Hey, this is Matt. Thank you for joining me for this ‘Ask me Anything’ on reddit. I’m happy to talk about anything from FREAKS & GEEKS to THE GOOD WIFE and anywhere in between.
Victoria’s helping me out in person today. AMA!
I just finished binge-rewatching Gilmore Girls on Netflix last night and I was reminded again how much I disliked how the show handled Logan’s exit. I know it’s been 8 years or so for you but what did you think/how did you feel about how your character was written out of the show? Do you think Logan would have come back if the show had continued?
I actually liked how Rory refused Logan’s proposal. I feel that the show is about 2 strong independent women, and that refusal captures the heart of the show.
And I don’t think it was personal to Logan. I just think it was the right decision for Rory regardless of who her boyfriend was.
Even at the wrap party, there were talks that the show was gonna come back, and that I would have come back to have been a part of that. But nothing was ever set in stone.
And I will be there, at the reunion in June. Hope to see you there!
Are there any regulars/guest actors on The Good Wife that you don’t typically work with but hope to next year? I was too chicken to stand up and say this at TGW Paleyfest, so here it is now: You knocked the first half of S6 out of the park. If someone had told me back in S1 that I would be losing my mind over Cary’s fate, I probably would have laughed—but it’s a testament to your performance and to the evolution of this character that that arc was so compelling (and so stressful!). Absolutely the best part of this season. Thank you.
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
Thank you.
I’m glad you got a chance to ask this now. You know – SPOILER ALERT
if you have not seen the last episode of season 6, Michael J. Fox opens the door and says “Want a partner?”
That opens up potential scenes between Cary and Louis, and that would be amazing.
How are you not aging? You still look like you’re 20!
Hahaha!
Stay out of the sun. No smoking. And good genes (I got lucky with good genes).
Happy Mother’s Day again to my mom!
Matt, loved you as Logan in Gilmore Girls. Would you ever consider doing any of the life and death brigades stunts in real life? You Jump, I Jump, Jack is my favourite episode ever.
I’m terrified of heights in real life, so I would not have done that stunt you saw in “I Jump, You Jump, Jack.”
But in terms of Logan’s sense of adventure and grand gestures and spontaneity, those are elements that I try to take from him and apply to my own life.
How difficult was it to learn all that dialogue in Gilmore Girls? Were the writers annoyed if you ever changed a word for a synonym or something like that? Who should I contact in The Good Wife’s casting department to get Alexis to guest star next season? I need that to happen!
The writers did want the material word-perfect.
And that was a challenge. And the head of casting for THE GOOD WIFE is Mark Saks. So contact him! He’s great at his job.
I just discovered you when Netflix aired Gilmore Girls and now I watch The Good Wife. I wonder, do you have any other projects coming up besides the reunion and what episode of Freaks and Geeks were you on? I don’t remember you and I watched the whole thing.
Probably don’t remember me from FREAKS & GEEKS because my character’s name was Teenage Boy #1.
I threw water balloons at James Franco, and spray-painted his car, and called somebody “bitch.”
It was one of my first jobs. And one of my favorites.
As of now, just returning to THE GOOD WIFE season 7!
What was your favorite episode/scene of Gilmore Girls to film?
Some of my favorite episodes to film were “You Jump, I Jump, Jack,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” and “Hay Bale Maze.”
What was it like filming Gilmore Girls?
The pace of the dialogue was what made that show incredibly unique.
And also, incredibly difficult as an actor. To be able to maintain that speed, tone, and at the same time, try to make layered choices was a great experience to have early in my career.
It really challenged me.
I am so in love with Julianna Margulies; what is she like in real life?
Incredibly prepared as an actress, and her work (not only just THE GOOD WIFE) speaks for itself.
I am a big fan of Gilmore Girls and was super bummed that Rory didn’t end up leaving to California with Logan. Are there any special moments about working on that series that stand out to you?
I came into the series in season 5, and the 100th episode (called “Wedding Bell Blues”) happened just a couple episodes into my 3-year arc. And to feel so welcomed by the cast that early on was very meaningful for me.
Do you have any standout stories/anecdotes about working with Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel on GG?
We did an episode “A Vineyard Valentine” and we shot that in Malibu. That episode stands out for me, because all 3 of us just loved being in Malibu, filming on the beach. I remember during one lunch break, I took a walk and there was a sea lion who kept going up and down in the water, following me along the way. So that was a unique episode for me to be a part of with Alexis and Lauren.
Cary didn’t get closure with Kalinda on the show. Do you think he’ll continue to defend her/protect her from Bishop? Also, who are you excited to see again at the GG reunion?
I think now that Kalinda’s disappeared in the middle of the night… a lot of the troubles with Bishop go away, too.
I’m excited to see everyone, because it’s been so long. But really looking forward to seeing Amy Sherman-Palladino again, and thanking her for creating such a great character, and giving me one of my first big opportunities as an actor.
Why are there so many gilmore girls actors who have guested on the good wife?
I wish there were more! And I don’t really have a why – if they have been on the show, it’s because they’re great at their work.
Congratulations on The Good Wife getting renewed for another season! Any hopes or expectations for your character arc in season 7?
Gaining closure on the loss of Kalinda, and newfound success at the law firm.
How did you see Logan Huntzberger and Cary Agos in the beginning? What did you see in them that you could identify with and felt you could play? And what influence did/do you have in the evolution of these characters?
Gilmore Girls – I looked at Logan as somebody who would challenge Rory. And push her to new adventures in her life. In terms of Cary, I saw him as somebody who is incredibly passionate about the law and cases and having majored in history and political science, that was something that spoke to me.
There’s a lot of influences to mention over the course of both of those series. But the power is really in the choices you make between “action” and “Cut!” as an actor.
And in that subtext, creating layers that go beyond what’s on the page.
What did you want to achieve in your final episode of Gilmore Girls?
In the final episode of Gilmore Girls, I wanted to capture that Logan loved Rory, and although they both might not be quite ready to get married, just like in “I Jump, You Jump, Jack” there was that feeling of let’s take a leap and see if the net appears.
I’d be fascinated to know more about your choices as an actor in filling in between the lines of a script. What do you see in both of these characters that may not have come from the script, but felt natural for you to play out through them?
With Cary in season 1, he was highly competitive, and I wanted to try to find a vulnerable side to him as well. And in season 6, when he was put in prison, I wanted to show in that arc that he was crumbling but at the same time, had strength. So trying to find those layers in the right moments was part of the fun in creating a full performance.
Are you a fan of musicals? And have you ever asked Christine Baranski to sing Sondheim? While on the subject, what is it like to work with Christine? I hope we get to see Cary and Diane teaming up more in court next season.
Christine Baranski is amazing. I love working with her. I love that relationship between Cary and Diane, and I hope we get to see more of that in season 7! Christine is always singing in the hallways, and at our wrap parties, I actually sang a song with her – it wasn’t Sondheim, but I did sing a song with her! And yeah, it was awesome, although my singing left something to be desired.
But Christine was great, as always.
How cool is Matthew Goode?
He is as cool as you imagine.
Very cool.
How come you haven’t gotten an Emmy yet?
Every year there’s incredible performances in the “Best Supporting” category. Who would you take out?
What do you want to do after The Good Wife?
I’ve been fortunate to work with great people over the course of my career, so that’s what I’ll be looking for in the next phase of my career as well.
How does the job change when you portray a real life person as opposed to an invented character on the page? I’m referring to Tucker Max specifically.
With Tucker Max, I interviewed him, i watched the way he walked, the way he dressed, his inflections, his attitudes – so being able to draw on something concrete is certainly different than crafting a character through other means. Both have challenges but completely different challenges.
I love watching THE GOOD WIFE and am a big fan of Alan Cumming’s; how is it like to work with him?
I wish I had more scenes with Alan Cumming! I’ve loved his work for a very long time. Nightcrawler in X-men is one of my favorites.
Are you reading anything interesting or fun right now?
Good book… I haven’t started it yet, but I’m looking forward to reading BATMAN AND PSYCHOLOGY: A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT.
Can you share an anecdote or two about your stint in Friday Night Lights? I’m curious about how you thought of your character and storyline (a born again Christian).
Well, I watched that show in season 1, and absolutely loved it.
I would text my friends saying OH MAN, I wish I could be on this show!
And then season 2, an audition came up, and thankfully I got the job, and it’s one of the best jobs I had in my 15 year career.
In terms of the character, there is a scene where I had to give a sermon in front of a live church and I had somebody come up to me afterwards and say “We thought you were a guest pastor!” So that was a pretty great compliment.
I’ve been a fan of yours since you played Logan on Gilmore Girls, and you are probably 90% of the reason I started watching The Good Wife. Can you tell us how working on the two have differed? Any fun behind-the-scenes stories from either set you can share with us today?
Well, GILMORE GIRLS was really early in my career. So it was an incredible learning process in terms of just the basics – hitting your mark, finding your light, and of course, the speed of the dialogue – THE GOOD WIFE I came on from the beginning of the show, so to go through the pilot getting picked up for 13 episodes, and now having done well over 100 episodes, makes those two experiences quite a bit different.
In terms of GILMORE GIRLS, there was an episode called “I Jump, You Jump, Jack” and I was terrified of heights – Iam terrified of heights – so that jump, the fear is real.
I find Cary a fascinating character because he’s introduced to us as the classic overly entitled ivy leaguer but then we find out his upbringing wasn’t really all that great and that his family turned its back on him. That paired with all Cary has been through in the past 6 years, what do you think of how the writers have turned this character on his head? and will Cary ever catch a break?
Part of my backstory that I sent to the writers had to do with Cary’s family being less supportive than you might think. So I’m happy that the writers have woven that into Cary’s arc, over the course of the last 6 seasons. I think oftentimes where Cary shines is in the courtroom, and protecting his clients, and I think he’ll continue to catch breaks in that way. But oftentimes, personal lives are muddy, and I think that reflects life.
What was your favorite role, and why was it Logan on Gilmore Girls? Also, did you actually jump off of the wall in the episode with the Life and Death brigade outing?
Logan was one of my favorite characters. But I also love the character I played in FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, and I did an episode of an animated show, called JUSTICE LEAGUE, and that was a great job… and there were two levels of the platform, and Alexis and I jumped off the lower level, not the highest level.
I can understand why you like Jess. That was a cool character.
Would you consider your role as Tucker Max as when you finally became a household name?
Sometimes in the same day, I’ll get recognized for Logan in Gilmore Girls, Tucker Max in I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, and Cary from THE GOOD WIFE.
The fans don’t always overlap between those projects, which is exciting for me. Because I know I’m reaching different people through my work.
In The Good Wife, do you have a favorite case or “client”?
That question – Peter Dinklage’s character, Tyrion.
If you had to describe two words about Alexis Bledel and Julianna Marguiles, what would they be?
Alexis Bledel: sweet heart.
Julianna Margulies: hard worker.
What’s the best advice that you can give to people that want to get into acting?
Get into a great acting class with a great acting coach. And watch a lot of movies and television and theater, and go out and shoot movies with your friends.
How did you get on Young Americans? Did you audition or did they seek you out?
I auditioned for that job.
But there was a casting director named Jason Wood who cast me in a movie prior to YOUNG AMERICANS, and he brought my name to the creators of YOUNG AMERICANS. So thank you Jason! And thank you Steven and Joe.
How was working on Friday night lights and Gilmore girls?
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS – there was a lot of creative freedom for the actors, because a lot of the scenes were nearly 100% improv’d. And Gilmore Girls was one of my first big jobs as an actor, so there was always a perpetual excitement that will always stay with me.
I’m pretty sure I saw you at a Black Keys show at the Troubadour in 2006, but instead of going “oh, hey” I thought, “damn that Logan.” Have Gilmore Girls fans ever shown disgust or anger toward you in real life because you played the rich kid who replaced Jess?
I think I was at that Black Keys show.
I love that band. And that was a great show.
Fans are passionate about that character. They do come up and express how much they either loved that character, or hated that character. So… you’re not alone. Don’t be sorry. It’s okay.
smiles
I know you’re in the Justice League animated series, so who is your favorite superhero of all time?
God, favorite superhero of all time, that’s tough.
But he’s not really a superhero, but I think I’d probably have to go with The Hulk / Bruce Banner.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Well, there is a sundae at Friendly’s called the “Reese’s Pieces Sundae.” And it has vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, peanut butter, marshmallow creme, whipped cream, and Reese’s Pieces on top.
I used to love those as a kid.
And i still love ’em to this day.
Do you get to travel a lot? Where would your travel lust/wanderlust take you next? And do you have a favorite place/city/country that you’ve visited?
I loved Ben Mendelsohn’s work on BLOODLINE this year. So I’m not necessarily sure I’d want to follow in his footsteps in terms of playing the character, but for this year, that’s probably my favorite character on TV.
If you could play any character, who would you choose? Likewise, has there ever been a role that you’ve auditioned for a really wanted, but didn’t get for some reason or another?
There’s been a lot of roles I auditioned for and didn’t get. But I only talk about the ones I have gotten.
I’d love to be…in a superhero movie, or Star Wars, all those magical franchises that make you feel like a kid again.
What’s your favorite pizza topping?
Gotta go with pepperoni.
Are those “be an extra in a tv show or movie” posts on craigslist all scams?
I…do not know.
Exercise caution?
Where do you hope Cary ends up at the end of the final season of TGW?
Being still in the middle of the show, I’d rather not say at this point. I think that one of the overarching arcs of all 6 seasons has been that he went from a boy to a man. So certainly there will be a new sense of confidence in him at the end of the series, compared to who he was in the beginning.
Do you have any pets? If so can you tell us about them?
I had a dog when I moved from New Hampshire to Tennessee. My parents got me him as a way to help with the move. I currently do not have any pets.
Although I didn’t really liked Cary in the first two/three seasons of the show I always thought that you were an amazing actor. What is your favorite thing about him and why?
I love that he had the courage to go start his own firm in season 5. I think that says a lot about who he is.
Are you looking forward to the Gilmore Girls reunion at ATX?
I am! The fans have been so passionate about the show for so many years – so to be able to be there, and interact with the fans, is a treat for me. And hopefully for the fans as well.
And I’m also excited to see ALL the cast – and to tell Amy Sherman-Palladino that she created a great character in Logan.
Is this going to be the first time you’ve gotten together with any of them?
I saw Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Dan on the street in New York probably about 3 years ago? And we had a quick chat and catch-up. But yes, this will be the first time we’ve been together since we wrapped in 2007, and for some, even longer!
What do you think is a good amount of seasons for a series?
There’s no standard amount of seasons for a series. It depends on the series itself.
Who has been your favorite guest star to work with and who would be a dream guest star?
Michael J. Fox is an incredible actor and person.
I love what he does for his foundation, and I’ve attended his event several years, called “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s.”
And it would probably be one of my friends to be the dream guest star. I’ll just leave it at that.
Is there something specific you look for when you get scripts and decide if want to audition? Like is it more about the actual script or the people involved with the project?
It’s about the people involved in the project, AND the script.
Both are of equal importance.
The script is the blueprint for all the characters and storylines, but also, once I read a script, I can usually feel something in my gut if I connect to a character deeply, and that’s how I know I want to pursue it.
There has been some pretty great episodes of The Good Wife and you do an amazing job playing Cary! Is there one episode that is you’ll say is your favorite or was your favorite to film?
An episode called “The Trial” (episode 10 this year in season 6) this year was one of my most challenging episodes to film, and therefore one of my favorites.
Summer is finally around the corner-do you have any concert/festival plans?
Last year, I saw Dave Matthews two nights in a row. I hope to maybe be able to do that again this summer.
What’s your opinion on turtles?
I dated a girl for 6 years and she had a pet turtle. So… I’m a big fan of turtles.
