Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Blade
Hi Matthew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Getting started is always the hardest part, right? For me, this whole wild and crazy journey as an actor began in a cabin up in the mountains of Northern California. I spent a winter in mostly solitude, praying, and taking an honest look at my life. I was working as a whitewater raft guide at the time, and ironically, it was here that I realized that much of my life had been lived as though I was standing on the banks of a river, so to speak. Safe and dry, watching life go by, but afraid to jump in the water and truly experience all that life had to offer.
My journey with acting has always been hand in hand with my journey with faith in God. I believe that God has always encouraged me to walk towards my fears, and acting was right there at the top of the fear list. Acting was something that scared the living daylights out of me. I really knew nothing about it, except that it required a measure of public speaking, and that was always the bane of my existence. But I had to jump in and give it a run. I had to at least try. So I did.
I had a few friends who had been attending an arts school a few hours from me, so I figured I ought to audition for their acting program. I somehow got in, even though I had to google what a “monologue” was during the audition process. Ever since then, I’ve been hanging on for dear life in what feels like the adventure of a lifetime.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Far from it! More like a roller coaster ride full of high highs and low lows. To give context, in October of 2022, I hadn’t found work as an actor in almost two years, and was living with my parents. Fast forward a year to October 2023, I was wrapping up my fourth film/television project of the year, a lead in a feature film.
I’ve caught myself at times, wishing I could quicken the process. Book the big job or wake up one day with Denzel Washington level talent and skill. I’ve been reminded that if that happened, I wouldn’t value it quite like I would if I had to put my hand to the plow and work to earn that. To do my time. To log in and do the work on a daily basis, because it really is worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have been fortunate enough to work on some great projects throughout my acting career. My first professional job was a commercial for a company called The Adventure Challenge. A few months later I played a supporting role in a film called The Walk. Since then, I’ve worked in a number supporting roles in movies, as well as guest stars in television productions. My most recent project is a feature film called Last Tour Home, set to premiere this fall, which at it’s core is a story about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). It’s a project that I am grateful to be a part of, and my hope is that this film contributes to supporting and assisting those affected by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Man, no doubt I’ve been lucky. I’ve had the chance to do things in my life that I never even dreamed of. As I look back, I can say with confidence that any luck I’ve had is tied directly to the people in my life. People who have opened doors for me, given me a chance, and believed in me, many times when I lacked that belief myself. I know we’ve all got people in our lives like that. That’s what makes us lucky.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Emily Regal.
