Jul
28,
2023
You’ve probably heard the saying, it takes a village, to make a movie and it does. From the actors, directors and producers to the costume, lighting, and sound teams, every job is critical. During the strike, we’ve been hearing a lot of this and we wanted to highlight some of the roles you don’t hear about every day. Meet Professional Stand-in, stuntman, and actor Dan Matteucci.
We sat down with rising actor and stunt performer Dan Matteucci to discuss his career which has been catapulted by his work as Channing Tatum’s stand in and double across multiple projects.
PPLA: Tell our audience a bit about your background. Where you live and how you got your start in acting and double/stand in work?
DM: I originally began modeling, then as it became successful, I transitioned into acting. I have been performing for more than 14 years, primarily in TV, movies, and commercials. I’m in Virginia, and when I first started acting, I went to a TV audition for a show called “Turn: Washington’s Spies.”The next day, I received a call back informing me that I had been offered the position. One day I received a call requesting me to perform some stand-in and double work for Channing Tatum. This opened up more opportunities for me to collaborate with him on future projects!
PPLA: What was your first break into the business and how did it come about?
DM: So, when I received the call to go to Atlanta to audition for Magic Mike, I was working as a mechanic at a car dealership. I, of course, resigned my job that day and headed to Atlanta. I got the part, which was wonderful news, haha!
PPLA: What are some of the biggest projects you’ve worked on to date?
DM: “House of Cards,” “Magic Mike,” “Wonder Woman,” “Fast and Furious 9,” “Turn: Washington’s Spies,” and many more major projects come to mind. There’s actually a cool tale of how I ended up on “Fast 9.” I work as a mechanic and drift occasionally in addition to my normal job. I was able to do a self-tape and audition by proving that I could drive and drift when I discovered an open position where they were seeking for drivers. It was quite awesome. By the way, I always like to perform my own stunts if I can.
PPLA: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced breaking into the industry?
DM: The main difficulties I’ve had were many auditions that resulted in no bookings for a while. This was rather discouraging, but it occurs in this industry, so you merely have to keep trying until you start landing roles. Finding jobs was another problem I had. Finding castings and submitting for them wasn’t always simple for a very long time. I just wasn’t booking and getting work as things were slowing down. It would rise and fall, but once more, don’t let it discourage you. Additionally, you must continue to strive and give as much as you can; eventually, something will give way.
PPLA: Where can we see you next for you?
DM: I recently wrapped doing stand-in work in Atlanta with Channing Tatum again, and soon I’ll begin a new film called “Breather.”
PPLA: Any advice to others coming up in the biz?
DM: Following your ambitions while remaining motivated is my piece of advice for aspiring artists. Don’t give up if you didn’t receive the role; keep trying, and something will come through soon. Additionally, practice your trade and be ready for when the time comes since you’ll never know when that phone will ring.
