Matt Letscher is an American actor, director and playwright, known for his roles as Captain Harrison Love in the 1998 American swashbuckler film The Mask of Zorro and as Colonel Adelbert Ames in the 2003 American film Gods and Generals. He co-starred in the 2016 Michael Bay film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, playing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. He has also portrayed Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash in The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
Matt Letscher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | Jennifer Letscher |
| Children | 2 |
Education
editLetscher attended college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and a drama major.[1]
Career
editActing
editLetscher got his first professional acting job with a role in The Tropic Pickle, during the second season of Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, Michigan. Letscher impressed Daniels enough that the veteran arranged a meeting for Letscher with Ron Maxwell, the director of Gettysburg. After appearing in a small role, Letscher took advice from Daniels and moved to Los Angeles. He quickly found work in guest roles on television.[2]
In 1995, Letscher was cast as the naive television writer in the Nancy Travis sitcom Almost Perfect, which lasted for a season and a half. He went on to appear as series regular in Living in Captivity in 1998. The same year, he appeared in the film The Mask of Zorro as the villain Captain Harrison Love. He appeared in the miniseries Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot and in the television films King of Texas, The Beach Boys: An American Family, When Billie Beat Bobby, and Stolen Innocence. He also reunited with Daniels in Gods and Generals (the prequel of Gettysburg) and Daniels' directorial effort Super Sucker. Letscher also returned to The Purple Rose Theatre in the world premiere of Landford Wilson's play Rain Dance.
In 2002, the comedy pilot Good Morning, Miami was picked up by NBC as part of Must See TV Thursday comedy block, but Burke Moses was replaced by Letscher and a second pilot had to be filmed. The romantic comedy sitcom featured Letscher as a smarmy former network anchor who was the primary romantic rival to main character Jake Silver (Mark Feuerstein) for the affection of Dylan (Ashley Williams).[3] Despite the series receiving negative reviews, Letscher and Constance Zimmer were standouts in the series and eventually paired up as a combative couple. But the show was canceled midway though its second season due to low ratings.
His performance in Good Morning, Miami led to him being cast in the lead in the film Straight-Jacket, opposite Carrie Preston, about a gay Hollywood actor forced to marry a beard in the 1950s.[4] His flair for classical farce also led to him being cast in the leading role of Capt. Jack Absolute in the Lincoln Center theater production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Rivals. Letscher was praised for his spirited performance and his costar Robert Easton referred to Letscher as "a perfect classical actor."[2]
Letscher was in the cast of Joey, and had a recurring role on The New Adventures of Old Christine and numerous guest starring roles. After appearing as a kind neighbor in Alan Ball's Towelhead, Letscher was cast in Eli Stone, as Nathan Stone, the prophet's kind-hearted older brother. Despite low ratings, the dramedy series had loyal fans and critical acclaim, earning it a second season which included a larger role for Letscher. His work on Greg Berlanti's Eli Stone lead to his arc on Berlanti's Brothers & Sisters as a love interest for the married Kitty Walker.
In 2012, Letscher starred in the series Bent and Scandal, and was cast in the series The Carrie Diaries as Tom Bradshaw, Carrie Bradshaw's widowed father.[5][6] The show ran for two seasons from 2013 until 2014.[7] He appeared in the 2013 films, Atom Egoyan's Devil's Knot (about The West Memphis Three) and Spike Jonze's comedy Her, opposite Amy Adams.[8] Letscher portrayed Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash, initially in a recurring role on The Flash and later as a regular in season two of Legends of Tomorrow,[9] and reprised the role in two episodes of its seventh season.[10]
Writing
editIn June 2007, Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, Michigan, staged the world premiere of Letscher's original play Sea of Fools, a farce set in Joseph McCarthy-era Hollywood. Film director Elia Kazan is a character in the play. Daniels initially planned to direct the play but pulled out, allowing Letscher to also direct the play.
In 2009, his play Gaps in the Fossil Record was staged at the Pacific Resident Theater, then had its world premiere production at the Purple Rose Theatre in 2016.[11]
In 2010, he co-wrote (with Nipper Knapp and Andrew Newberg) and starred in the comedy pilot Gentrification, which won best writing at the Comedy Central New York Television Festival.
Personal life
editFilmography
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Gettysburg | Young 2nd Maine man | |
| 1995 | Not This Part of the World | Tom | |
| Prehysteria! 3 | Needlemeyer | Direct-to-video | |
| 1996 | Power 98 | Eddie | Voice |
| 1997 | Lovelife | Danny | |
| 1998 | The Mask of Zorro | Captain Harrison Love | Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Villain |
| 2000 | John John in the Sky | John Clairborne | |
| 2002 | Super Sucker | Howard Butterworth | |
| 2003 | Gods and Generals | Colonel Adelbert Ames | |
| Identity | Greg | ||
| 2004 | Straight-Jacket | Guy Stone | |
| 2005 | Madison | Owen | |
| Heart of the Beholder | Mike Howard | ||
| 2007 | Towelhead | Gil Hines | |
| 2010 | Radio Free Albemuth | Mr. Brady | |
| 2013 | Devil's Knot | Paul Ford | |
| Her | Charles | ||
| 2014 | Teacher of the Year | Mitch Carter | |
| 2015 | Day Out of Days | Jason | |
| 2016 | 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi | Ambassador Chris Stevens | |
| 2019 | Countdown | Charlie Harris |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Saved by the Bell: The College Years | Rick | Episode: "Rush Week" |
| 1994 | Silk Stalkings | Harley Eastlake | Episode: "Head 'N' Tail" |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Tom Jennings | Episode: "Life and Death" | |
| The Larry Sanders Show | Daniel Palmer | Episode: "The Fourteenth Floor" | |
| Ellen | Steve Morgan | Episode: "The Toast" | |
| Long Shadows | Nathan | Television film | |
| 1995 | Vanishing Son | N/A | Episode: "Holy Ghosts" |
| The Watcher | Episode: "Heartburned" | ||
| Silk Stalkings | Jeff Chadwick | Episode: "I Know What Scares You" | |
| Stolen Innocence | Eddie | Television film | |
| 1995–1997 | Almost Perfect | Rob Paley | Main role; 34 episodes |
| 1998 | Living in Captivity | Will Marek | Main role; 7 episodes |
| 1999 | NYPD Blue | Witness | Episode: "What's Up, Chuck?" |
| Love, American Style | Ned | Episode: "Love in the Old South" | |
| 2000 | The Beach Boys: An American Family | Mike Love | Television film |
| 2001 | Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot | Ted Kennedy | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| When Billie Beat Bobby | Larry King | Television film | |
| 2002 | Providence | Kevin Norris | 3 episodes |
| King of Texas | Emmett Westover | Television film | |
| 2002–2003 | Good Morning, Miami | Gavin Stone | Main role; 31 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Joey | Eric Garrett | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | Criminal Minds | Vincent Shyer | Episode: "Broken Mirror" |
| 2006–2007 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Burton Schaefer | 5 episodes |
| 2006 | The West Wing | Peter Blake | Episode: "Welcome to Wherever You Are" |
| Saved | Robbie Cole | Episode: "Family" | |
| Justice | Will Bechtel | Episode: "Shark Week" | |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | ADA Adam Mersel | Episode: "Angel of Death" |
| CSI: Miami | Dr. Mike Lasker | Episode: "Broken Home" | |
| 2008–2009 | Eli Stone | Nathan Stone | Main role; 21 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Brothers & Sisters | Alec Tyler | 5 episodes |
| 2009 | Entourage | Dan Coakley | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | Medium | Dr. Erik Westphal | Episode: "You Give Me Fever" |
| 2010 | Drop Dead Diva | A.J. Fowler | Episode: "Good Grief" |
| Amish Grace | Gideon Graber | Television film | |
| 2011 | The Good Wife | Adam Boras | Episode: "Two Courts" |
| 2011 | Pound Puppies | Hunky man, ticket seller, Ref | Voice; episode: "Quintuplets" |
| 2012 | Bent | Ben | 5 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Scandal | Billy Chambers | 8 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | The Carrie Diaries | Tom Bradshaw | Main role; 26 episodes |
| 2014 | Boardwalk Empire | Joseph P. Kennedy | 4 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Castle | Henry Jenkins | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Major Bernard Mills | Episode: "Angle of Attack" |
| 2015 | The Exes | Charles Hayward | 2 episodes |
| 2015–2016, 2022–2023 | The Flash | Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash | Recurring role; 8 episodes |
| 2016–2017, 2022 | Legends of Tomorrow | Main role (season 2), guest (season 7); 14 episodes | |
| 2017 | Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Guest diner; Episode: "Tequila Shots?" |
| 2018 | Will & Grace | James Wise | 3 episodes |
| 2018–2021 | Narcos: Mexico | Jaime Kuykendall | 20 episodes |
| 2020 | Angel of Darkness | William Randolph Hearst | 8 episodes |
| 2021 | The Rookie | Cooper Sanford | Episode: "Hit and Run" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Hustler | Dad | Episode: "Piñata Hustler" |
| 2014–2016 | One & Done | Matthew | Main role; 7 episodes Also co-creator, writer, director, and producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | BioShock 2 | Additional voices | Minerva's Den DLC |
Theater
edit| Year | Play | Role | Theater/Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Tropical Pickle | Birmingham | Purple Rose Theatre (regional) |
| 1993 | The Seagull | Fountain Theater (regional) | |
| 1995 | The Sisters | David Turzin | Fountain Theater (regional) |
| 1997–1998 | Proposals | Ray | Broadhurst Theater (Broadway) |
| 1999 | Absolution | David | Los Angeles Court Theater (regional) |
| 2000 | Love's Labour's Lost | Berowne | Old Globe Theater (regional) |
| 2000 | Tonight at 8.30 | Toby Cartwright | Pacific Resident Theater (regional) |
| 2001 | Rain Dance | Hank | Purple Rose Theatre (regional) |
| 2002 | On Approval | George | Pacific Resident Theater (regional) |
| 2004–2005 | The Rivals | Captain Jack Absolute | Lincoln Center (Broadway) |
| 2006 | Double Double | Duncan | Williamson Theater Festival (regional) |
| 2006 | Ridiculous Fraud | Kap | South Coast Repertory (regional) |
| 2007 | Anatol | Anatol | Pacific Resident Theater (regional), Los Angeles Drama Desk Award-Lead Performance |
| 2008 | What We Have | Jonas | South Coast Repertory (regional) |
| 2010 | In a Garden | Hacket | South Coast Repertory (regional) |
| 2010 | The Language Archive | George | Roundabout Theater Company (Off-Broadway) |
| Year | Play | Theater/Company |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sea of Fools | Purple Rose Theatre (regional) |
| 2009 | Gaps in the Fossil Record | Pacific Resident Theatre (regional) |
| 2016 | Gaps in the Fossil Record | Purple Rose Theatre (regional) |
References
edit- ^ "UM School of Music, Theatre & Dance - Department of Theatre & Drama - Alumni". Music.umich.edu. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
- ^ a b c Hoffner, Josh (January 2, 2005). "Matt Letscher makes transition from Must See TV to theater". The Post and Courier. p. 2E. Retrieved February 19, 2014.[dead link]
- ^ Karger, Dave (September 13, 2002). "Fall TV Preview". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ Director's Comedy, DVD Straight-Jacket
- ^ Briganti, Vicki (February 11, 2013). "'The Carrie Diaries' Matt Letscher Remembers the '80". The CW Pittsburgh. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ Michael Ausiello (2012-05-11). "The Carrie Diaries, Arrow and Beauty and the Beast TV Shows Picked Up By The CW". TVLine. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
- ^ Harp, Justin (May 8, 2014). "Carrie Diaries cancelled by The CW". Digital Spy. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ "The Carrie Diaries cast bio". Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ Abrams, Natalie (December 23, 2015). "'The Flash': Matt Letscher returning as Reverse-Flash". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (January 13, 2022). "Legends of Tomorrow: Matt Letscher Returning as Thawne — Here's Why". TVLine. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Kiley, Anne (Mar 8, 2016). "Tickets on sale now for Purple Rose's "Gaps in the Fossil Record"". Encore Michigan. Retrieved Sep 25, 2019.
- ^ "A Perfectly Scripted Opening Night for The Language Archive". Broadway.com. October 18, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
External links
edit- Matt Letscher at IMDb
- Matt Letscher at the Internet Broadway Database
- Matt Letscher at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Matt Letscher interview with Super Hero Speak