Feb. 20, 2025

Lights, Camera, Dreams Matt Drago's Acting Journey

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In this episode of the Living the Dream podcast, host Curveball welcomes actor Matt Drago, known for his compelling role as Fabian in the upcoming indie film Somewhere in Montana. Matt shares his journey from rural Virginia to the bright lights of New York City and ultimately to Hollywood, discussing the importance of storytelling and the impact of film on society. Tune in as they delve into Matt's creative process, his experiences working with seasoned actors, and his passion for independent cinema.
Want to be a guest on Living the Dream with Curveball? Send Curtis Jackson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1628631536976x919760049303001600

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Welcome, um, to the Living the Dream podcast with Curveball. If you believe you can achieve Chee Chee.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Welcome to the Living the Dream with Curveball podcast, a show where I interview guests that teach, motivate, and inspire. Today, I am joined by actor Matt Draco. Matt is most known for his role as Fabian in Somewhere in Montana, but he's played in, uh, a lot of films. So we're going to be talking to him about his roles that he's played and everything that he's gonna be up to in the future. So, Matt, thank you so much for joining me.

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> Matt Draco>Curtis, thank you so much for having me on your show. This is gonna be a blast.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Why don't you start off by telling everybody a little bit about yourself?

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> Matt Draco>Absolutely. So, um, actor, since I can remember, caught, uh, the bug really early. Four, uh, years old, Just, you know, hanging with my friends, creating stories, um, you know, just, uh, really, uh, loved the idea of creating characters in my own mind and, uh, you know, just being around people that love to do that as well. I was, uh, raised in rural Virginia, and, uh, my parents actually both were from New York City. Uh, so that just kind of got me to the local theaters and doing shows there.

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> Matt Draco>It, uh, also got me to, um, just experience regional, uh, theaters and, uh, just growing kind of like my art and, um, just carrying, uh, that progression on to New, uh, York City, where I trained with some great teachers, Terry Schreiber, um, and, uh, got my degree in acting. And then, uh, a few years later, just continuing the dream out west, uh, you know, to now, which is, uh, probably one of the biggest roles of my life, um, in, uh, somewhere in Montana, coming out. Um, actually it is out, uh, January 10th, 2025, in theaters. Uh, it's a great story of the time, so I'm sure we'll talk about that more. But it's a little bit about myself.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Absolutely. It just came out and last week. So explain to the listeners about how did you, you know, get a love for acting and feeling like, hey, this is something I really want to do because we get exposed to a lot of stuff, but that doesn't mean we take it.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>And like, yeah, I really want to do this.

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> Matt Draco>Sure. I feel like for me it was, uh, just the need to find, um, my purpose in life. And I felt like for me, uh, that purpose was very linked to telling stories that mattered and that could make an impression on people, making them think and feel. And I, um, just feel the human race is at its best when people are feeling things and, um, feeling them together.

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> Matt Draco>And um, I just really caught the bug early. I just remember, um, you know, going to shows with uh, my grandma in New York City, because I lived with my grandmother when I was in New York City. And uh, going to the opera and going to Broadway shows and just feeling like I was immersed in a story and that collectively we were all just kind of um, getting a nice little escape for a couple hours. So it really just. I don't know, the bug caught me right off the bat and I just felt the um, importance of it. I think, uh, there's a lot to be said about stories and how impactful they are in people's lives. I'll, um, rewind a little bit to ah, something that I've been thinking about a lot, which was my first paid gig, which was actually in a dinner theater. And I was a teenager. I got to serve tables, got to make a couple extra bucks. But uh, I remember getting off stage. Um, I was playing little Patrick in Mame. Um, and I, uh, remember getting off stage and having this woman come up to me and she said, um, thank you young man. You really uh, inspired me to make a better effort to communicate with my son today. And um, it was just that little thing of her opening up to me and kind um, of showing me the importance of uh, what we do.

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> Matt Draco>It reflected on me and it made a really big impression that this is something that isn't just, um, about you, the actor.

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> Matt Draco>Um, it's not about, uh, we are the sum of our parts. And I just felt like film and theater were such collaborative arts that could make an impression on people.

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> Matt Draco>And I just felt like it ignited me to continue that journey, um, wherever it would take me. And it took me to New York City, studied with like, you know, some really great teachers up there and um, and. And just took in the city. Uh, I remember going to, uh, you know, any audition that I could, uh, at Actors Equity, um, hanging out with a lot of the Broadway stars of the time, um, that have gone on to do great things and just wanting to be around it constantly and consistently was, uh. My goal in New York City was to just take it all in. And um, a lot of uh.

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> Matt Draco>My teachers actually told me, maybe you should give LA a shot and come out West. Um, and so I did. And uh, now it's just kind of the next chapter of my life in, uh, TV and film.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Speaking of that, tell us about that recent project and, and your recent projects. You know, tell us about your role as Fabian and, and about the film and.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>And you know, uh, what, you know, just anything you want to let the listeners know about it.

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> Matt Draco>Absolutely. Uh, somewhere in Montana, uh, it's a story of the Times. It's an indie film. So being on podcasts like yours today Curtis is uh, uh, really important for us. Um, you know, we don't get the big marketing budget so um, you know, thank you for your platform today. Uh, it is ah, a story in the Times in that it is about two people, um, I would say in a situation that they would never find themselves in where there are two people that are in conflict um, with each other in that they don't understand each other.

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> Matt Draco>I play the west coast director, uh, and my friend Graham McTavish plays the um, uh, Montana rancher. And we butt heads right off the bat. It is uh, definitely uh, a story in the Times and that we don't see eye to eye and is incredibly politically charged and socially charged.

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> Matt Draco>And uh, basically the way Brandon Smith created is these two people are put in an unlikely scenario where they need each other. I, as Fabian need his ranch to uh, shoot a very pivotal part of my film and he needs me because he's about to lose his uh, ranch because of financial troubles.

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> Matt Draco>And so as the story goes, we just um, we butt heads, we try uh, to understand each other.

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> Matt Draco>And in the beginning there's not much understanding. Almost like we are at um, at our crossroads right now within our own country and our soc.

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> Matt Draco>So it's a story uh, that I think really resonates with a lot of people because of the innate power of what it means to let somebody in and um, understand them. And uh, I found this as someone that traveled to Montana and was around a lot of people that I haven't even um, been uh, around in my lifetime.

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> Matt Draco>And their legacies are so beautiful.

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> Matt Draco>I mean ranches that have been around for decades and generations and generations and I've lived pretty much ah, uh, what you could say, ah, a faster paced lifestyle living in New York City and la. And Fabian, my character goes through a lot of that shift, uh, where he um, starts to take people in a little bit more around him and starts to understand the meaning of um, other people's legacies. And it's a really, really cool story and um, I'm really glad that it's getting a theatrical release because I feel like it's a story that should bring people together and I encourage people to go to the theaters to see it because it's a conversation starter and I think that's what we need right now. Are Conversation starters that bring people together because once you start to let people in a little bit, you don't have to agree on everything.

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> Matt Draco>Um, you start to um, just become more understanding about where the other people are coming from just by the nature of understanding them as human beings and not just ah, a couple of the hot button topics that they might um, know or feel in their lives. So Story of the times, uh, I'm sure we'll talk about it more but um, I just encourage people to support indie films in any way they can because they are story based, they're human stories, they're stories that matter. And uh, Somewhere in Montana is definitely ah, a powerful story that I think can resonate with a lot of people right now.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Well, I know you also worked on I think like an audio podcast or something like that.

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> Matt Draco>Yeah, I'm in an audio podcast called no Other Way.

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> Matt Draco>My friend James Dinkins is ah, the writer and producer and editor on that.

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> Matt Draco>Um, it's a really great story about um, you know, just kind of uh, really the nature of um, you know, authority. Ah, I play a cop in, in, in, in the podcast. So it's uh, it's definitely um, a high thriller situation, uh, a lot of a mystery and um, it's a really easy listen. It kind of brings me back to the days, the way that he does it, um, in terms of narrating the actual piece himself as the narrator. Uh, it's really like radio and it's got some really great twists and turns. And uh, I play Sam in the podcast and uh, it's just um, a great medium. You know, podcasts are amazing because they are a great medium to take in stories, uh, while you're walking the dog, while you're um, you know, cleaning the house, whatever it is. But no Other Way is available on uh, wherever you get your podcasts right now. And I play Sam in that.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Well, talk to us about some of the experiences you had working on set as an actor and also some of the actors that you've had the privilege to work with throughout your career.

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> Matt Draco>Absolutely. I mean I'll start with the ones that I've worked with recently. Uh, Graham McTavish, uh, my friend, um, and Michelle Hurd, um, from the show Picard. Uh, they were two of the leads in the film along with other seasoned actors in Kate Orsini, uh, and Jonathan Stoddard, some up and comers in Tasha Gates and Kaylee Macchio. Uh, we all just kind of band together. Um, also Andrew Roa, who has become a really great friend uh, they all really honestly were just great actors. But I will kind of focus more on Graham and Michelle, uh, just because, um, their career spanned a long time. And I just feel like personally I learned a lot from them and they gave me a lot.

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> Matt Draco>Um, Graham is a pro. He is, ah. Uh, just a real. He's just. He's become a real friend in my life. Um, he's the first person that's called me mate, um, which is a sign of camaraderie, um, as a Scottish man. Um, but he uh.

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> Matt Draco>He really just gave me the space to collaborate with him on this really important film. And I think the script really made uh, him want to sign on to the project. But in a way it was really giving back because, you know, he did it for, um. You know, he did it for.

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> Matt Draco>For a lot of the actors and the producers and the director that um, normally, you know, wouldn't be able to attract, uh. Um. A. Uh. An actor of his caliber and his body of work.

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> Matt Draco>We met in the most unusual way.

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> Matt Draco>Uh, I actually was on set the longest. I was there for about six and a half weeks. Graham was there for two weeks. And he um, came in and you know, I was picking up a little bit of a cold, so I went to the Walgreens and I happened uh, to see the producer there and she was like, you'll never believe it. But I just picked up Graham from the airport and um, he's literally right. Right down the aisle there. And that's where he met. And um. I think we really just hit it off right away. Uh, he is such a gentle soul. Um, and I think that we quickly just developed this, um. This really, really, um. Innate sense to powerfully tell the story collectively together.

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> Matt Draco>Uh, we have a scene in the film. It's very rarely done in cinema that is 10.

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> Matt Draco>Just the two of us. And it's a conversation, um. Just like we're having right now. It's a conversation starter of two people that are really trying to make things work and make people, um, you know, and make. And understand each other and really take each other in I think was the thing that we really tried to do with that scene.

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> Matt Draco>It's so powerful written by Brandon Smith because he gave us the freedom to really explore, um, differences.

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> Matt Draco>And we all have them. And that's okay. There's differences that he wrote into the scene about, um, you know, uh, racism and uh, you know, equal rights and religion and um. You know, just lifestyles in general. And it goes there, but it goes there from a heartfelt place.

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> Matt Draco>And I think that's what's important about it. And the way that Graham and I work together is we never wanted anything to feel too precious, too, um, you know, quote unquote, actory. We wanted it to feel really grounded and authentic, uh, because, again, we are two different people. I'm a West coast director. I'm, you know, very passionate. I'm very charged. Uh, I did a lot of backstory for my character, and I feel like he's a loner, and I feel like he really cares about his crew and his actors. They are his family, and he will go down with his own ship. So when I think about my role as Fabian, like, I think of someone that really just is maybe seen outwardly as someone that maybe is a little bit more of, you know, a diva, for lack of a better word. But he's really not. He just loves what he does, and he's willing to fight and sacrifice for it. Uh, and I think that's what a lot of dreamers do. I know that from my own life in meeting and interacting with a lot of artists is that they'll do anything to, um, keep their dream alive.

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> Matt Draco>And, uh, uh, Graham, as John Alexander in the film also, uh, is fighting for his dream, his legacy, because this film is very legacy driven. And his legacy is ranch that has been in the family for generations and generations. And he, you know, doesn't want to see it go. And we need each other because he needs the money, uh, from my film production, and I need him because I need that location. And it just becomes this really wonderful, rich dichotomy of two people that would never be seen or heard in the same, um, in the same space that are forced upon each other. And we find a way to work through a lot of our differences. And I think that's really the power of this story and why I hope so many people will go to see it in the theaters.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Well, talk about when you get a role. What's your method of preparing for your roles that you receive?

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> Matt Draco>That's, uh, a great question. I love backstories. For me, um, every actor has a different process. I think for me, the process for me is always driven on how much I can do before I end up on set. And for me, that just gives me peace. It gives me inner peace to, um, just say the words. And when you're opposite great actors, like I was with Graham and Michelle, Andrew, John and. And Kate, you find a way to just see what happens genuinely. You don't know sometimes. And I think that's when you're at your sweet spot as an actor, when you are constantly, um, you know, doing your work. In pre production, I had a very.

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> Matt Draco>Just extraordinary experience doing, um, a lot of the work, uh, before I had even shown up to set with Brandon Smith, the writer and director of Somewhere in Montana. And we'd go through scene by scene by scene together on zooms just like this. Um, and it was just really gratifying to really just explore the character and really collaborate on the character and build the character together of Fabian Verdugo, because he's a very rich, wonderful character, but he's also the outsider in this film. Um, I've gotten some really wonderful compliments on the character because Fabian is big, and I gave myself permission to go there as long as I felt like it was grounded, as long as I felt like the character was coming from a real place. I worked with my acting teacher, um, for over a year. I worked with Brandon for over a year. And we built this character, um, together that we would insert into a world that was not his own. Uh, um, being in Montana and him being an LA guy. Right? So it was just, um, for me, a lot of backstory. Um, I made him a very, um, gentle soul in some ways, that he cares, um, deeply about his. His films.

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> Matt Draco>He cares deeply about his people. He, uh, will protect them. And, um, he will do anything to make sure that everybody feels valued and safe on his set. Like, he takes the responsibility of that onto himself. And, you know, for me, I did a lot of backstory with, um, the fact that I feel like he, you know, really values, you know, father figures. And I think he sees John in some capacity as that when he starts to get to know him a little bit more, because he's from, um, an era he's older than him and a time that he maybe doesn't resonate with as much and a type of person that he hasn't really, um, been able to let in before.

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> Matt Draco>So this story, uh, really comes down to, um, you know, just the ability that so many people put into their characters. And everybody, every actor that I know has a different process and in how to do that. I do know that, you know, Graham went to Montana for a week, and he just was on a cattle ranch to. To do that, to build that character and to understand just kind of the tempo up there. Because, again, you know, people in Montana, like, they're very, um. You know, their dialog is short. They're very, um. You know, especially we shot on an active cattle ranch. Ah, they'll just talk to each other and it'll be very concise, you know. Hey, um, yeah, we got to do that. Yeah. Okay.

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> Matt Draco>You want to come over here? You know, it's like very um, direct and I, there's a part of me that actually really loves that. Um, but for me, like you know, the, the, the, the actor and the director, we like to explain, maybe even slightly over explain things. Um, sort of like I'm doing right now. But I'm on your podcast, so it's what I'm supposed to be doing. Um, but it was a really unique experience because I felt like it was about energy, it was about Graham and I really finding a way to, even if it was for a moment, come to, um, each other's energies. And I think that is something that is, uh, very, um, healing for people that want to give this movie a shot, that want to go see it. Because I think it can be very gratifying for a lot of people, especially uh, what we are, um, currently dealing with in our country.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Well, tell us about some of the hobbies that you really enjoy.

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> Matt Draco>Hobbies. I love sports.

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> Matt Draco>I'm a sports fanatic. Um, I love my Rams. I love the Chiefs.

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> Matt Draco>Uh, I am, um, an avid football fan and uh, especially with what we're going through right now in la, I think, um, really pulling for my Rams, uh, this week. I know it's going to be a really tough game against the Eagles. I think they're the best team in the nfc.

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> Matt Draco>So I spend a lot of time, uh, when I'm not, um, on podcasts like this or auditioning, um, you know, just kind of, uh, escaping, uh, like films do, into, you know, a game for three hours and uh, just enjoying that.

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> Matt Draco>Uh, I'm also a fourth degree martial, uh, artist, uh, and karate. I actually was raised in a dojo. My father is, uh, actually my sensei, uh, Front Royal Karate Dojo shout out to them in, um, Virginia. I really grew up just kind of being on the dojo deck and uh, just really, uh, having them be a family and people that I can call upon to this day. Uh, you know, Art Daniels, uh, John Musser, uh, I call these people uncles because they are uncles. I know if I was ever in a bind, they'd be there for me.

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> Matt Draco>And uh, that is a big part of my backstory. Because martial, uh, arts is the ultimate practice. It teaches you self discipline, it teaches you camaraderie. Uh, we don't do trophies. Uh, your, your belt is your trophy, your practice is your own. And uh, It's a self practice and I think that's what I always loved about acting too, is that it is a self reflective practice. You know, nobody can tell you what your process is. You have to find that on your own. But when you do, it's so gratifying. Um, I still, you know, when I'm on the dojo deck and I put the gi on, I feel like I'm back home M, uh, doing a kata. Even if it's me on the deck, it feels very freeing and gratifying to find myself within the movement. It's very, very similar to acting if you think about it. So karate, uh, martial arts has been a big part of my life and I'm hoping that someday I'll get to express that a little bit more in one of future roles.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Well, tell us about any upcoming projects that you're working on that people need to be aware of.

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> Matt Draco>Absolutely. I mean right now I'm actually kind of taking the next step with my production company, Dragon Hunter Productions, and partnering um, with my wife who is a writer, um, a very, very talented writer, Laura Hunter Drago, if you want to look her up. Um, she's written some really wonderful scripts and uh, we're trying to bring a film back home to that little town in Front Royal, Virginia. Because I think Curtis, honestly what I've found in Somewhere in Montana and working on that is one of the compliments, um, and feedback that I got from quite a few people was how important it was for people to feel like they were being heard. You know, one person said it was so nice to see a film that was, um, that was, that was focused around our little corner of the world that really spoke to our life, um, in Montana. And you could see how much it meant to them. And yes, we've got a lot of, you know, LA films, we've got a lot of New York films, Chicago films. But my uh, next goal is to, to really give a voice to people that feel a little voiceless sometimes and, and to really uh, try to find those little pockets of the country that um, that have a good story that needs to be told. So I'm doing that hopefully, uh, as uh, the producer and the actor and then um, my lovely wife Laura as the writer and the director.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>I don't know if she does podcasts, but I would love to have her on if she does and let her share her story as well.

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> Matt Draco>Absolutely. That's definitely something we can make happen for sure.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Throw out your contact info so people can keep up with everything that you're.

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> Matt Draco>Up to for sure. Um, social, uh, media. It starts and ends with me on Instagram. I can only do so many social media platforms well, so look me up at Matt Drago M A T T D R A G Ottdrago. From there I've got all of my links up there. My link tree that's got my IMDb if you want to look at my resume, my past projects, my um, my, my, you know, press and all that stuff. I've also got my website up there both as an actor, uh, Matt Drago.com and my production company DragonHunterProductions.com so give me a follow there. I'll be doing all of my updates. I do most of my updates on Instagram. So give me a follow there and you'll be in the know for everything that's happening in my life and career.

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:53.759
> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Close us out with some final thoughts. Maybe if that was something I forgot to talk about that you would like to touch on and any final thoughts you have for the listeners.

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> Matt Draco>Sure. Um, since it's uh, in theaters now, just really support independent films. I mean I say this all the time but human stories matter, um, more now than ever. Right. Because we're up against AI. We're up against a lot of um, things within our industry that we don't have control of. And I know it's a lot when you see a ah, big budget film, um, and maybe something that's a little bit more independent like Somewhere in Montana. But give us a try. It's a real powerful story of the times. It is a story that personally changed my life, um, in, in the ways that I just learned from it. Not just even as an actor but as a person. So um, you know, just uh, give this um, this, give this story a try.

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> Matt Draco>It will come out eventually on streaming platforms and vod. I will share those updates, um, on my social media as well. But um, yeah, somewhere in Montana. Story of the times. And thank uh, you so much for having me on your show today, Curtis. It's been a pleasure, absolutely.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>It was a absolute pleasure having you on listeners, please go to mattdraco.com, go check out that film. Support it. Follow rate Review Share this episode to as many people as possible.

00:28:06.652 --> 00:28:30.723
> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>Give Matt some support. Jump on your favorite podcast app. Follow the show. Leave us a review. Check it out. Share it. If you have any guests or suggestion topics or any feedback for the show, Curtis Jackson1978t.net is the place to send it. Thank you for listening and supporting the show. And Matt, thank you for all that you're doing to make the world a better place. And thank you for joining me.

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> Matt Draco>Appreciate you, Curtis. Thank you so much.

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:41.811
> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>For more information on the Living the Dream podcast, visit www.djcurveball.com.

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> Curtis Jackson (also known as DJ Curveball)>until next time, stay focused on living the dream. Dream.