Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Kyle Matthew

Kyle Matthew is an emerging young star who has taken his competitive edge from the court to the screen. Whether he’s bringing characters to life in projects like Uninvited or Bunk’d or working behind the scenes, his talent knows no bounds. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Kyle about his career, his upcoming projects, and what his dream role is (spoiler alert: it may surprise you!).

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Kyle: What a great question. Growing up, I was pretty set on becoming a professional basketball player. I wore NBA sweatpants every day to school. I was obsessed with the Lakers. My bar mitzvah theme was centered around basketball.

It wasn’t until the eighth grade that I decided to officially make the jump from the court to the screen and stage. This was around the same time that I won Best Actor on Shakespeare Day at my school in Dallas, which at the time was a huge deal for me. That was like winning the Oscars.

That was also when I realized my chances of ever being over six-foot were slim to none. Those two pivotal pieces of information led me to pursue a life in the arts and storytelling.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer, producer, and director. How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger actor and vice versa?
Kyle: That’s another great question. The acting studio that I’m currently studying at is Lesly Kahn & Company. I love it there. One of the things that Lesly teaches is that you can simplify acting by focusing on what was or wasn’t said or done.

The reason that I bring up this principle is because that’s a question the writer, director, and producer have to answer when they’re developing the concept and making the content even before the actors become involved.

My experience wearing those different hats has definitely made my admiration and respect for every part of production that much greater and has helped me understand how the work done by those different contributors actually simplifies the work I have to do as an actor when I first get a script.

PC: Recently, two of your short films made their way around the festival circuit, and they’ve been incredibly well received. What has that response meant to you?
Kyle: It’s incredibly rewarding and humbling. All I ever hope to do with any work that I create or that I’m involved in is to make people laugh and/or give them permission to feel. The fact that something that I have created or helped create has been well received, even by one person, is very gratifying. The power of art is that it connects people from all different walks of life. It doesn’t matter the scope of the art’s impact.

PC: What is your process like when you’re creating a story from the ground up? Where do you draw inspiration from?
Kyle: I draw inspiration from everything, whether it’s from movies that I watch, TV shows that I watch, people that I know, people that I know and don’t like, people that I know and love, people that I want to know, people that I don’t know and that I don’t like. I draw it from everywhere and everything.

In a lot of ways, my process—even though this is going to sound artsy-fartsy—is to allow myself to be affected by the world around me and see what happens.

PC: You’ve got a ton of really exciting projects coming out later this year. Are there any that you can chat about at this time?
Kyle: I wish I could bare my entire soul to you and tell you everything. Unfortunately, there are many things which I’m not allowed to talk about at the moment.

What I can say is that one of these projects is a role on Disney Channel’s Bunk’d, which is a spinoff of the show Jessie. I’m very, very excited about it. I’m grateful to have been a part of the Bunk’d family, even for a blip, and for being able to have worked with everyone from casting to pre-production to production to the actors involved. It was an absolutely unforgettable experience and one that I know I will look back on as one of the stepping stones in my career.

Another of these projects is a feature film that I acted in. I can disclose even less information about that, but I had the opportunity to work and collaborate with really gifted artists and I can’t wait to watch their careers grow.

PC: Speaking of careers, what is your dream role? What do you hope to accomplish in the next five to ten years?
Kyle: I would like to play a character like Ferris Bueller or like the one Phoebe Waller-Bridge played in Fleabag—a character that is one with the audience. I would love, love, love the opportunity to step into the shoes of a character that’s used that way in a story.

A broader goal that’s less project-oriented is playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. I could argue that that might be above winning an Oscar for me. Don’t let my team know that. [laughs] But my childhood self would go absolutely wild. Kevin Hart has set the bar high. He has three MVPs.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Kyle: Love Guru. My brother and I are the presidents of that fan club. We think the movie is brilliant. Also, I’m obsessed with Dreamgirls.

Jennifer Hudson is my idol. I’m going to name all my children after her, regardless of gender. Hopefully, my future wife is okay with that. I know every word to every song in that movie. It’s actually one of the main things that led to one of the sketches that I wrote and performed which is on YouTube: Lip-Sync Break-Up.

PC: Favorite book?
Kyle: I’m all about the growth mindset. I’m always aspiring to be inspired. I’m always trying to grow by asking questions. I love A Curious Mind by Brian Grazer. It’s entirely centered around curiosity. I love asking people questions.

The way I like to describe myself and the way I hope my friends describe me is that Kyle Matthew is a goofball who loves deep conversations. I love books that are centered around curiosity and the idea of looking at things more deeply.

I also just finished An Untethered Soul, which is a classic. It’s a great book that I keep going back to.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Kyle: Dreamgirls and In the Heights.

To keep up with Kyle, follow him on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Ben Cope