Matt Lauria Explained

Matt Lauria
Birth Name:Matthew Lauria
Birth Date:August 15, 1982
Alma Mater:University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
Years Active:2005 - present

Matthew Lauria (born August 15, 1982[1] [2]) is an American actor and musician. He made his television debut on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock in 2007. 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 Ryan Wheeler on the Audience drama Kingdom.[3] In 2021, Lauria appeared as a series regular on the crime thriller television series .[4]

Early life and education

Lauria moved to Ireland with his family when he was seven. His father was an animator and an artist.[5] He has two sisters.[5] He spent his formative years growing up in Dublin and moved back to the U.S. to attend high school. He received his formal acting training from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in their drama conservatory, where he earned a BFA in drama.

Career

Within a few weeks of moving to New York City, Lauria successfully made his television debut as Winthrop on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. Soon after, he landed a recurring role on the NBC romantic sitcom Lipstick Jungle as Roy Merritt, where he co-starred with Brooke Shields, Andrew McCarthy and Robert Buckley.

Lauria landed his first starring role as Luke Cafferty, #44 of the East Dillon Lions, in the Emmy award-winning NBC/DirecTV drama Friday Night Lights,[6] for which he moved to Pflugerville, Texas in order to film. Lauria remained on the show until it ended in 2011. After finishing Friday Night Lights, Lauria moved to Chicago, Illinois after being cast as Caleb Evers in the Fox crime drama The Chicago Code. The show was cancelled after one season.[7]

He co-starred as Charlie Carnegie on the ABC drama pilot Gilded Lilys created and produced by Shonda Rhimes.[8] From 2012 to 2015, Lauria had a recurring role as Ryan York, a veteran of the Afghanistan war, on the fourth, fifth and sixth seasons of the NBC family drama Parenthood, reuniting with former Friday Night Lights showrunner Jason Katims.[9] He also starred as Ryan Wheeler on the DirecTV drama series Kingdom which premiered on the Audience Network in the fall of 2014.[10] In 2019, he appeared in two action thrillers, opposite Gina Rodriguez and Ismael Cruz Córdova in Miss Bala, directed by Catherine Hardwicke,[11] and Shaft, directed by Tim Story.[12]

In 2019 and 2020, he played the role of Jackson Pruitt on the TV series Tell Me A Story. In 2020, he also played the role of Bill on the TV series Little Birds.

Starting in 2021, he played the role of Josh Folsom on the hit show .

Personal life

Lauria is an avid electric guitarist.[13] On August 26, 2006, he married musician Michelle Armstrong.[1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005RaccoonSam RoxburyShort film
20098 Easy StepsVeggieLiteShort film
2015MaCowboy
2019Miss BalaBrian Reich
ShaftMajor Gary Cutworth
2022To LeslieHandsome Outlaw
202380 for BradyJames

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
200730 RockWinthropEpisode: "Jack Gets in the Game"
2008Jake LallyEpisode: "Neighborhood Watch"
2008–2009Lipstick JungleRoy MerrittRecurring
2009The ForgottenEric / John DoeEpisode: "Living Doe"
2009–2011Friday Night LightsLuke CaffertyMain role (seasons 4–5); 26 episodes
2011The Chicago CodeCaleb EversMain role
Burn NoticeEthanEpisode: "Square One"
2011–2012FBI agent Matthew Pratt3 episodes
2012Person of InterestAdam SaundersEpisode: "Risk"
2012–2015ParenthoodRyan YorkRecurring role (seasons 4–6); 25 episodes
2013Gilded LilysCharlie CarnegieTelevision film
2014It Could Be WorseNelsonEpisode: "Uncharted Territory"
2014–2017KingdomRyan WheelerMain role
2017Dimension 404EvanEpisode: "Impulse"
2019TraitorsPeter McCormickMain role
Into the DarkGuy / John Deakins Episode: "Down"
DickinsonBen NewtonRecurring role
2019–2020Tell Me A StoryJackson PruittMain role
2020Little BirdsBillMain role
2021–2024Josh FolsomMain role
2022–presentOuter RangeTrevor TillersonRecurring role

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Matt Lauria. . 20 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150116114019/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/matt-lauria-299056/bio/ . January 16, 2015.
  2. 613051657975234561 . Lauria . Matt . mattlauria . Matt Lauria Ⓥ on Twitter: "two other @Wikipedia errors worth noting: I'm NOT 5'7" - I'm a about 5'11". And I wasn't born in 1984. 1982, rather." . 23 June 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306013231/https://twitter.com/MattLauria/status/613051657975234561 . 6 March 2016.
  3. Web site: Instagram. Instagram.com/mattlauria/. 17 April 2015.
  4. Web site: CBS Fall 2021-22 Schedule: 'NCIS', 'Bull' & 'S.W.A.T.' On the Move, 'FBI' Tuesday, Reality Expansion . Nellie . Andreeva . . May 19, 2021.
  5. Web site: Blank. Matthew. PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: "Friday Night Lights" and Really Really Star Matt Lauria. Playbill. June 15, 2013. January 29, 2013.
  6. Web site: Ausiello. Michael. Exclusive: 'Friday Night Lights' recruits 'Lipstick Jungle' hottie. Entertainment Weekly. June 17, 2013. August 17, 2009.
  7. News: Michael . Ausiello . Michael Ausiello . . Fox Cancels Human Target, Lie To Me, Chicago Code, Two Others . May 10, 2011 . May 29, 2011.
  8. Web site: Ben Lee . 'Friday Night Lights' star Matt Lauria cast in ABC's 'Gilded Lilys'. Digital Spy. March 2, 2012. March 9, 2012.
  9. Web site: Ausiello. Michael. Exclusive: Parenthood Recruits from Friday Night Lights Again, Casts Matt Lauria as [Spoiler]]. TVLine. June 17, 2013. July 31, 2012.
  10. Web site: Mitovich. Matt. Matt Lauria, Jonathan Tucker Preview DirecTV's MMA Drama Kingdom, Duke It Out Over Parenthood's Amber. TVLine. October 19, 2014. October 7, 2014.
  11. Web site: Matt Lauria and Cristina Rodlo Join Gina Rodriguez in 'Miss Bala' Remake (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Justin. Kroll. July 19, 2017. July 22, 2018.
  12. Web site: Matt Lauria Joins New Line's 'Shaft' Sequel. Deadline Hollywood. Amanda. N'Duka. January 8, 2018. July 22, 2018.
  13. Web site: Friday Night Lights - Cast Bios: Matt Lauria. December 3, 2013. . https://web.archive.org/web/20131207075601/http://www.nbc.com/friday-night-lights/bios/matt-lauria/ . December 7, 2013.