Matt Lauria
Birth nameMatthew Lauria
Birth dateAugust 15, 1982 (age 44)[a]
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
OccupationActor · musician
Years active2005–present
SpouseMichelle Armstrong (m. 2006)

Matthew Lauria (born August 15, 1982[1][2][a]) 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,[citation needed] 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
2025Due WestCody

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
200730 RockWinthropEpisode: "Jack Gets in the Game"
2008Law & Order: Criminal IntentJake LallyEpisode: "Neighborhood Watch"
2008–2009Lipstick JungleRoy MerrittRecurring role (seasons 1–2); 13 episodes
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"
2011–2012'FBI 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 DeakinsEpisode: "Down"
DickinsonBen NewtonRecurring role
2019–2020Tell Me A StoryJackson PruittMain role
2020Little BirdsBillMain role
2021–2024'Josh FolsomMain role
2022–2024Outer RangeTrevor TillersonRecurring role
2025DusterDavid CallahanRecurring role
2025–presentSheriff CountryNathan BooneMain role
2026Fire CountryEpisode: "The Finest"

Notes

  1. ^ TV Guide reports his birth year as 1984, but Lauria's own tweet from his verified account says he was born in 1982.

References

  1. ^ "Matt Lauria". TV Guide. Archived January 16, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  2. ^ Lauria, Matt. "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."". No. 613051657975234561. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Instagram". Instagram.com/mattlauria/. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 19, 2021). "CBS Fall 2021-22 Schedule: 'NCIS', 'Bull' & 'S.W.A.T.' On the Move, 'FBI' Tuesday, Reality Expansion". Deadline
  5. ^ Blank, Matthew (January 29, 2013). "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: "Friday Night Lights" and Really Really Star Matt Lauria". Playbill. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  6. ^ Ausiello, Michael (August 17, 2009). "Exclusive: 'Friday Night Lights' recruits 'Lipstick Jungle' hottie". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  7. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 10, 2011). "Fox Cancels Human Target, Lie To Me, Chicago Code, Two Others". TVLine. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  8. ^ Ben Lee (March 2, 2012). "'Friday Night Lights' star Matt Lauria cast in ABC's 'Gilded Lilys'". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
  9. ^ Ausiello, Michael (July 31, 2012). "Exclusive: Parenthood Recruits from Friday Night Lights Again, Casts Matt Lauria as [Spoiler]". TVLine. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  10. ^ Mitovich, Matt (October 7, 2014). "Matt Lauria, Jonathan Tucker Preview DirecTV's MMA Drama Kingdom, Duke It Out Over Parenthood's Amber". TVLine. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  11. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 19, 2017). "Matt Lauria and Cristina Rodlo Join Gina Rodriguez in 'Miss Bala' Remake (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  12. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (January 8, 2018). "Matt Lauria Joins New Line's 'Shaft' Sequel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  13. ^ "Friday Night Lights - Cast Bios: Matt Lauria". NBC. Archived December 7, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 3, 2013.