Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with NOS4A2’s Mattea Conforti

Mattea Conforti is a talent well beyond her years and she’s leading the next class of Young Hollywood actors ready to make their mark. At the age of nine, she made her Broadway debut as the title character in Matilda the Musical and would go on to appear in productions of Sunday in the Park with George opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Frozen.

In addition to her commanding presence on the stage, Mattea is also crushing it on the screen with credits in Gotham, Power, Frozen 2, and The Viper Club. This June, she will reprise her role as Millie Manx in the addictive supernatural horror series, NOS4A2. Pop Culturalist caught up with Mattea to chat about the second season!

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Mattea: I got my start as a competitive dancer and didn’t have any formal acting or voice training at that time. When I was going out on open calls and auditions, I was mainly going for roles that I thought would be major influences on me, only in the dancing part of my life.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Mattea: Looking back on my career, one of the most influential actresses that I’ve worked with is Elle Fanning; her work ethic is great. She’s a fantastic role model to look up to. No matter what, she’s always working hard and building great relationships with her castmates and crew members. I did this movie with her when I was seven, which really set the bar high for me at such a young age.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Mattea: I think when I heard that I got the audition for Matilda—that’s really when this passion and this love started. I loved performing on stage, I loved singing in front of big audiences, and I love getting to hear all of their reactions. That’s what propelled me to where I am today.

PC: How has your work on the stage prepared you for film and television?
Mattea: Theater is really different from film. When you’re doing theater, you’re focused on how to get into character and how to stay in character. You only get one chance to fix some mistakes or suggestions that directors may have, which helps you be more alert and observant on film.

NOS4A2

PC: What did you learn on the set of Power that you’ve been able to bring over to NOS4A2?
Mattea: While I was doing Power, it completely changed my mindset. All of the other roles that I’ve done weren’t as serious or as mature as Elisa Marie is on Power. So, it definitely helped me expand my acting range, which prepared me for NOS4A2 because Millie Manx is a more mature, scary type of character. That helped me get more intact with my feelings when I was playing her.

PC: What can fans expect from Season 2 of NOS4A2?
Mattea: You can expect to see a whole lot more of Millie Manx! You’re going to see her go on a lot of dangerous adventures, which will definitely keep the viewer guessing about what’s going to happen to her.

PC: Which of Millie’s relationships has been your favorite to explore and why? Has that changed from Season 1 into Season 2?
Mattea: I think not just for me, but also for Millie Manx, her most important relationship is the one with her father. There’s so much loyalty and love there. No one really expects Millie Manx to be able to feel because she’s such a scary character, but she also has such a loving and caring heart. From Season 1, she’s so devoted to her father; she’s so dedicated to pleasing him. Not to say that she’s not in Season 2, but you’ll definitely see her relationship grow more with her father.

PC: Is there a particular scene that you’re really excited for your fans to see in Season 2?
Mattea: I can’t really say because it’s a spoiler, but it’s definitely something I’ve never done before. If I could describe it in one word, it would be “dangerous”.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Mattea: I’ve been binging a lot on Netflix recently. One that I’m watching right now is Outer Banks. It’s a really fun show to watch. I would say that’s one of my guilty pleasures. I’m also re-watching some scenes from Grey’s Anatomy. When I am older, I would love to play a doctor.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Mattea: I’ll say Frozen 2, and not because I’m in it. It’s a really addictive movie to watch. I love the music; it makes you feel alive.

PC: Favorite book?
Mattea: Five Feet Apart. I feel like that’s what’s happening right now.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Mattea: To Kill A Mockingbird and Matilda.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Mattea: I really like listening to country music. I listen to Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Sam Hunt.

To keep up with Mattea, follow her on Instagram. Catch new episodes of NOS4A2 every Sunday at 10/9c.

Photo Credit: Emily Assiran