Matt Letscher
Matt Letscher (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, director, and playwright known for his versatile performances across film, television, and theater.[1] Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Letscher earned a B.A. in theater from the University of Michigan in 1992, where he developed his craft through workshops with acting coach Uta Hagen and early collaborations at the Purple Rose Theatre Company under mentor Jeff Daniels.[2][3] His breakthrough role came in 1998 as the antagonist Captain Harrison Love in the swashbuckler film The Mask of Zorro, earning a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Villain.[4][1] Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, he built a prolific television career with recurring and guest roles in series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Scandal, and Brothers & Sisters, accumulating appearances in over 250 episodes.[5] Letscher gained further prominence portraying the time-traveling supervillain Eobard Thawne, also known as Reverse-Flash, in The CW's The Flash from 2016 to 2023, a role that showcased his ability to embody complex antagonists.[5] In addition to acting, he has made significant contributions as a playwright; his play Demolition received the 2025 Stage Raw Award for Best Playwriting, while Gaps in the Fossil Record won the 2015 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, and his co-written television pilot Gentrification took Best Writing honors at the 2010 New York Television Festival.[6][7] More recently, Letscher has transitioned to paternal figures in projects like Suits: LA on Peacock and Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage on CBS and Paramount+, reflecting his ongoing evolution in the industry.[5]Life and background
Early life
Matt Letscher was born Matthew David Letscher on June 26, 1970, in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.[8][9][10] He grew up in a close-knit family as the eldest of three sons to David Paul Letscher and Katherine Marie Letscher (née Moxley), alongside his brothers Aaron, an entrepreneur, and Brian, an actor.[9][11][12] The family resided in Grosse Pointe throughout his childhood, where his father worked and actively supported family activities, including attending his sons' events and enjoying traditions like Michigan football games together.[11][13] During his upbringing in this community-oriented suburb, Letscher developed an early passion for storytelling, often telling others he wanted to become an author when he grew up.[7] He attended local schools, including Grosse Pointe South High School, from which he graduated in 1988, before pursuing higher education.[14][13]Education
Letscher attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre in 1992.[3][10] His studies there provided a foundational academic training in acting and performance, immersing him in a rigorous theater program that emphasized practical and theoretical aspects of the craft.[15] A pivotal moment in his education came through participation in a pair of workshops led by legendary acting coach Uta Hagen, held in Detroit during the summer before his senior year.[16][7] These sessions, drawing on Hagen's renowned techniques from her book Respect for Acting, profoundly transformed Letscher's perspective on the profession and cemented his dedication to pursuing acting as a career.[17][5] Through his university experience, Letscher gained initial exposure to professional theater environments, including opportunities influenced by Michigan's vibrant local scene, such as the nearby Purple Rose Theatre Company founded by alumnus Jeff Daniels.[18] This proximity allowed for early insights into working theater operations during his college years, bridging academic training with real-world applications.[13]Personal life
Matt Letscher married Jennifer Kathleen Price on September 5, 1998.[3] The couple has two children, though their names and specific ages are not publicly disclosed.[9] Letscher has described his family life as a grounding force amid his professional commitments, emphasizing the importance of shared time despite the demands of his acting schedule.[19] The family resides in Venice, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, allowing Letscher to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry while maintaining a stable home environment.[19] This location supports his career in film and television, with Letscher noting the challenges and rewards of balancing frequent travel for work with family responsibilities. He maintains ties to his Michigan roots through occasional returns for theater projects and family connections, including his brother, actor Brian Letscher. His father, David Paul Letscher, passed away on June 21, 2025, in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.[20][11] In his personal time, Letscher enjoys outdoor activities such as golf, hiking, fishing, biking, rock climbing, and camping, often incorporating these pursuits into family outings to foster closeness and relaxation.[3]Career
Acting career
Letscher began his professional acting career in theater, landing his first role in Jeff Daniels' play The Tropical Pickle at the Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, Michigan, during the summer of 1992, shortly after his college graduation.[13] This early stage work marked the start of his transition from academic training to professional performances across mediums.[18] His film debut came in 1993 with a small role as a young soldier in the Civil War epic Gettysburg, directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, which introduced him to on-screen work amid a large ensemble cast. Letscher achieved a breakthrough five years later in The Mask of Zorro, portraying the ruthless villain Captain Harrison Love under Martin Campbell's direction; his performance as the antagonist earned praise for adding intensity to the swashbuckling adventure, contributing to the film's positive reception as a throwback to classic action-adventure cinema.[21] For this role, he received a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Villain in 1999.[22] On television, Letscher built a series of recurring roles that showcased his range. He appeared as the supportive brother Nathan Stone in the ABC legal dramedy Eli Stone in 2008, a performance that garnered him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama at the 2009 My TV Awards.[23] In 2012, he took on the scheming Billy Chambers in Scandal, serving as Vice President Sally Langston's chief of staff and driving key plot tensions in the political thriller.[24] The following year, he shifted to a more grounded paternal figure as Tom Bradshaw, the widowed father of teenage Carrie, in The Carrie Diaries from 2013 to 2014, providing emotional depth to the Sex and the City prequel.[24] Letscher's most iconic television villain emerged in 2015 as Eobard Thawne, aka Reverse-Flash, a time-traveling antagonist in The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, where he appeared across multiple seasons through 2023, delivering a charismatic and menacing presence that became a fan favorite in the Arrowverse.[18][25][8] In recent years, Letscher has continued to diversify with guest appearances, including an episode of The Rookie in 2021, and a recurring role as newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in the 2020 season of The Alienist.[22][26] He earned further recognition with a nomination for Most Inspiring Television Acting at the 2011 Grace Awards for his portrayal of Gideon Graber in the Lifetime film Amish Grace.[27] More prominently, he has taken on recurring and leading parts such as the antagonistic business rival Fred Fagenbacher in Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage starting in 2024, and Edward "Teddy" Brooks, the emotionally distant father of the lead character, in Suits LA in 2025.[28][29] Throughout his career, Letscher has evolved from early supporting villain roles, like in The Mask of Zorro, to more versatile character work, often collaborating with acclaimed directors such as Spike Jonze in the introspective romance Her (2013), where he played a friend offering grounded advice, and Michael Bay in the action thriller 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016), depicting U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.[30][31] This progression highlights his ability to balance antagonistic intensity with empathetic, multifaceted portrayals across genres.Writing and directing career
Matt Letscher's writing career emerged from his extensive background in theater, where he began honing his craft after establishing himself as an actor at the Purple Rose Theatre Company in the early 1990s. His initial foray into playwriting was inspired during the production of Jeff Daniels' film Super Sucker in 2002, leading to the development of full-length works by the mid-2000s.[13] Letscher's breakthrough as a playwright came with Sea of Fools, a farce set in McCarthy-era Hollywood that premiered at the Purple Rose Theatre Company in 2007. He wrote and directed the production, which earned praise for its sharp wit and historical satire, drawing audiences with its blend of humor and cultural commentary.[32][33][34] In 2016, Letscher's Gaps in the Fossil Record received its world premiere at the Purple Rose, exploring themes of family estrangement, memory, and reconciliation through the story of a graduate student confronting her past. The play, a dark comedy with tragic undertones, won the 2015 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award for its innovative storytelling and emotional depth.[35][36][37] Letscher continued his output with Demolition, a dramedy addressing contemporary social issues like personal reinvention and societal upheaval, which premiered at Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, California, in September 2024 and extended through November due to strong reception. The work earned him the 2025 StageRaw Award for Best Playwriting, highlighting its incisive examination of human fragility.[38][6][39] Among his other writings, Letscher co-created, wrote, and directed the web series One and Done in 2014, a comedy about middle-aged friends reforming their high school basketball team, which explored themes of nostalgia and second chances and raised funds through Kickstarter for production. In 2025, his play Bert & Trixie Visit the Vet premiered at the Purple Rose, further showcasing his ability to infuse everyday scenarios with wry humor.[40][41][6] In addition to Sea of Fools, Letscher's directing credits in theater remain selective, focusing primarily on his own scripts to realize their comedic and dramatic rhythms on stage. His approach often draws from his acting experience, allowing him to craft character-driven narratives that balance levity with poignant insight.[32][42] Letscher's works have been lauded for their seamless integration of humor and drama, earning critical acclaim in regional theater circles and contributing to the vitality of Los Angeles' independent scene through productions at Pacific Resident Theatre. Awards like the Edgerton and StageRaw underscore his impact, with reviewers noting his skill in using farce and family stories to illuminate broader human experiences.[43][44][38]Filmography
Feature films
Matt Letscher began his feature film career in the early 1990s and has since appeared in a variety of roles across genres, from historical dramas to science fiction.[8]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Gettysburg | Young 2nd Maine Volunteer | |
| 1998 | The Mask of Zorro | Captain Harrison Love | Breakthrough role as the antagonist's right-hand man. |
| 2000 | John John in the Sky | John Clairborne | |
| 2002 | Super Sucker | Howard Butterworth | |
| 2003 | Gods and Generals | Col. Adelbert Ames | |
| 2003 | Identity | Assistant District Attorney | |
| 2004 | Straight-Jacket | Bob | |
| 2005 | Madison | John Junior | |
| 2008 | Towelhead | Gil Hicks | |
| 2013 | Devil's Knot | Dan Strelfel | |
| 2013 | Her | Charles | |
| 2014 | Teacher of the Year | Ian | Also producer. |
| 2016 | 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi | J.C. Cooper | |
| 2019 | Countdown | Charlie | |
| 2025 | Shattered Ice | Jack Mankus | [45] |
Television appearances
Matt Letscher began his television career with guest appearances in the late 1990s and has since taken on a variety of roles, from one-off guest spots in crime dramas to recurring and main characters in long-running series. His TV work spans networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, and The CW, showcasing his versatility in genres including drama, sci-fi, and comedy.[8]| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Practice | Brendan Cole | 1 | ABC | Guest appearance. |
| 2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Martin Dunn | 1 | CBS | Guest appearance. |
| 2004 | Without a Trace | Roman | 1 | CBS | Guest appearance. |
| 2005 | Numb3rs | Randy Forsythe | 1 | CBS | Guest appearance. |
| 2006–2007 | Brothers & Sisters | Alec Tyler | 10 | ABC | Recurring. |
| 2008 | Eli Stone | Victor Stone | 13 | ABC | Recurring. |
| 2010 | Amish Grace | Gideon Graber | TV movie | Lifetime | |
| 2011 | Castle | Thomas Hunt | 1 | ABC | Guest appearance. |
| 2012 | Scandal | Billy Chambers | 9 | ABC | Recurring. |
| 2013–2014 | The Carrie Diaries | Tom Bradshaw | 26 | The CW | Main role. |
| 2014–2022 | The Flash / Legends of Tomorrow | Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash | 20 (9 in The Flash; 11 in Legends of Tomorrow) | The CW | Recurring in multiple seasons; iconic villain role in the Arrowverse. |
| 2018 | The Alienist | William Randolph Hearst | 6 | TNT | Supporting role in season 2 (Angel of Darkness). |
| 2021 | The Rookie | Cooper Sanford | 1 | ABC | Guest appearance in "Hit and Run".[46] |
| 2024–2025 | Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage | Fred Fagenbacher | Recurring (8 in Season 1; ongoing in Season 2 as of November 2025) | CBS | Recurring. |
| 2025 | Suits LA | Edward "Teddy" Brooks | Recurring (5 episodes) | NBC | Recurring as Ted Black's father. |