Biography
Matt James Clifton was born into the small Australian town of Tullamore, population two hundred. The youngest of four boys, Matt was reared as a ranch-hand on the family's sheep, horse and grain farm, which operated against the extreme environment of drought-prone New South Wales. At the age of 16, Matt enrolled into a boarding college in the local senior high, where he discovered his passion for drama and his inner sensibilities as an on-stage naturalist first emerged. He performed in many stage shows within the local community, competed at regional levels, and won an award for 'Best New Talent' at the regional Theaters Extravaganza in Dubbo and Wagga. Matt's athletic abilities within Rugby granted him many opportunities to represent his college and town at regional and state levels. His passion for fast cars and bikes led him to the race track often, competing in local events. After graduation Matt ventured to the shores of Sydney, where he landed a number of TV commercials, including commercials for Samsung Mobile, Netflix, and Nutri-Grain. He made guest appearances on the ABC Kids show, 'Blue Water High,' and was offered the job of Lead Host on 'Kidz Biz,' which he declined when he saw an opportunity to relocate in Hollywood. Alongside his studies of the art, Matt also devoted much of his time to his studies of Business. Having studied at William Blue International Hotel Management College and La Trobe University he received honors within Business, Majoring in Communication and Accounting. In July 2007 Matt was accepted into a prominent LA intensive actors program at NYFA, followed by TVI Academy, where he had the chance to train with some of Hollywood's best. Matt continues to study his craft with some of Hollywood's most illustrious directors, producers, agents, talent managers, writers and casting directors. He admires the artistry of actors Christian Bale, Al Pacino, Hugh Jackman, and Will Smith, and their influences are reflected in his work. Matt's natural ability to create intrinsic motivation is a strength that allows him to cope with adversity in life and realize the essences of his characters on stage. His love for sports and dedication to physical fitness condition him for the peaks and valleys a Hollywood actor has to negotiate. As a writer-producer, founder of Prevail Entertainment, Inc., and Joint Venture Partner of Ifeic Media, Matt intends to create opportunities for himself as an actor and content-maker in the new age of trans-media, digital production, and niche-targeted, alternative distribution models.
