In 1968, a film that would revolutionize makeup special effects and further impact the young small town boy from Atoka, was the release of "Planet of the Apes." It’s hard to say just how many times Matthew saw the film. What he did know was that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mentors, namely Lon Chaney, Sr., Jack Pierce and now John Chambers, who won the Academy Award for the specialized makeup effects in the film.  

In high school, Matthew worked at the local movie theatre. When "Return to the Planet of the Apes" was released, he encouraged the owner to let him dress up to promote the film. Not only did he dress the part, but created his own prosthetics to look the part of a chimpanzee. The realism was so startling to the small town of Atoka, that many thought Hollywood had sent an actor to hype the film!

 Matthew graduated from Atoka High School in 1975. Although his sights were still on Hollywood, at his father’s insistence, he applied and was accepted into Oklahoma State University as a theatre arts major. Working with props and make-up for various productions, Matthew readily absorbed the educational tools being given. He was an eager student, who was all the more eager to get to Hollywood and begin learning his craft.

Matthew arrived in Hollywood, CA. in the fall of 1977. In 1978 he applied and was accepted into Joe Blasco’s Make-Up Center -- the premier academy responsible for training many of the film and television industry’s elite makeup artists. "From the very beginning, Matthew showed exceptional talent!" claims Blasco, whose own career as a top makeup artist turned educator, has been instrumental in graduating Academy Award winners. "I instinctively knew that Matthew had what it takes to become a success in this business. His dedication to the artform and rapid ability to master the craft led me to hire him as an instructor following his graduation from my school in 1978. He stayed on-staff until his own popularity as a working makeup artist became too demanding.

"Matthew credits Joe Blasco with his professional start in the industry. "I was a sponge, absorbing every ounce of knowledge I could. Whether it was learning the techniques of beauty makeup or casting molds and working with prosthetics, I wanted to be as versatile as I could." Today, Matthew is a veteran voice to other up-and-coming artists hoping to find a working niche within the industry. "If you want to be a makeup artist, then you need to learn and perfect all areas of the craft."

Matthew’s professional career began on low-budget projects that taught him to think fast on his feet, to finally achieving his first major success with EDWARD SCISSORHANDS in 1990. With over 100 film and television projects to date, Matthew has worked on a genre of box office successes, including BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, which earned him his first Oscar in 1992; SCHINDLER’S LIST, giving him another nomination in 1993; Oliver Stone’s NATURAL BORN KILLERS; creating Arnold’s pregnancy stomach in JUNIOR; special makeup effects on OUTBREAK; CONGO; PRIMAL FEAR, and ageing James Woods to 72 in GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI, which earned him his third Oscar nomination in 1996.

Ageing has become one of Matthew’s strongest calling cards within the industry and an area of makeup effects that’s definitely the most challenging. His fascination with artificially making someone young look old prompted him to research more viable methods, such as with gelatin -- first used in the ‘30’s, but later abandoned when the hot lights caused it to melt. However, with today’s less intense lighting and faster film, Matthew has resurrected the nearly transparent substance, which when applied looks and moves like real skin. "I’ve made it a part of my career to see how skin moves. I’m intrigued with how women and men age differently. And they do age differently. Both get jowls and tend to get that fold of skin over the top lid of the eyes and bags under the eyes. But men’s ear lobes get longer. Women, on the other hand, their skin gets crepey and translucent."

Matthew’s skilled expertise in this specialized area of makeup effects has created a vast field of job opportunities in both film and television – HBO’s CITIZEN COHN, starring James Woods, earned him his first Emmy in 1993, followed by another nomination in 1997 for MISS EVERS’ BOYS. He earned two more nominations in 1998 for WALLACE (TNT) and ABC’s OLIVER TWIST, and in 1999 for his work on HOUDINI (TNT). Each year seems to bring yet another award or nomination into the hands of this very talented makeup effects specialist. The year 2000 was no exception, as Matthew was the recipient of his local’s first annual Local 706 Makeup and Hair Award for his work on ABC’s THE BEAT GOES ON.

In 2000, Matthew was brought on board the Emmy-winning hit TV series, X-FILES for special make-up and prosthetic designs. A definite coup to his already long list of credits, Matthew entered the show’s 8th successful season, creating masterful make-up effects and winning an Emmy in 2001 for the episode, "Dead Alive." Within weeks of the show’s final episode airing in May of 2002, Matthew was hired to work on CBS’s C.S.I. MIAMI and PRESIDIO MED.

Film credits include: GIRL INTERRUPTED (Columbia), THE PERFECT STORM (Warner Bros.), BEDAZZLED with Brendan Fraser (Fox), PAY IT FORWARD with Kevin Spacey (Warner Bros.) and THE FAST AND FURIOUS (Universal), to name a few. Recent projects include Universal’s RED DRAGON, Warner Bros. CRADLE TO THE GRAVE and Fox’s DAREDEVIL.

Although his work schedule dictates much of his time, Matthew and business partner, John E. Jackson, also run NU-PRODUCTS, which manufactures and distributes their own specialty line of make-up effects products. Housed within their 5,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art lab, Matthew enjoys creating a touch of Hollywood illusion for the general public -- from a wide assortment of teeth, to theatrical makeup, to cuts, to NU-SPECIMEN alien embryos in a jar, that can be purchased either through mail order or specialty stores around the world, Matthew and John are enjoying the rewards of a hobby, turned lucrative business!