Kate Voegele is quickly becoming one of music history's biggest stars. Signed by MySpace opened a lot of doors to this Ohio native as she also appeared on One Tree Hill!
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Interested in acting by the time he went to high school, later went to American Academy of Dramatic Arts and now is known for his role of Charles on ABC Family's Lincoln Heights.
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Matt Austin Interview - February 22, 2007 Matt Austin is one of Toronto's hardest working and fastest rising stars. He studied Journalism and Film at the University of Western Ontario and then followed on his new journey in front of behind the camera. He also took acting classes as he got an agent and started to get roles instantly, which got him in the first season of CBC's Spynet as a lead, Showtime's MOW A Separate Peace, Dawn of the Dead and more.
You may also be familiar with his work on Power Rangers SPD, as Bridge the Green Ranger. Read on and get to know the multi-talented actor!
Juan Guerra: What are you currently up to? Any new projects? Matt Austin: As we speak I'm prepping my feature film MOST LIKELY TO for the film festival circuit, while I'm also editing my feature documentary DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME. I also have a number of treatments and pilots in various stages of developments. Juan Guerra: What kind of role do you want to challenge yourself with next? Matt Austin: Probably a father. I mean, not to play one, to BE one. I'd say that's my next challenging role to come. As an actor, I'd really like to play my age. A lot of my roles I've played a teenager, whether it was dramatic or comedic. I'd like to play someone closer that isn't a teen this time. Going through the same things in life as I am. Juan Guerra: Any plans on the musical side? Meaning, would you focus on being a music artist for a while like touring, music videos, etc? Matt Austin: I don't know what the future holds for my music. I will always play and always write but I don't know if I can create any more time to lend to that side of my creative ventures. I just finished a song for Greg Aronowitz feature film LABOU and I've been working on a song for my documentary. If I could look into a crystal ball, I'd say that I'll probably write some score for my own films or write/produce for other musicians. Juan Guerra: How do you get inspired when you write a song? Matt Austin: Inspiration is hard to describe. It just sorta happens. Maybe it's something somebody said. Maybe it's something that I read. Maybe it's something that somebody did. Or it could be as simple as a riff suddenly materializing in my head, forcing me to hum it all day until I can get home and grab my guitar. But it usually has something to do with love. Losing it, finding it or getting hurt by it. Juan Guerra: What was your experience in playing the Green Ranger? Did did it open more opportunities for you, and were you a fan of the series? Matt Austin: I had a great time with playing Bridge. I was lucky enough to have them trust me to make sense of the rambling monologues they gave me. It also gave me an incredible understanding of how television shows are made and was quite a boot camp.It's a rare experience to log that many hours in front of the camera, and I think that all that set experience (36 episodes) showed potential producers/directors that I had serious work ethic. The fans that have come as a result of this role have been a really amazing surprise. I love getting fan mail and appreciate all the support, a lot. Juan Guerra: If Hollywood gave you a chance to direct a blockbuster, what kind of movie would you do, and why? Matt Austin: I'm really not interested in computer effects, so I know it wouldn't be in space. I'm not a big fan of period pieces so I know it wouldn't be a big epic type of film either. I also don't dig horror films, so I wouldn't need a crack SPFX gore crew. I'd be interested in making a film that generates blockbuster type revenues but I'm more interested in taking time with story and character, and blockbusters often have very thin plots and glamorized actors. I don't want to put my actors in front of a green screen. I don't want to have things blow up. I'd love to have access to sets and a helicopter shot or two.
Matt Austin: **Just for the record, DIRT has changed it's title to MOST LIKELY TO. It works better for the film and it makes it less confusing as Courtney Cox's new show has the same name. When you've written a character, it's amazingly difficult and wonderful to that character come to life before your eyes. If you've done a good job with casting, it makes it exciting to watch somebody come to life and I do less time considering how I can alter their performance and more time enjoying the new life they're breathing into it. Justin and I worked incredibly hard to give the actors a lot of detail about their histories and idiosyncrasies, while at the same time giving them freedom to interpret it themselves. This resulted in a screenplay which was a short story (based on the plot of the film) plus 20 page biographies for each actor. I asked them to read over the material once and throw it way. Then it became about trust. I believe once you cast, you have to hand it over to the actor. You cast them because they exude all the qualities you created, and then you just have to steer a little, but let them make it their own. I'm so impressed by my cast. Their ability to listen to me and each other and make human beings out of printed words. Juan Guerra: What is your ultimate goal in your career? Matt Austin: My ultimate goal is to get to the day where I say," I'd like to do *this*" and I'm able to. Whether it's a film that I write, a television series I want to direct, or a role that I know I can play. If I can do that and make enough money to raise a family and support them, there's nothing else I'd want to do.
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Juan Guerra: You directed and co-wrote "Dirt" with Justin Chatwin. What's the
experience writing a movie and then seeing it come to life on the
screen?
How did you and Justin collaborate on this?