At the young age of 21, Matthew Fahey has dominated every role from the hilarious band geek Ricky on MTV’s Awkward to his role in the dramatic series, Grey’s Anatomy. Despite his star studded roles and Hollywood recognition, this star remains grounded and dedicated to his passion to both film and his family. Fahey transitions from geek to bad-boy in the December 19 episode of TNT’s hit crime drama, Rizzoli and Isles, but before that, the actor took the time to talk with TheCelebrityCafe about his past roles and what lies ahead.
TheCelebrityCafe: Your list of roles range from everything from MTV’s Awkward to Grey’s Anatomy and now you are taking on a whole new character on Rizzoli and Isles. As an actor, how do you transform from band-geek Ricky to the detective’s son you play in the crime drama?
Matthew Fahey: It’s a tough thing to do, but I am an actor so it is something you know is going to be thrown your way. So, I’ve been off of doing Awkward since June, so there is a little bit of a transition time to be able to transform into a different character. Definitely have to search deep down and figure out exactly what the character in Rizzoli and Isles was feeling, and the kind of consequences that are going to come and the kind of feeling that the character overall is feeling at the moment. So, there is definitely a good amount of time to transform into that, and such is the acting business. You’re not going to play one character for your entire life. You have to transform and transition into these characters, which is difficult, but definitely a lot of fun to be able to play different characters.
TCC: What can you tell me about this episode of Rizzoli and Isles?
MF: [It will premiere] December 19 and it’s a really cool part. I get into a lot of trouble, hanging out with the wrong people. Detective Frank Korsak tries to step in as a "fatherly role" but, at the same time, he tries to help me out being a detective. I’m kind of defiant towards it but, at the same time, I’m kind of accepting I guess, as you could say.
TCC: It’s obvious that acting has always been a passion of yours and your list of roles has ranged from comedy to drama. Do you have a favorite genre to play, or a favorite role to portray?
MF: I like doing it all, you know, you get to get see both sides of it. I am a lot like Ricky is. Ricky jokes around a lot and if you were to come and hang out with my friends and I, it’s constantly laughing and having a good time. In life, there are always the times that are down and there are bad times where you have to kind of think about things, and try to take things as they come to you. So both roles, I love being able to transition to both drama and comedy, so to me, I love doing both of them. If I had to choose…I would not be able to!
TCC: You just did a role in a movie called Excision. Can you tell us a little about that?
MF: Oh yes, Excision is such a wonderful movie. It’s a movie that is really going to shock a lot of people. It is so different than anything I have ever seen and I actually saw it for the first time the other day; I literally left the movie not knowing what to say…it was like nothing I have ever seen before. I was so in shock at how great it was but, at the same time, I was just like ‘Wow!’ It leaves you with this overwhelming feeling of...literally, do not know what to say about it because it is so much different than anything you have ever seen. It was such an incredible movie and I got to work with such amazing people such as Malcolm McDowell, AnnaLynne McCord, Jeremy Sumpter, Ariel Winter, Marlee Matlin…to be able to be in a cast that is that star-studded was just an amazing opportunity and to work with amazing people, Ricky Base, Jr., what an amazing director, and he’s just starting out but he's going to be really, really successful because he’s a filmmaker…a really good filmmaker! The movie was just absolutely incredible to work on and the outcome of it, it came out so wonderful, it is so beautifully shot and everybody who was in it did such an amazing job.
TCC: Can we expect to see Excision sometime in 2012?
MF: Yeah, it’s actually playing in Sundance next year and hopefully it will get sold and hopefully then it will hit theaters.
TCC: You also have another film, The First Time, which co-stars Britt Roberston, that will also be featured at the Sundance Film Festival?
MF: Yes, yes it will. Britt Robertson is in it, Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Justice, and some other wonderful actors. That was a great movie to work on. Everybody on the set was just so friendly and made me feel really at home. I’ve known Brittney for years; she was actually one of my first friends out here when I moved out here in 2002. So, to be able to work with such a close friend, who is practically my sister, it was so wonderful to be able to experience filming with people that are really close to me. And Dylan O’Brien, when he came on set, he made me feel just really at home. He started cracking jokes right off the bat and, you know, just really, everyone on the set was just really great. I haven’t been able to see the movie yet but, from what I have heard and the script I read, it's definitely going to be a really great movie.
TCC: Can you give us a sneak peek into this movie?
MF: It’s kind of like an awkward love story. Things happen in a way where Britt and Dylan get together as boyfriend and girlfriend and in a really weird, different way. It’s such a great story, they just, they come together in such a weird way that it’s funny and sweet at the same time.
TCC: On top of filming movies and guest starring, you also have a production company which has been slated as an “irreplaceable resource for entertainment industry insiders.” Where did you find the drive and the time to create this company?
MF: In acting, there is a lot of "sit around and wait." I have my brother working with me and, well, we call him our adopted big-little brother, because, he is shorter than all of us. They pretty much run the business and I am one of the owners in it, you know, there's a lot of times when one day you are on set, and then another day you don’t go on set till next week, so, in the meantime, there is a lot of time waiting between auditions and filming. So, I started with photography and I transitioned over into filmmaking and my brother and I started this company. Then my "adopted older-little brother," he had his own production company and we joined it together with a goal of being able to make films and music videos and things that we really had a passion for. We’ve got to work with amazing people; we worked with Kid Robin, who signed in Japan. We worked with Ellie Smith, whose music videos are playing in every school in Nevada right now for the anti-bullying campaign and it’s about to go nationwide. So those are music video things but, at the same time, we are shooting web series to try to put some stuff out, get our friends together and just do some fun stuff. We are in the process of doing a couple features which is incredible and you know, we started it because we are actors and just being on set with the directors and producers and the writers and seeing the cinematographers all working so closely; the lightening guys and everything, it’s just so amazing how everybody has one job and they come together to create this beautiful masterpiece. It’s like art in a way and it’s so wonderful. We all found a love for it, and we started doing it and it also helps in the acting world because you get to see the other side of things and know how much stress they are going through and each and every job has their own little thing and together it’s just so much fun to do and you know, it’s a whole other aspect of the acting world, which is a great thing to have as an actor.
TCC: After Rizzoli and Isles premieres, and the two movies that are going to Sundance, where else can fans find you?
MF: As of right now, just waiting. I am up for a couple of things right now and just waiting to hear back. I am hoping to get out to Sundance, it’s pretty packed up though! Right now I am just looking forward to the holidays and spending time with my friends and family. I am also waiting for season 2 of Awkward to start up, but mostly right now I am just enjoying spending time with friends and family.