Matt Bomer
Matthew Staton Bomer (/ˈboʊmər/ BOH-mər; born October 11, 1977) is an American actor. He is the recipient of accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award, in addition to a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Matt Bomer
Actor
1994–present
3
Bomer made his television debut in 2000 on the long-running soap opera All My Children. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Soon after, he had a contract role on Guiding Light, as well as appearing on primetime shows, including Tru Calling. In 2005, Bomer made his film debut in the thriller Flightplan, then in 2007 gained recognition with his recurring role in the NBC television series Chuck. From 2009 to 2014, he starred as con artist Neal Caffrey in the USA Network series White Collar.
Bomer has supporting roles in the 2011 thriller In Time, the 2012 comedy-drama Magic Mike and its 2015 sequel, and the 2016 neo-noir film The Nice Guys. In 2015, he won a Golden Globe Award and received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing a closeted writer in the television film The Normal Heart. Bomer made a guest appearance on the fourth season of FX's horror anthology series American Horror Story, and was upgraded to the main cast for its fifth season. He has since starred as Larry Trainor in the Max series Doom Patrol (2019–2023) and a closeted World War II veteran in the miniseries Fellow Travelers (2023).[1] The latter earned him another Golden Globe nomination.
On stage, Bomer starred in the Dustin Lance Black play 8 on Broadway, and at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles as Jeff Zarrillo, a plaintiff in the federal case that overturned California's Proposition 8. In 2018 he starred in a revival of the Mart Crowley play The Boys in the Band on Broadway playing Donald; he reprised his role for the 2020 film of the same name.
Career[edit]
2000–2004: Early roles[edit]
Shortly after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Bomer moved to New York City. His television debut came in 2000 on the ABC network, when he played Ian Kipling on the 1970s drama soap opera All My Children.[15] Two years later he made a guest appearance in the mystery fantasy series Relic Hunter (2002).[16]
In 2001, he landed a contract role on the soap opera Guiding Light. He played Ben Reade, a character connected to several core families on the show.[17] When Bomer left the show in 2003, his exit was controversial; Ben was suddenly revealed to be a male prostitute and serial killer.[18] He received a Gold Derby Awards for Younger Actor – Daytime Drama for his performance in the series. Years later in 2015, Bomer talked about his participation in the series, saying: "I told them to just throw the kitchen sink at me, and they did."[18]
His next role was in the supernatural drama series Tru Calling (2003–2004). Starring alongside Eliza Dushku, Bomer starred as Luc Johnston, the love interest of the protagonist of the series played by Dushku, in the first season.[19][20] In 2003, Bomer returned to theatre to star in a Powerhouse Theater production of Paul Weitz's play Roulette in New York.[21] A year later, he appeared in the episode Bellport in the primetime TV show of North Shore.
2005–2009: Transition to film and breakthrough with White Collar[edit]
His screen debut occurred in the 2005 starring in the Robert Schwentke directed mystery thriller Flightplan,[22] opposite Jodie Foster. Bomer's character was a flight attendant.[23] The film grossed $223.3 million worldwide, becoming the seventeenth highest-grossing film of the year and Bomer's most lucrative film so far.[24] In the slasher film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), Bomer portrayed Eric, a Vietnam War veteran who is driving across Texas to re-enlist after his brother is drafted.[25]
He acted in his first television film Amy Coyne (2006); he plays the role of Case. The film tells the story of a young woman who inherits her father's sports agency.[26] His first leading role was in the series Traveler (2007), along with Logan Marshall-Green, Aaron Stanford and Viola Davis, a short-lived midseason replacement television series which premiered on ABC on May 30, 2007, the series tells the story of two graduate students, become suspected of terrorism after a skateboarding race inside a museum.[27] The series was canceled after eight episodes.[28][29][30]
He had a supporting role in the NBC action comedy spy-drama Chuck (2007–09). The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck Bartowski (played by Zachary Levi), who receives an encoded e-mail from Bomer's character, Bryce Larkin, an old college friend now working for the CIA.[31] In 2007, Bomer took on the role of Ernest Hemingway in a Williamstown Theatre Festival production of Crispin Whittell's play Villa America in Massachusetts, starring in it with Jennifer Mudge and Nate Corddry.[32][33]
2009 marked a significant turning point in Bomer's career as he starred as the con artist Neal Caffrey in the police procedural drama series White Collar.[34][35] He was part of an ensemble cast that included Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, and Tiffani Thiessen. White Collar premiered on August 23, 2009, on USA Network and was watched by more than 5.40 million people.[36] His performance as well as the rest of the cast were praised;[37] Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "terrific acting, crackling dialogue and geek-hip crime are not the only things that make this the most electric drama to premiere this fall."[38] She also liked the performance of the two leads together saying they "are so easy" and "perfect together".[38] He won a People's Choice Award at the 2015 ceremony.[39] Additionally Bomer produced 19 episodes of White Collar along with DeKay.
2010–2015: Recognition[edit]
2010 began with Bomer invited to sing with actress and Tony Award winning singer Kelli O'Hara at the Kennedy Center Honors.[40] In September 2011, Bomer starred in Dustin Lance Black's play, 8, a staged re-enactment of the federal trial that overturned California's Proposition 8. Bomer starred as Jeff Zarrillo.[41] The production was directed by actor Joe Mantello and presented at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in New York City.[42] In March 2012, he was featured in the Wilshire Ebell Theatre production as well.[43][44]
In 2011, Bomer was cast as a 105-year-old man in Andrew Niccol's science fiction thriller film In Time, starring alongside Justin Timberlake.[45] On April 10, 2012, Bomer made a guest appearance in the third season of the television series Glee, playing Blaine's older brother, Cooper Anderson, a Hollywood commercials actor who comes to Lima for a visit, and while in town gives an acting masterclass to New Directions.[46] His performance on Glee received critical acclaim; critic Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club described his performance as "absolutely fantastic."[47] Crystal Bell of the Huffington Post called his appearance "perfectly cast" and Bomer as one of her favorite guest stars.[46] For this performance on Glee, he won a Gold Derby award in the category of Best Comedy Guest Actor.[48]
Public image[edit]
Bomer has been noted for his looks, and is regarded as a sex symbol. BuddyTV ranked him first on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011" and third in 2012.[109][110] In June 2013, Bomer was ranked at no. 2 on Logo's Hot 100 list, which is based on the votes of readers of AfterEllen.com and theBacklot.com. Bomer was the list's highest ranked man and second only to Jennifer Lawrence.[111][112]
Personal life[edit]
Bomer is an LGBT rights activist.[113] He publicly came out as gay in 2012, when he thanked his partner and their children during an acceptance speech for his Steve Chase Humanitarian Award.[114][115] Also in 2012, Bomer was given an Inspiration Award for his work at the GLSEN Awards.[116][117]
Bomer had married the publicist Simon Halls in 2011; the marriage became public through the media only in 2014.[118][119] In an interview discussing his marriage, Bomer said that his marriage to Halls was a very small event in New York City: "It was very chill and very small–just our closest and dear ones. There is a security, a validity. It's just a feeling, I think–something about saying vows in front of the people around you who love and support you. I think it was good for our family."[120][121] The couple has three children conceived through surrogacy: Kit Bomer Halls (b. 2005), and then twin brothers, Walker and Henry Bomer Halls (b. 2008).[122][114]
Bomer has been practicing Transcendental Meditation since his early 20s; in 2013 he spoke of his support for the work of the David Lynch Foundation.[123][124]
In 2018, Bomer campaigned for Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke in the U.S. Senate election in Texas.[125]