I have Hallmark to thank for yet another connection with an up and coming actor–Matt Visser. I actually contacted him before I realized his career was going to begin to skyrocket (read the full article, and you’ll see why I say this), but he was nice enough to agree to answer a few questions recently about how he began in this business and the phenomenal way in which Hallmark has propelled his career into high gear in 2017!

RH: Why did you decide to become an actor?  What kind of training have you received?

MV: I started when I was quite young; my mom put me into a class just to kind of feel it out. It was sort of out in the middle of nowhere–I think the class was free, that’s why. She’d just kind of drop us off there and hope we were still kickin’ when she picked us up–haha!  That turned into getting an agent and I kept doing it until about the seventh grade. I decided to get back into it about two years ago because I really missed it.

I’ve been training with Deb Podowski at Austin Tuck Studios, which has been amazing. I did a wide array of training while I shook the rust off in my first year. Deb has been the” difference maker,” and I owe all of my recent work and progress to her. She’s truly, truly special.

What was your first professional job as an actor? How did you get the role and what was the experience like? 

My first professional job as an actor, I guess ( if we’re going to really date it back ), would be a ring pop commercial. It was basically a kids’ rap music video where I got to eat ring pops all day.. Standing in front of a camera with a ring pop on all ten fingers.. rapping!? I was flying dangerously close to the sun.

Behind-the-scenes Autumn Dreams

Hallmark fans first saw you in Autumn Dreams? How did that role come about?  What are your memories of filming that movie?

Autumn Dreams was cast locally here by Sean {Cossey} and J.J. {Ogilvy}. I was super excited to have booked that. I had an incredible time. Neill Fearnley directed that, and that was amazing. There was no better director to help ease me back into the industry. He’s incredibly patient and seriously talented.

My favourite memories from filming that had to have been just hanging out with the cast any chance we got. Both old and young Annie ( Ivy Matheson and Jill Wagner) are really good friends of mine that I still see whenever I can.

We then saw you in Summer Love this past summer. How did that role come about, and what was memorable for you about this film?

Summer Love was one of those situations where I wasn’t right for what I read for, but Beth Grossbard being the angel that she is, wanted to find a role for me. I got to bring my best friend from Argentina to set, who had never been before, so that was a highlight for me for sure.

What do you like about working for Hallmark? 

Hallmark movies are great. The stories are really amazing and they are always super adorable. They also have some incredible producers attached to them. All the crews are always familiar, so they’re super fun and comfortable.

As Joey Fatone in Britney Ever After

Recently we saw you as Joey Fatone in Britney Ever After.  What was that like playing someone who is still alive and is well-known? Are you a Britney fan? How did you feel the film was received?

Haha! Yes, yes. In a word, hilarious. It was really cool to play Joey Fatone; honestly nobody I would have rather played. Guy’s a legend.

I was a Britney fan for sure–I’m human. She was one of my first crushes. I think I had her CD… actually I KNOW I had her CD.

Yeah,  the film had mixed reviews; I think people enjoyed it though and that’s the most important thing. It was a blast to film. Always looking for an excuse to grow that Jet Black goatee back..

With Matt Visser, James Swalm and Gabriel Hogan from Murder, She Baked

Any other upcoming works you can mention? 

I will be in Murder,  She Baked: Just Desserts airing on March 26th. I will be guest-starring on Supernatural, March 30th. And Garage Sale: Drowned airing in August!

I’m currently working on ABC’s Somewhere Between from now until June, of which I can’t mention much. But it’s a ten-episode series starring Paula Patton being released in late summer!

Any plans to eventually write/direct/produce?

Yeah, I think any actor has that intrinsic desire to direct, produce and write. I would love to do all three at some point. I have a friend in LA , Trey Anderson, who has written some amazing comedies. We’re constantly workshopping ideas together. I’m sure we’ll toss a low-budget, poorly-shot pilot together soon enough!

What is your advice to young people in the business, or who are considering a career as an actor, especially in light of rejection and dealing with it?

Ah, I’d say just to find a class where you feel at home and just start plugging away. It takes time, but with the right help, you’ll see results.

The rejection is tough sometimes, but it really shouldn’t be. There are a lot of moving pieces in casting, some you can control and some you can’t. At the end of the day, regardless of the role, you need to buckle down learn, read, make choices and spend time working on it.

“Even if you’re going to be a tree, you make sure you’re gonna be the best *gosh-darned* tree anyone’s ever seen” – Podowski 14.6

What are your top five “must-see” films that you never tire of watching?

I watch The Office exclusively… We can toss Interstellar in there. Does that help?

There’s always just WAY TOO many to even begin to start a list.. .

The first thing that strikes me about Matt is his charming sense of humor. I typically notice and appreciate that from any actor or person, for that matter. If one is able to not take oneself too seriously, I tend to believe that is a desirable quality that will carry one through the ups and downs of this business as well as life in general. Furthermore, Matt is one who recognizes the significance of the arts, and while it would appear that he attempted to eschew acting as a career, he could not deny what is ultimately his destiny–to become an actor. I absolutely applaud individuals who make this decision in spite of any resistance from society, family, friends, or whatever force, for I am well aware of the difficulties associated with a career in the arts. Notwithstanding, Matt has the correct temperament, outlook, and skill to genuinely thrive in this profession, and the fact that Hallmark has taken such an active interest in him will aid him in this process. While Matt may have few credits to his name, I am convinced that within the next few years, those credits will soar beyond any haphazard predictions I might make here. Hopefully, as I watch Matt await his moment from the tenuous precipice of success, I hope I can one day be that journalist who claims, “And I knew him when….” Be sure that you tune in to see the gifted, humble, jovial, handsome Matt on this Sunday, March 26th as he appears in Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts, as the cast is shaping up to be memorable and exhilarating, not to mention talented beyond belief. Moreover, please consider checking out all of Matt’s links below, as I have no doubt richly deserved success is merely a stone’s throw away for this young man who is steadily making an ascent to the stars!  

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