joey Luthman is taking his storytelling beyond traditional film and television and using it to support a cause that has become deeply personal.

Luthman has spent much of his life in front of the camera, building an acting career that includes Weeds, iCarly, The Long Road Home and Chicago Med. But the years he has spent working in entertainment have also given him opportunities to become involved with charities and community events, experiences that have changed what he wants to accomplish through his work.

“Seeing that I can make such a positive impact on people’s lives is really what inspires me to tell stories that will inspire others and spread awareness to an important subject,” Luthman says.

That combination of storytelling and advocacy is at the heart of CAT MAN: Journey to Save Cat Kind, a documentary following Luthman on an ambitious cross-country OneWheel journey to raise money and awareness for feline chronic kidney disease and cancer research through EveryCat Health Foundation.

The idea of traveling across the country on a OneWheel had been on Luthman’s mind for years. He knew from the beginning that he wanted to document the adventure, but with filmmakers Allisyn Snyder and Dylan Snyder joining the project, it developed into something much larger.

“I’d dreamed of this wild cross-country OneWheel adventure for years, and I knew I wanted to document it as much as possible,” Luthman says. “The journey is focused on raising money for feline Chronic Kidney Disease and cancer research, through EveryCat Health Foundation, so Allisyn and Dylan Snyder helped to make it into a full documentary that spreads this powerful message.”

The cause behind the film comes from Luthman’s lifelong connection with cats. He remembers photographs of himself at four years old holding his family cat, Spot. That connection took on a new significance in 2023 when his cat Winter died from chronic kidney disease.

“When my cat Winter passed in 2023 from CKD I started diving deeper into the world of feline health research, so that I might be able to help other cats all around the world,” he says.

That experience eventually became part of an even bigger goal. Through Joey’s Journey to One Million, Luthman is working to raise $1 million for EveryCat Health Foundation. He knows the number is ambitious, but believes reaching it could make a significant difference in funding feline health research.

The first $1,000 raised during his journey became an important moment. While it represented only a small portion of the ultimate goal, Luthman says seeing people respond to the campaign confirmed that the message was connecting.

“Even with all the planning and promotion put into the trip I was still in shock when we crossed that number,” he says. “It furthered my belief in the film and putting it on as many screens as possible.”

CAT MAN also gave Luthman an opportunity to combine his experience in front of the camera with his work behind it. As an actor and cinematographer, he was comfortable taking on several responsibilities throughout production. With only Luthman, Allisyn Snyder and Dylan Snyder working on the documentary from start to finish, that versatility became essential.

His years as an actor also helped shape the way he approached telling a real story.

“Acting has taught me that every character I play is based in reality. Every story, whether fictional or real, is always grounded in a truth,” he says. “This is what made CAT MAN: Journey to Save Cat Kind effortless, since we are very familiar with using storytelling to move an audience.”

The experience has also strengthened Luthman’s desire to continue working as a filmmaker. He plans to pursue cinematography and producing alongside acting, with more documentaries potentially in his future.

“I love shaping an image and conveying a message through the lens of a camera,” he says. “Working on this documentary was such a fun process and I cannot wait to make more in the years to come!”

But a cross-country OneWheel journey was never going to be Luthman’s final challenge.

Since he was 13, he has dreamed of earning a place in the Guinness World Records book for a pogo-stick record. After discovering that jumping without using his hands came naturally to him, he set his sights on the record for most consecutive pogo-stick jumps with no hands.

After returning from the CAT MAN journey, the childhood ambition suddenly fit perfectly with his new mission.

“After coming back from the OneWheel cross-country journey I knew I wanted to do something big, and the pogo stick world record was the perfect thing to further this Joey’s Journey to One Million campaign,” Luthman says.

The physical challenges may appear extreme, but Luthman sees them as a way to get people’s attention and then direct that attention toward something meaningful. He says safety remains a priority when planning the adventures, while their unusual nature helps attract people who may then become interested in the cause behind them.

Ultimately, that cause matters more to Luthman than the records or physical accomplishments.

“My biggest hope is that people understand that cats are very special and deserve attention,” he says. “CKD is an incurable illness in cats that is one of the leading causes of death, and the more people that know about this and can help put money towards finding a cure the better.”

He also hopes CAT MAN introduces audiences to the work being done by EveryCat Health Foundation and inspires more people to support feline health research.

As for what comes after the OneWheel journey and pogo-stick record attempt, Luthman already has ideas. More pogo-stick records are on his radar, along with future OneWheel adventures that could continue building Joey’s Journey to One Million.

“It’s fun to come up with new challenges that will be exciting for people to watch and donate towards EveryCat,” he says, “and time will tell what’s on the horizon for next year.”

More information about CAT MAN: Journey to Save Cat Kind, upcoming screenings and Joey’s Journey to One Million can be found at catmanfilm.com. Luthman also shares updates from CAT MAN and his fundraising adventures on Instagram and TikTok at @joeyluthman.