The wait for 'Shadow and Bone' is almost over! The character was so deep and complicated and dynamic, and the writing was brilliant. Matt: I always loved my scenes with (Tim) Riggins. It’s about how vulnerable and ugly you’re allowing yourself to be, on the day. Matthew "Matt" Lauria (born June 22, 1984) is an American actor and musician. How well are your best intentions going to stand up to these challenges and obstacles? ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Obviously, this is a very big and emotional episode with Ryan’s return. Matt Lauria At this point in your career, what are you most looking forward to? He is best known for his roles as Luke Cafferty on the NBC/DirecTV drama Friday Night Lights, Ryan York on the NBC family drama Parenthood, and starred as Ryan Wheeler on the Audience drama Kingdom. I think word of mouth spreading from the existing fans has really been the thing that brought in so many new fans because I think those are the people who convince fans who, or who would be fans and say ‘Oh no, I’m not into football, blah, blah, blah.’ I think the original fans and the fans who have seen it are the ones who draw those people in. Byron Balasco Interview: 'Kingdom' creator talks about the MMA show's Netflix debut. That would have been special. So that’s exciting. Amy: Alicia Witt (from Friday Night Lights) was on your show, what was it like to see a familiar face? I think he emerged from prison thinking he had all these expectations of rebuilding this life and doing it all over again and doing it all right and making good on his errors and making amends. I would have loved to do scenes with Louanne (Stephens) and I would have loved to have gotten into a fight with VooDoo Tatum. He makes all the characters so real and people I think, myself included, get so hooked into the hearts in the characters and wanting to see them succeed and wanting to stand with them through all their trails and disappointments. Amy: Where do you think Luke is now? During this exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor Matt Lauria talked about why he fought so hard for this role, how exhausting the physical aspect of the show is, the duality of the character, that all the characters have twists and turns, the high stakes of the situation they’re all in, and how this is a role that he’d love to play for years. “We were fully immersed in this program,” he recalls. She is a theme park fanatic, which has lead to covering various land and ride openings, and a huge music fan, for which she judges life by the time before Pearl Jam and the time after. He is an actor and writer, known for Kingdom (2014), Friday Night Lights (2006) and Parenthood (2010). Matt: I think Luke served his four years and then re-up for another four. Matt: No, we love each other and we’re such big fans of one another… Look, anything that elicits some emotional response for me personally as an actor, if losing the fight in the storyline elicits a sad or angry or disappointed emotion for me, Matt, that’s a good thing. I mean you’re friends with somebody, it’s a little awkward at first making out with them and having sex with them on screen, because you’re buddies. You’ve gotta have great writing and great character development, and then you have really great materials to work from. The highly compelling, 10-episode DirecTV drama series Kingdom is a visceral family saga that takes place in Venice, California against the backdrop of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) subculture. There’s some good stuff. This is a character who clearly was on one path in his life, and then got detoured a bit, and now he has to rediscover himself and what he wants to do with his life. Matt: There has been a lot of fans that come to the show after it’s been long off the air. But I’m very invested in Ryan, so of course I didn’t like that he lost. But outside his comforts, push him into a place of pretty hot, emotional extremes. Kingdom star Matt Lauria recently spoke with The TV Junkies about where Ryan is mentally and what his injury could mean for the fight with Jay. LAURIA:  No, I didn’t draw the parallel with Friday Night Lights. I loved working with Derek Phillips. There is a ton of improv. (WARNING: which includes spoilers of last night’s episode), ATX Television Festival Recap: A first timer’s experience, The Wonder Years: “Whose Woods Are These”, Riverdale 2x14 "Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Hills Have Eyes" Recap. tagged as: #matt lauria #miss bala #appearances 2019. I think what we’ll see towards the end of season two (A) is some characters beginning to seem like they are getting some footing, and in Season 2B, that drops away. Byron Balasco has done such a tremendous job with these characters. Hopefully after his last four years of the military, he got married, had a couple of kids, and works at a local high school as a coach. Matt Lauria knows how to play rough. You can do better. Amy: I have to ask, was (the) ‘I traded my pig for you’ scripted? But then, I told them that I was really interested in the Ryan role, and that took some convincing. (Laughs) That (reuniting years later) would be sweet. This past weekend, the festival brought in for the first time Audience Network’s Kingdom and screened last night’s episode in advance for the fans to enjoy. It was it was explained to us from the very beginning that that was how we were supposed to work and that’s the way the show went. Then there was always a certain aspect that was the unexpected and it really was a beautiful collaboration. Did you have any idea how much of a physical transformation you’d actually have to make for this role? I never had any scenes with Jason Street. LAURIA:  It’s an interesting question because I love the character and I love the show and I love the people that I work with. That was a gem. But I think he’s been very dismayed by the fact that he hasn’t been able to click into a group really. Friday Night Lights’ Zach Gilford joked about Matt and Julie’s relationship and revealed if he would ever be down for a revival — read the interview! Matt: I don’t know about that. I love Alicia and she’s great. The kind of confidence it must instill in you to know, physically, what you hold, but then to keep thinking of him as a monster and a killer, you just don’t get it. I sing my heart out and have my own concert in my living room with my iPod blasting. Matt: That was scripted. The thing I’m most excited about now is taking on roles that depict really layered, deeply psychological characters. Some many, look all of them. Parenthood Mae Whitman Matt Lauria "Together" - H 2012 The former "Friday Night Lights" star talks with THR about the importance of his character on … Push forward!’ Then you say your one line and you’re sitting there watching the fight happening and it just falls flats. But, it really comes down to character. Matt Lauria. Lauria, who also played Luke Cafferty on Friday Night Lights , spoke to us about the show’s upcoming reunion tailgate this Friday, June 10 as part of the ATX Festival based in Austin, Texas. The critically-acclaimed drama "Kingdom," from creator, writer and executive producer Byron Balasco, will premiere this summer. They all have twists and turns. That would have been awesome. I don’t think our boss would tell us (before hand). Another commonality between the two shows is Matt Lauria, who played Luke Cafferty in seasons four and five of “FNL,” and whose troubled new character, Ryan Wheeler, is … Kingdom airs Wednesday nights. Does it ever feel like you’re playing a dual role, discovering who he was before, as well as who he is now? The character were so well-drawn and three-dimensional. So, what it mostly came down to was that it was a lot to take on. ... Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview was … The stakes are so high, across the board. You can follow me on Twitter @iAMart_22. If you’re not intimidated or maybe a little weary of taking on a role, then it may not be challenging enough and it may not be worth doing. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. So, a month later, they had to cast Alvey, the Frank Grillo role, and I wasn’t sure if the project would ever come back or if they’d even be interested in seeing me. Collider:  How did you come to this show? You know what? I watch A LOT of tv shows and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Amy: Speaking of Ryan needing to win, after seeing the episode, was the fight planned all long? I knew it was a show that required a lot of risk-taking, and that’s very appetizing for an actor. We talked to him last week about that, the MTA, and his co-star Zosia Mamet. Matt joined the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in the drama conservatory and received his formal acting training. Nothing has worked out so easily. That makes for a lot of internal and external conflict. MATT LAURIA:  I feel as though I’ve been very fortunate in my career, which is not all that long, so far. As well, the festival hosted the 10th year reunion for Friday Night Lights at Panthers’ Stadium with a pep rally, a short panel, and screened “The Son” episode underneath the Texas stars. And hopefully that girl is Becky. And what was your reaction to Ryan losing? I played a detective on a show one time, and then there was an opportunity that came up afterward to play a young rookie agent, and that didn’t feel like the right step. Is he married with Becky? Make no mistake, the storylines were there and the scripts were beautiful, and detailed and they were there. Lauria played the loveable country farmer and football star, Luke Cafferty on Friday Night Lights for the last two seasons. It’s been 10 years, why do you think the show continues to gain more fans since then and how does that make you feel? Matt: Not nearly as much as Friday Night Lights or Parenthood, but there’s an aspect to improv, I mean mostly what you see on the screen is what’s Byron (Balasco) has written and crafted so meticulously, but given the nature of the show there are elements of improvisation especially in the cage. Lastly, I love to write. I think what hooks people is Jason Katims’, the creators and show runners’, unparalleled gift for infusing heart, such beautiful hearts into the storylines and all the characters. ... (Matt Lauria) comes to the gym after getting out of prison, everything in … I didn’t think that it was going to be as exhausting as it was ‘cause I like being athletic and I enjoy physical activity, but it really required a lot. From a very superficial level, I wouldn’t have wanted to do another football show right after Friday Night Lights because I wouldn’t want people to just think that I’m the guy that plays a football player. All of them are thrown really sharp, fast curve balls that just sends them spiraling. → Interview – Matt Lauria → posted 2 years ago. Check out what he had to say after the jump, and be aware that there are some spoilers. Here's What's New to Netflix in April 2021, Matt Lauria Talks KINGDOM, Fighting for His Role, His Character's Duality, The Show's Exhausting Physical Element, and More, More Matt: I probably would have been really arrogantly hitting on Tyra, maybe a little drunk, you know when Luke is not (at) his best moments and would have been hitting on Tyra at a party and cause some havoc. 77: 'The Suicide Squad' Trailer, 'Black Widow' Delay, 'The Pole' Interview, 'Knives Out’: Jamie Lee Curtis Gives Update on the Thrombeys and Their Involvement in the Sequels, Ahmed Best Confirms Jar-Jar Binks Will Not Be in the ‘Obi-Wan’ Series, Jeremy Strong to Cure Polio as Jonas Salk in New Film ‘Splendid Solution’, 'Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley' Is the 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Sequel We Deserve, Christopher Meloni Teases Benson & Stabler's Tense Reunion on 'Law & Order: SVU', Demián Bichir on ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ and Why He’s Excited to Make the ‘Let the Right One In’ Pilot, 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Trailer Teases a Whole New World With the Classic Tune Squad, ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Star Tom Hopper Teases the “Wow Factor” of Season 3: “We’ve Upped the Ante Big Time”, ‘Stranger Things’ Star Gaten Matarazzo on Season 4 Filming and One Massive Change: “It’s Really Something Special”. I love character-driven stories that are a bit unusual or left-of-center. He spent his childhood days in Dublin with his two siblings.Matt was later moved back to the US to attend high school. It’s so extreme. And then if it wasn’t for Jay kicking his bum knee, he wouldn’t have lost. Matt Lauria, Miss Bala Premiere, January 30 2019 → 1 notes, posted 2 years ago. Matt Lauria: In a really big way. That was the healthy challenge that we all had to live up to. Matt: My favorite thing about playing Ryan Wheeler is how difficult he is to read, how you never quiet know what Ryan is thinking, or what he’s going to do next. It’s just been never easy whether it’s the Keith stuff, the murder, or whether it’s the Lisa stuff and ultimately Lisa losing her child, or whether it’s struggling just to get a good decent paycheck for fighting. As CBS’ revival of “CSI” is nearing a series pickup, three actors have been added to the cast. Our show doesn’t seem formulaic. (Laughs) Or a gym teacher or something like that. Amy: What is your favorite thing about playing Ryan Wheeler? Is he as contrite as he behaves? Exclusive Interview with Matt Lauria June 16, 2016 June 19, 2016 Amy ATX TV Festival has made a name for its self by bringing show creators, writers, and actors together in Austin, TX to talk about their shows and premiere new episodes. He’s just a very unusual man. (Note: This interview has been edited for clarity.). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Having worked at Collider for over a decade (since 2009), her primary focus is on film and television interviews with talent both in front of and behind the camera. He made his television debut on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock in 2007. Like Tyra? Amy Martinez: What can we expect this season on Kingdom? Despite being one of the nicer people in Hollywood, the actor has a history of portraying dark characters haunted by their pasts. Aldis Hodge is a great dude, great actor. I didn’t know what to expect from my character, and when I read the scripts, I thought, “Holy shit, I did not see that coming!”  It was exciting. Is he still in the army? We had a couple of them, but not many and I would have liked some more with him. Then, Jonathan Tucker, with Jay comes with a lot of improv, and when I’m with Paul Walter Hauser, who plays Keith, he improvises a lot and throws a lot of curve balls. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! There were things with the characters that I just didn’t see coming, and I would love to play this role for years. You have to maintain a superstar mentality, like he has to believe he’s the greatest fighter in the world or he cannot do what he does and those things really brought up against his ability of to have that confidence. You keep asking these questions of, how sincere is he when he seems accepting of Lisa and Alvey being together? It hasn’t been easy and nothing has felt safe yet. All of the roles are complicated, but I wanted something that was more of a departure from some of the stuff I’d done. The fight was planned. I would have loved to work with him. He joined the show’s fourth season, and he couldn’t have been happier. That’s a gift. At a certain point, there’s no turning back. Amy: You were kind of introduced late into the series, was there anyone in the earlier seasons you would have liked to worked and have a scene with? He just keeps walking this very treacherous path. Matt Lauria had been wanting to be on “Friday Night Lights” for a while when he got the call that he was cast in the show. All of the characters are that way. But then, as you begin to succeed and regain your confidence, how well will these new values hold up? It has happened on several occasions. There was some improv with me and Derek in the backyard when we were fender bending. You know that he’s gotten himself in some trouble and been through some experiences that have been traumatic for those who he loves. Kingdom airs on Wednesday nights on the Audience Network on DirecTV. Finally, they agreed to see me in January or February, and then I had to go through a series of auditions, and really fight for the role and chase after it. Amy: He has quite a temper and lost so much, do you think there’s going to be some light for him at some point? Are you holding onto something for the sake of safety and pride, or are you letting it all hang out. That’s not just with the physical stuff, that’s with the acting, too. I feel fortunate that, by default, I’ve been able to bounce around. Matt Lauria: Going into Season 2B, if any characters had short footing, I would say this sort of foundation beneath all of them is really crumbling in a pretty rapid way. That was an amazing experience that taught me all the things that it had to teach me that I needed to move on to the next thing. I never had any scenes with Tyra. Matt Lauria from Friday Night Lights did Dawson Leery, and there’s a point where, ... Our thanks to Bitter — err, Adam Mallinger for taking the time to do this interview! It’s similar in some party scenes. May the best man win,” or is there an ulterior motive? 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A few years later, Lauria got the role of Ryan Wheeler, a MMA Champion who’s getting ready to defend his title against Jay Kulina (Jonathan Tucker) on Kingdom. Not too long ago, someone at a Tijuana Flats restaurant asked me when I introduced myself if I was related to or knew Matt Lauria. Matt: Yeah, that certainly helped. She’s a ton of fun to work with and we were lucky to have her on the show. All of that was very unofficial, preliminary, way ahead of the game conversations. And then, what happens when you’ve sat in jail for four years, and you have the best of intentions of what you will do and who you will be after getting out of jail, and how you’ll make all things different and all things right, along with that comes obstacles you can’t anticipate, and it tests your metal. He has been married to Michelle Armstrong since August 26, 2006. I haven’t been on a given project for five or six years yet, or even four years, because what so many actors are chasing after is an opportunity to evolve and dive into roles that present unique challenges and give you an opportunity to dig your teeth into something unknown, and therefore risky and exciting. So, the way that it all panned out for this was that my manager came across the script around Thanksgiving of last year. Matt Lauria and his wife Michelle Armstrong attended the Kingdom’s screening on 25 May 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Matt Lauria has never made any public statement about this, so all rumors about if Matt Lauria is gay remain completely unfounded and unproven. Having been a part of one of the best sports show on TV, with Friday Night Lights, did you have any initial hesitation before even reading this, or do you try to see how similar or different something is before making that judgment? I think that would be amazing. Although Matt Lauria has never admitted to being gay, the media always considers the likelihood of one day reporting on the other. Matt Lauria Recalls Auditioning for ‘Friday Night Lights’ During the ATX Television Festival I think Derek would be the most immaculate, kind of a sleazy promoter. Amy: Maybe you guys can fender bench together again. This role presented those types of scary challenges in spades, and that was such a big part of the draw. I felt like we really achieved something together. ATX TV Festival has made a name for its self by bringing show creators, writers, and actors together in Austin, TX to talk about their shows and premiere new episodes. Does he really consider Alvey the alpha now, or is it just a tactic? LAURIA:  Well, that is just delicious for an actor to try to tackle. Derek Phillips. It was such a concerted effort on my manager and my agent’s behalf, and my own, to really seek out opportunities that would challenge me in new ways. I think Street would have come to her rescue and thrown me out of the party. Former MMA legend and gym owner Alvey Kulina (Frank Grillo) is so focused on turning his youngest son, Nate (Nick Jonas), into the prized fighter that his oldest son, Jay (Jonathan Tucker), was too unfocused and unpredictable to become. When I acknowledged our relationship – they just kind of melted. So I think he would be great as that or as some horrible drug dealer or something. Matt: Perhaps. Matt: Well, I didn’t really see much of her face. It has been the biggest reward. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images) So, for now, it seems like we will have to wait until they decide to open up on their privacy. Are you satisfied with the journey that your character takes this season, or are you even more anxious to see where things go next? The coming out of Matt Lauria would greatly benefit countless homosexuals around the globe who are still in the closet. tagged as: #matt lauria #appearances 2019 #catherine hardwicke Matt: I think Ryan is always walking a very precarious tight rope. Myself, Jonas and Tucker adopted a mantra of, “All in, all the time.”  At the end of a long shooting day, or at the end of a long training day, you can make it look committed and as though you’re exhausting everything you have, but you’re the only one who really knows how much you’re giving and how much is left in the tank and if you’re really pushing yourself to your absolute limit. Matt Lauria talks KINGDOM, fighting for his role, his character's duality, the show's exhausting physical element, and more. That means I’m invested in the character and that means if I can’t bare, if I hated, which I do, I hate it when Ryan loses, then I know that’s good storytelling cause that means I’m locked in with it. I mean they’re meticulously choreographed by Joe “Daddy” Stevenson and then Keith Campbell is our stunt coordinator, who makes sure that it looks good on camera, and that we remain safe. Matt Lauria, Actor: Kingdom. I can see that happening. What do Kingdom and Friday Night Lights have in common? Amy: Going back to improv, did you have any improv on the show? I mean there’s gotta be something for the 20 year reunion or something, when we’re all way past high school and looking like it. To hear Lauria talk about it, Dr. Phillips Center was almost like a boot camp, one that he came to love. As I just alluded to I have more and more folks who refer to me as Matt Lauria’s dad, it is a moniker I embrace. Show Comments. So you have to have the license to be able to keep screaming, yelling, and coaching her. Amy: Moving on to Friday Night Lights. If so much of your belief in yourself comes from being a champion and being able to beat people, and helps to define your confidence in yourself, is taken away from you, you’re left in a strange, deflated place that’s so opposite. It’s asymetrical and unexpectedly designed. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Matt Lauria: We all had a blast. He has an American nationality. Then I think Riggins would have been like ‘Hey, be cool, Street.’ and then they would have had a couple of beers. If it bothers me, it’s hopefully something that resonates and it’s not something that’s just kind of tied up in a bow and fit for home consumption, ya know? Is he really like, “Yeah, I screwed up. I get lost in the different worlds of books. … I agree with you—it opens the door for other things. It’s a tough call because it really comes down to the character and the writing. Do you then revert back to where your former confidence positioned you? It’s a matter of survival against another matter of survival, and that makes really good drama. On top of that, add in former fighting superstar Ryan Wheeler (Matt Lauria), who happens to be the ex of Alvey’s current girlfriend Lisa Prince (Kiele Sanchez), and things are sure to get heated.