We were lucky to catch up with Matthew Blade recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Matthew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Last year, I worked on an independent feature film called Last Tour Home. At it’s heart, this story was about the Indigenous women that are missing, or have been murdered, and the injustice around their deaths. This was one of, if not the most difficult role I’ve ever played, as I was cast as the lead. The sheer size and demand on me as actor was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career. I knew this was going to require everything I had, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I had what it took do this story justice. Looking back, I count it as one of the greatest privileges in my journey as an actor.

On our last day of filming, we were set to shoot the closing scene of the movie. (Incoming spoiler alert) It’s a scene that takes place over the grave of an Indigenous character in the story. I wasn’t in the scene, but something in me felt like I should go. What I didn’t know, was that the crew had been given permission to film this on an actual Indigenous burial site. As the filming process took place, a reverence could be felt throughout the cast and crew. It was a special moment, as I got to experience being a part of a story that was bigger than the things that are so easy to get caught up in, like doing a good job, being liked by my peers, success as an actor, etc. This message behind the story was more important than just making a movie. It was about the girls who died, who are not forgotten, whose names matter. I knew this was their story, and it was my responsibility to honor that.

Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hey there! What I do is the craft of acting, you might’ve seen me on a couple of tv shows, a commercial, or a handful of movies. I’m originally from Mississippi, but currently reside in Los Angeles. That’s the quick answer though (and boring if you ask me), but the honest answer is that I’m just someone trying my best to follow where God leads me.

A mentor of mine from afar has a phrase called “the dangerous edge of things.” This dangerous edge is a place in life that is low in comfort and high in uncertainty. It’s the place full of battles we aren’t sure that we’ll win. It’s the place where we find out what truly is inside us, and it’s a place where we truly come alive. This “dangerous edge” is a place where we can discover a life worth living.

For me, the craft, art, and business of acting is that “dangerous edge of things.” It’s the very last place I ever thought I’d be. Genuinely. Ask anyone who has known me for most of my life, and they’ll tell you the same thing. In fact, all of my deepest fears were the very things that the craft of acting asks one to embrace. I had a fear of public speaking, people called me shy, I had a stammer that would cripple me in certain situations.

All that to say, walking down this road of being actor has turned out to be the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve done things I never thought possible, things that I didn’t even have a grid for. I still think it’s crazy. I’ve met some absolutely incredible people along the way, had weeks where I could barely sleep because of fear, traveled to some pretty epic places, and been apart of some really cool projects.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

As an actor, I’ve noticed there’s a perception around acting and the entertainment industry that would describe it as an industry full of vanity. People consumed with themselves, hungry for anything to stroke the ego. While I don’t argue that side of the industry exists, I would like to say that’s not what the craft and art of acting is at it’s core. I believe that acting in it’s truest form, exists to serve. To serve the heart of the story, to serve those that watch, etc. It’s my job as an actor to honor these people that I get to portray, to “forget self,” as stated by the great Italian actress Eleonora Duse. My acting coach and mentor Doug Tompos reminds me that in every story, whether on film or the stage, is speaking about an issue or problem that someone in real life is actually going through, and it’s an actor’s job to honor that.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I’d say it’s courage. Courage is one of those things that is required as artist, especially as an actor. One of the great things about courage, is that it’s contagious. We pull from each other’s courage. There have been artists that have deeply inspired me, simply from the courage that is so evident in their work. Whether it be an unmasked performance, a poem that seems damn near written in blood, or a song from the heart. I count it a privilege when I get to witness something like that. And there have been times in my journey when I’ve done the same, when I’ve chosen courage. And I’ll tell ya, it’s hard to beat when someone comes up to you and says that your work moved them, or impacted them in a way that helps them in their own life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12508066/
• Instagram: @thematthewblade

Image Credits

Johnny Lavallee-Headshot
Emily Regal-Black and White shot