Из Мэриленда в Голливуд: актер Мэтт Мерчант переходит от театральных постановок к экшну и сценарию

When Matt Merchant joined his first Summerstock production, he never imagined it would be the first step in his journey from Hollywood, Maryland to Hollywood, California. A Leonardtown High School alum, Merchant’s portfolio shows an impressive range of work, performing stunts in “Vice,” “Michael” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” acting in “Hannah Montana,” “The Thundermans” and “General Hospital,” and even writing his own musical. Matt’s younger brother, Zach Merchant, said the family had known since Matt was a child that he would go far with his passion, and that was solidified when he began excelling in high school. “When we were kids, he was always singing and in the plays and chorus concerts,” Zach Merchant said. “Once he got into high school, he started getting all the lead roles. … We knew that this was something that he really cared about and wanted to do in the future.” Matt Merchant discovered his passion for acting when he attended a Leonardtown High School performance of "The Music Man" at 7 years old. With his parents' encouragement, Merchant joined the Summerstock Theater program, growing his love for musical theater. Merchant took his talents to Frostburg State University, where he initially planned to become a music teacher. After two years, he decided to fully commit to acting, finishing his degree in the same four-year timeframe and graduating with a bachelor of arts in theater and a minor in music. In 2000, Merchant left Leonardtown to move to the state of California, where he continued sharpening his skills through acting classes while building connections in the entertainment industry. “It's crazy to just pack up and go out to the West Coast, not knowing anybody or not having anything,” his brother said. “He always seems to come out on top. … So we are just very proud of him and are behind him all the way.” One of Merchant’s many talents includes his improv abilities, which have given him unexpected opportunities, including a speaking part in the 2007 film “Flawless.” Originally meant to play a background part, Merchant took a gamble on volunteering to improvise as a man from Brooklyn, and his line “you’re all woman” made it to the final cut in a scene alongside actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. Meeting influential people throughout the industry has been one of the most helpful aspects in pushing Merchant’s career, he said. After starring in the musical “Happy Days,” which Garry Marshall had written the book for, Merchant saw many opportunities pop up thanks to Marshall, including appearances in “Valentine’s Day” and “Georgia Rule,” while introducing him to many recognizable names. Over the years, Merchant has found his niche as both an actor and stunt performer. He discovered stunt work while portraying Gaston in a production of “Beauty and the Beast,” where a fight choreographer encouraged him to pursue the craft professionally. “I didn’t even think that that was a thing that I could do,” Merchant said. “So as a result of musical theater, I ended up getting into stunts.” When not performing fights or directing stunts, Merchant can be found falling from buildings and being struck by vehicles. He even had the chance to practice a full-body fire burn in a workshop. Looking ahead, Merchant hopes to expand his work as a writer, especially in comedy. While he would love to write for a sitcom, he is also nearing the end of development of his own musical, “Platune.” The idea began as a joke after musical adaptations of movies like “Shrek the Musical” began popping up. That joke eventually evolved into a full production centered on filmmaker Oliver Stone’s journey creating “Platoon.” Merchant has completed the script and is now searching for a composer to help bring the project to life. “To have finished something to that degree … it feels like it’s going to be worth it,” he said. Despite the successful career Merchant has built in California, he says he makes sure to return to Leonardtown each Christmas to visit his family. “When he does get a decent part on something, it's fun to see Facebook kind of blow up locally as far as old classmates and people he went to school with just getting excited,” Zach Merchant said. “There's like a little buzz through social media that I do pick up on a lot.” While his family proudly celebrates each new role, Matt Merchant fills his personal Facebook page with photos and congratulatory posts celebrating the accomplishments of his nieces and nephews with equal excitement. “My nieces and nephews are killing it,” he said. “Watching them get to do cool stuff is definitely a big deal.”