Meet Matt Hudson: Actor and Drama Chameleon

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Hudson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Consistency is perhaps one of the most essential keys toward building relationships with other people in the entertainment community, perhaps even more so than in any other endeavor. You have to be clear in your mind that every thought and action that you do, or neglect to do, signals to others what they might expect from you.

Are your words chosen with understanding for others’ feelings? Are you interested, engaged and well prepared when you show up for a shoot after weeks of rehearsal and planning? Can your team rely on you to make efficient use of the time and resources at hand?

You’re a lot like a store, really. Visitors to a well established bakery will come to trust that they will get tasty sweet treats when they stop by. Or a florist, who prepares exquisite arrangements will delight with constant creativity and attention to detail. Does that sound like you? Or are you going to be more like the fertilizer store that doles out sacks of manure?! Choices!

A good friend of mine swears by the mnemonic, “SUKUTU” – “see you, know you, trust you”. It is imperative that people are get to know you as a professional who will always deliver!

And it’s not always easy to keep in mind that trust is gained only over time. Sometimes it takes longer with certain people in contrast to the those who seem to magically “click” with you from the start. It is human nature to grow impatient or get frustrated when things don’t go our way, or move fast enough. But, the person who masters the art of making other people feel special about themselves after every encounter has a distinct advantage in winning at forming solid business relationships. And it requires constant and patient repetition of good habits, “the little things” we do that cement our image, much like raindrops filling a barrel over several days, weeks, and months. It is a gradual, steady process.

In that sense, however, acting is definitely a double-edged sword. Because of the countless departments, roles, and personalities involved in a cinematic work, grooming relationships is critical to an actor’s reputation. When you reach a certain point, people expect to interact with a star at every given moment, and you can’t let your guard down.

Yet, It is nearly impossible to keep a grip on your moods and emotions at all times, but that is exactly the insurmountable task at hand for a public figure. Then like light switch, once on set, when the director calls “Action!” you have to be ready to shed the reins of self-control and allow the character’s, feelings, opinions, and mannerisms to take over in an instant! An actor who can put himself aside and yield to serving the truth in the story is well on the way to a successful career! Can I cry on cue? No. But I’m getting pretty darned good at getting my audience to!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m not sure I understand why in hindsight, but people are naturally inhibited about speaking in public. They’re afraid of looking like fools.

I moved to Germany when I was only 19, so, in my case, I also had to take on the extra task of speaking to strangers in a newly acquired foreign language in my day-to-day life. I remember asking random people on the street what a certain sign meant, or trying to tell a story in German, and the shortcomings of my linguistic abilities leaving me utterly betrayed!

Then I started working in customer service at the bustling Frankfurt airport. I was fortunate to be exposed to the most varied assortment of languages, cultures, behaviors, and attitudes from an early age. I visited Norway once, and my host, my language life line, excused himself at the gathering after church. “Just go up to a table of people you find interesting and introduce yourself!”, was his advice. He neglected the part about having to do it in Norwegian. Best improv class ever! And, you know what? After all was said and done, I survived! No one stoned me, or waited in the parking lot to “take me out quietly”! In fact, I made a couple of new friends! This taught me a simple truth: People WANT to like you when they meet you by default! It’s silly how we are trained in the name of “modesty” to downplay, or even contradict that!

Certainly the path to where I am today was lined with countless mentors there to advise and guide me. That is the most fortunate thing about my life. There were so many who recognized and fueled my talent and passion to become better and better, to make each performance more natural, compelling, and believable than the last. A true celebrity never stops refining their craft. And just like a professional athlete, or musician, the training process is a never-ending obsession.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, we’d have to do a quick inventory of their likes and expectations. The area where I live – Cincinnati – is rich with cultural and sport venues, International cuisine, and plenty of outdoor, and indoor activities. Truly something for every taste. Certainly, one of the most moving experiences here is the museum of the Underground Railroad. Then, just across the river, the town of Newport, where I live, is the very first to have a “Hofbräuhaus” spun off from the one in Munich that spearheads the Oktoberfest festivities every year. One of my favorite things to do is to go on a canoe trip to unwind on one of the many peaceful winding rivers nearby. If you like horses, and equestrian events, Kentucky’s got a few of them! Definitely, we would have to book a trip on the “Dinner Train”, a restored vintage railroad journey through time and landscape. One night we would stage our own pub crawl along the “Main Strasse” of Covington, drinking and eating our way up the strip! Lunch outdoors on the patio of the Buckhead Mountain Grill overlooking the Ohio River is equally a must one afternoon! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Selsela, the fantastic up and coming star from Zurich, I met while putting our film “Transplant” together. That was a project we constructed from footage each shot in their respective locations. She in Swizterland; I in Kentucky. She is very much the “yin” to my “yang”! A perfect complement to my personality!

I’m also eternally grateful to my acting coach, Cathryn Hartt, who is not only a graduate of Julliard, but also a sister to the legendary Morgan Fairchild. Of all the people whose lives have intersected mine, she has been one of the most influential.

I also want to thank a couple from Madrid I recently met, Scott Cleverdon and Assumpta Serna. Already after just 3 or 4 sessions, I have started down a whole new path of inspiration and artistic understanding.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealmatthudson/

Other: I’m much too old and my brain is much too full to want to keep up with pop trends anymore! Face book is where I’m most comfortable and I’m almost always up for a good chat!