Boy star James Rolleston remains in a stable condition following crash

Actor James Rolleston remains in a stable condition in a ward in Waikato Hospital after a horror car crash nearly a month ago.

The young star was seriously injured in the crash described as "every parent's nightmare."

Rolleston, 19, and his friend Kaleb Maxwell were driving on the night of July 26 when their car crashed into a bridge in east Opotiki, where both boys were from.

They were taken to Tauranga Hospital before Rolleston was transferred to Waikato Hospital's ICU.

"Half the bridge" ended up in the car, said a volunteer firefighter, who described the crash site as a "total mess".

The car was written off and police were forced to shut down the road for an hour to clear the wreckage.

Maxwell has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.

Picking up the phone at 11pm to hear the news that night was "horrific and every parent's nightmare", said his father Craig Maxwell.

It was not yet known when Rolleston would be well enough to leave hospital, where his mother Angeline Rolleston and nana Christina have kept a bedside vigil.

Rolleston went on to become a household name after starring in Taika Waititi's cult hit Boy, as well as roles in The Dead Lands with Te Kohe Tuhaka and The Dark Horse alongside Cliff Curtis.