Kyle Matthew: Blossoming Under Hollywood’s Spotlight

Everyone dreams of becoming a success, and Kyle Matthew is achieving his goals by climbing the ranks in Hollywood.

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Matthew is an actor, writer, and producer fresh out of USC’s B.A. acting program. He hit the ground running with his entertainment by starring in two short films, Uninvited and Charlie Hughes, which performed incredibly well on the festival circuit. His star quality led him to land a guest starring role on Disney Channel’s Bunk’d, which will air Friday, June 4, and he will be seen in an upcoming feature film that will be announced later this year.

Out of all areas of acting, Matthew is especially gifted with comedy. He is currently taking advanced classes at The Groundlings, an improvisation and sketch comedy theatre, and he has written, produced, and acted in the hilarious sketches, Leaked: Iphone 9 Commercial and Lip-Sync Break Up, which have over 100K views on YouTube.

This is an exciting time in Matthew’s life, and he took some time to chat about it with OFM.

You dreamt of becoming a professional athlete. When and how did your passion turn to acting?
Great question. Growing up, I was a firm believer that I would become a professional basketball player. I wore sweatbands to school every day, I was obsessed with the Lakers, and I had my Bar Mitzvah theme centered around basketball. That was my jam. I was going to do it; it was happening, I was ready. Around eighth grade, at the school I went to in Dallas, Greenhill School, I won this prestigious award on Shakespeare Day. Unless you do not have it at your school, you have no idea what it is, but trust me, it is super important. I won “Best Actor” on that day, so it was at that time when I really caught the bug, so to speak. It was also the time when I realized my chances of being over six foot were over.

We will see you in an upcoming guest star role on Disney Channel’s Bunk’d. What can you tell us about this?
The episode is coming out on Friday, June 4, and I am super excited about it. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose anything more about the specifics of the role itself, but what I can say is, the entire experience was absolutely amazing. The cast and crew, the production team, the casting department, and everyone involved in the show could not have been kinder and more welcoming. They are all just so talented, so I felt so lucky to be in their presence, and it was such a joy collaborating with them.

You will also be in an upcoming film that will be announced later this year. I know things have been hush hush, so is there anything you can mention at this time?
That one I can tell you absolutely nothing about, unfortunately. I wish I could though! Just keep an eye out for that. It was another project filled with a lot of really gifted artists, both in front and behind the camera, that I was grateful to be in the company of.

How did it feel to make your debut on the festival circuit starring in the crime shorts, Uninvited and Charlie Hughes?
It was great! I think one of the most inspiring places for any type of storyteller to be at is a film festival. That is just my personal opinion. So, whenever I am granted the opportunity to just be around that energy, whether it’s because of some project that I am involved in being showcased, or just being there as an attendee, it is such a special environment. The hope with any project is that it resonates with someone, and people want to watch it. It becomes something that has an effect on them. Whenever that is obtained and enough people feel like it deserves to be screened at a film festival, no matter what the festival is, it is a huge honor.

Both of those films were received well by audiences?
I was going to say everyone hated it, but that would not have read as well on two dimensions [laughs]. They were both received very well, and short form writing is super interesting because there is so much to compact in such a short time. You have to be so thoughtful about every single frame and every single moment that is in it. It is very cool in that way, and also, it makes me have that much more respect for those involved in that world.

So far, what have you enjoyed the most about being a professional actor?
I would have to say, the people I have gotten to meet along the way. Whether it’s the people I have gotten to work with, the people who are on my team, I truly believe that we are a lot more similar than we are different, as people. This might be me looking at the world through rose colored glasses for a hot second amidst these tragic and challenging times, but I do believe that storytelling has the power to connect us all. Whenever I can meet a person through the act of storytelling, whether it’s someone who I meet before production, after production, or during production, it further emboldens that idea, which I think is beautiful.

Who are some of your biggest influences?
So many, that is such a hard question. For the sake of time, I will give you a couple people. I love Steve Carrell. I think he is next-level, and he has so much range. He can do comedy; he can do drama. Then, I have other artists who I really like. Maya Rudolph is super talented, I think Martin Short is super great and super under-appreciated, I love Jim Carey, and I think Sterling K. Brown is the greatest thing ever. I would pay money to watch him read a menu at a diner. There are so many gifted artists that I admire, and I am constantly being inspired and learning from everyone, every single day.

How are your classes going at The Groundlings?
The Groundlings is great. I am a huge fan of improv, and I love everything that they do there. It has been a great opportunity for me to reconnect with my inner child and have a place to just play, make believe, and meet a lot of really talented people on the way. One of the coolest parts about improv is, at its core, it is all about listening and being present, which I think as human beings is something that we all strive for more of. It is cool to have the opportunity to work on my craft while simultaneously trying to evolve as a human being.

You are very well-known for your comedy. Is this a genre you would like to stick with, or do you hope to branch out into different areas?
I will always have a sweet spot for comedy, of course. I think one of the greatest feelings in the world is making someone laugh. The joy that they feel is magical. On the flip side, being on the receiving end of someone saying something funny to me and being able to experience it myself. So, as a result, I will always have a special bond with comedy and the kind of levity that it can bring to omit the heaviness that the world can be. That being said, I believe myself to be a storyteller first. I love all genres and all mediums, and I hope to go across all of them throughout my career. Ultimately, I just want to tell great stories with great people, and that transcends across all genres and mediums.

You have also written and produced your own content, how did you start developing that part of your career?
The school I went to growing up in Dallas, Greenhill School, as I mentioned before, had this video production program called ABP. If it’s an acronym, you know it’s legit. I got very involved with that program, and a shoutout to Mr. Corbin Doyle. My primary passion at that time was acting, but my time in that program gave me the courage to be proactive about writing stories and roles that I want to tell or play. That idea was further emboldened when I became a part of a sketch troupe at USC called The Suspenders.

Often, as an actor, you can fall into a very passive mindset where you are just waiting for people to bring opportunities to you, which a lot of that is the way the hierarchy of the business is. There are ways to flip that hierarchy on its head with creating your own original content. The times I have done that, it has afforded me the opportunity to reach out to directors, producers, writers, editors, cinematographers, and makeup artists that I have either worked with and wanted to work with again or that I have been wanting to work with but have not had the chance yet. I am able to come to them with an opportunity and not with the mindset of, what can you do for me? Rather, here’s what we can do together. Normally, it is the other way around.

What advice can you offer to those who hope to make it in the biz?
Two things, and I want to preface this by saying I am huge on the beginner’s mindset and always believing that we are just beginning. The beginner’s mindset sees all the possibilities. One, remembering that this is a path that you chose because you love it, even though there is a lot of struggle and challenging times that come with it. Remembering that you love this can bring some comfort.

Two, I do believe that a person can achieve anything they want. I do believe that, and I like to believe that, but also, I can guarantee from firsthand experience that the way and when you think it is going to happen will almost certainly not be the way and when it actually happens. It is good to have desires and goals, but also be OK with it coming in a different way than you ever expected. That is just as beautiful and amazing.

Outside of acting, you volunteer as a “big brother” for Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles. What inspired you to become involved with this organization?
My involvement with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles has been nothing short of amazing, and I highly recommend it to anyone. There were a handful of motivations that inspired me to start partnering with that program. The first would be, selfishly, I am happiest when I am doing something for someone else, and I think that is okay. Two things can be true, as my therapist says, and I love her for it, two things can be true at the same time. You can be selfless and selfish at the exact same time. Two opposing ideas can be true at the same time.

So, I wanted to be involved in more activities that kind of had to do with me putting my attention on someone else, rather than the attention always being on me. Kind of as a reminder that we are all one small piece of this big puzzle called life. The second thing is, as a proud Jew, I wanted an opportunity to reconnect with my Jewish roots, and this felt like an awesome opportunity. Lastly, I am the baby of my family, so the opportunity of being a “big brother” to someone seemed like a really cool opportunity.

What are some of the biggest goals you would like to accomplish with your platform?
Hopefully, just to be a safe and encouraging space for kindness, inclusivity, and thoughtful exchange. I also hope to represent a platform of someone who is trying to live by their values and trying to be a good person, whatever that means, but then, I am also flawed, and that is part of the process too. Not being afraid to talk about my struggles and the things that I deal with as well. I hope my platform is not just a highlight reel. I do not want people to think that just because it seems perfect on the outside, that does not mean that I do not struggle just like everyone else. I think that is important. Just another way to, hopefully, make us all feel a little bit more connected.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
There are a lot of super exciting things on the horizon that, unfortunately, I cannot talk about at the moment, but I hope to have the opportunity to come back and speak with you again when I can share more details!

Connect with Matthew on Instagram to stay up-to-date on his latest news and projects.

Photos Courtesy of Ben Cope