Matthew Goode: Catching Liberty

Hey, we may have found the Brit equivalent of Colin Farrell...only taller. 6' 2" Matthew Goode, Mandy Moore's handsome love interest in her new film Chasing Liberty. He curses less but he did come into our interview drinking a beer and wearing casual clothes including a knit cap like those Colin has been known to sport. He's a bit of a rogue too. On screen this guy is soooo Young James Bond. We need to see that movie! Matthew comes from a theater background but you might have caught him in a t.v. movie or two. Those blue-green eyes were full of mischief when we talked to the hot-looking actor in Beverly Hills.

TeenHollywood: Humm, you're drinking a beer and looking a little blurry. What did you do last night?

Matthew: I went out with Mandy's mom last night which was great. I went for a wine tasting around at Stacy Moore's friend's house and it was just me and twelve women of varying ages and sizes but it was kind of fun. I was very drunk but I wasn't rude. I'm never living it down.

TeenHollywood: How did you get the part in Chasing Liberty?

Matthew: My agent said 'you should go and meet Priscilla John, U.K. Casting' so I went and met Priscilla and a couple of bottles of wine later we were getting along famously and she said, 'why don't you come in tomorrow and read for this part? Andy Cadiff is the director and he's really lovely.' I said, 'great. Give me the script for a quick read'. I did that and the next thing I know I'm being flown across to this extraordinary town and they ended up giving me a job.

TeenHollywood: Did you screen test with Mandy? Did she choose you?

Matthew: I wasn't privy to all the conversations but I think she had a bit of casting approval and I was the only guy over five foot eight and I was cheap. I suspect that's the other reason I got it.

TeenHollywood: There is bungee jumping in the film. Did you go bungee jumping during or after?

Matthew: No, unfortunately that was an extraordinary insurance risk. I was a high enough insurance risk as it was. I would really like to have done it.

TeenHollywood: Do you actually take pictures? Are you good with a camera?

Matthew: Not really. Those new digital ones are quite fun. I can use one but I'm not sure about the aperture and shutter speed stuff.

TeenHollywood: Were you always looking to get into features, having done stage?

Mathew: Yeah. I was looking to go into it but it's a difficult thing to wheedle your way into. You're always looking for a little break here and there and, luckily, I got it. But I want to get back to the stage. That's the good stuff. Anything that scares the s*** out of you is quite a good thing to do. That's where you learn your trade. It's not safe. You don't get 250 takes. It could be different every night.

TeenHollywood: Did you even know who Mandy was when they told you she was in the movie?

Matthew: I believe I'd seen her once on CD-U.K., which is a little music channel, but I didn't have a clue who she was and I think that probably helped when I met her. I was like, 'hey, you're tall, aren't you?'. She's not really that well known in England but over here she's pretty big.

TeenHollywood: How did you guys meet for the first time?

Matthew: We were at the offices of Alcon and it was quite strange because all the actors who were up for the part were sitting in a room eating fruit, looking at each other then, one by one, we all went in an did our stuff and met her. She was really cool, very, very laid back and I had to kiss her within the audition. The first kiss was a bit strange. I sort of leaned in and she sort of turned her head so I ended up kissing her cheek and thought, 'that's it. I've blown it'. I must be more forceful next time.

TeenHollywood: Is that how you got the part, the kiss?

Matthew: [evil grin] I like to think so.

TeenHollywood: Are you hoping that a popular role like this would bring you into Hollywood mainstream movies?

Matthew: I don't know. It's in the choices at the end of the day, isn't it? And this gives you an opportunity to be out there and be seen which is fantastic. It's sifting through a lot of scripts.

TeenHollywood: Did they give you a lot of leeway to improvise in this film or did it all have to be on the page?

Matthew: A little of both. The script was pretty good. Sometimes you see a lot of American writers writing English characters and you're kind of like 'He's very American" so you change words here and there and take it by the director first. Andy is a legend. He makes actors feel very comfortable. 'Why don't we just do it your way then'? That was good.

TeenHollywood: You looked kind of shaky on that small bike. Had you ridden one like it before?

Matthew: With my ears up around my knees? It was a bit funky. I was quite lucky. Not at one point in the 50 takes did I actually stack it and fall over but I thought I was going to. Also, being on the scooter was freaky at times. I've ridden motorbikes before but scooters are a bit dangerous. The wheel base is very small and you've got a bit of weight on when cornering, especially when you've got a multi-million pound [dollar] star riding on the back!

TeenHollywood: When you watch films do you prefer European or British films that are smaller or big action films?

Matthew: It always depends. I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy as much as the next man but sometimes you're in the mood for an Armageddon. You want to relax and not think about it. Other times you want that thoughtful Shadowlands, beautiful drama and want to see good acting. You know a film is good when you aren't sitting there analyzing it too much.

TeenHollywood: Do you look at English actors like a Colin Firth or Hugh Grant as a career path that you'd like to follow?

Matthew: People make comparisons to Hugh Grant and ask if I mind being put in that mould. I have no beef whatsoever because I think he's very good. Generally his timing is fantastic. I'd like to follow their careers but that would be lucky. There are a lot of good Australian and English actors coming over here.

TeenHollywood: How did you discover that you wanted to act?

Matthew: My mother directed amateur stage productions so from maybe six I had to play like a mouse in "Wind in the Willows" or whatever. Then at school, I did that for a while, then was a bit of a jock. Then at 17, I had a go at a play and went up to university and studied drama and thought, let's give it a crack.

TeenHollywood: What was your first role?

Matthew: It was a film for ABC called "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister". Catchy title. It was pretty bad actually. I was great in it (laughs). I was a painter called Casper. I think it was based on a book. It was a post-modern reworking of the Cinderella story. Stockard Channing was in it and Jonathan Pryce.

TeenHollywood: What kind of music are you into? Do you play any instrument?

Matthew: I do play guitar but shamefully badly. It's one of my passions. I have a Fender that my dad left me. I'm pretty eclectic. At the moment, Coldplay. He (Chris Martin) is like my brother's oldest friend from school but I love it since I went to watch them at Glastonbury. They're really good! It's a pleasure to support them. I put things like Jeff Buckley in the CD player and I'm a bit of a '70's junkie. I love The Band and Van Morrison. If any of you have not seen The Last Waltz, go out and see it, buy it.

TeenHollywood: What would you say is your biggest pet peeve?

Matthew: People who aren't genuine. (we comment that he's in the wrong town). Wrong town! The other day I got mad at people who piss on toilet seats. That pisses me off. It's like do you not have the energy to lift up the seat... (we discuss guys not putting the toilet seat down).

TeenHollywood: What are you up to now?

Matthew: Nothing has been greenlit yet but people have been good enough to come to me with things.

TeenHollywood: What about James Bond?

Matthew: I'd love to do it but I think they'll give it to Clive Owen.

He is called away and leaves his beer can. We say, 'hey we can sell this on E-Bay'...

Matthew: Note to self.. other ways to make money.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.