10 THINGS with Matt Letscher

You’ve been quite busy these past couple of years. You’re literally all over television, congrats! Before we get into that, let’s take a trip down memory lane. What made you get into acting in the first place?

I think I was just a kid who needed a safe place to express himself. In the guise of “pretending”, we feel safer being truthful with our emotional state. And, the theater gave me a sense of belonging that I craved at the time. Luckily, I also had a great first teacher, in high school. Once I found it, I really never looked back.

You have a variety of roles on your resume. What kind of roles do you tend to lean towards or at least make you tick?

People in trouble. Comedy or drama, the more complicating circumstances, the more one is hemmed in, the better.

Speaking of a role that made us tick, was your character Billy Chambers on ABC’s Scandal. Your character was willing to go through any length to get the job done, even if it involved a little bit of scheming. What did you enjoy most about your part on the series?

If by a little bit of scheming, you mean stabbing an innocent man in the neck with scissors, then sure! I don’t believe that Billy was born the way he became. I really enjoyed Billy’s devolution from schmoozing politico to doomed sociopath, mainly because it felt like a series of small slips down a very steep and irreversible slope. It went too fast!

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Matt Letcher

Another favorite television show of ours is HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. How did the role first come about and what mad you decide to jump on board?

I had worked with Howard Korder years earlier in the world premiere of his play IN A GARDEN, and when the role of Joe Kennedy came up, he thought I would be right and the offer was made. There was no decision on my part. It’s one of the best shows on TV with a fantastic cast and to play a role in its final season was a no brainer.

What’s the good and bad of your character Joseph Kennedy?

The good: he’s smart, charming, ambitious, and resourceful. It’s also the bad.

What can viewers expect to see from Joseph in this upcoming season?

A lot of toying with Nucky and vice versa. They are two sides of the same Irish-American coin. Joe serves as an important example of where Nucky believes he ought to be.

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Matt Letcher

Web Series have been pretty popular as of late and you’re working on one yourself. What can you tell us about One and Done, and how can fans of your work get involved?

It’s a comedy about four friends, fast approaching middle age, who decide to re-form their high school basketball team. It’s different from a lot of online content, in that it mixes the broad humor of old dudes fighting their mortality with a degree of poignancy. Lots of pulled hamstrings and pulled heartstrings. (See what I did there?) Fans can check us out at OneAndDoneShow.com or on Twitter: @1AndDoneTheShow. Our Kickstarter campaign launches in October for season one and, if fans like what they see in the pilot and other associated content, we hope they want to be a part of our launch!

It’s obvious that you keep yourself very busy on screen, which is awesome! When you finally have a chance to take a break, what do you typically do to relax?

What is this “relax” you speak of? Scrabble and travel. In that order.

We have to ask you about your fashion sense. Who are your favorite fashion designers that fit your personal sense of style?

For formal wear it’s Hugo Boss. For some reason, I step right into that line with no problems. Also a big fan of John Varvatos. Inventive and comfortable.

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Matt Letcher

We look forward to seeing more of you on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. What other projects do you have coming up in the near future?

In addition to One and Done, I’ll be in recurring roles on Castle and The Exes. I’ll also spend the Fall at film festivals in Philadelphia, Austin, New York, and Napa Valley with Teacher of the Year, an indie comedy I did with Keegan Michael-Key, Larry Joe Campbell, and the Sklar Brothers.

Twitter: @MattLetscher

Instagram: @RealMattLetscher

Photos: Bobby Quillard