Matthew Underwood is currently bringing his irresistable charm and talent to the role of Logan in Nickelodeon's new series Zoey 101, scheduled to premiere in January 2005. As a handsome teen-aged jock frustrated over his all-boys preparatory school becoming coed, Matthew demonstrates his remarkable ability not only to capture and interpret his character's personality, but also to reflect originality and depth in his portrayal. To understand how Matthew aquired such skill and proficiency, one needs only to take a look at his active life so far.

Matthew's theatrical career started very early when at the age of six months he began winning beauty and talent competitions in and around his hometown of Ft. Pierce, Florida. By the age of two he was doing runway modeling, being seen in local print ads, and dancing in The Show Biz Kidz Dance Group.

By age five, Matthew, who coincidentally has the same birthday as William Shakesphere, had already made up his mind that "To be or not to be?" was not a question he need ever ask himself. He knew that show business was going to be his business, he was already in it, appearing on stage in Port St. Lucie's Club Med, winning local talent awards, and blooming noticable reviews in the Traveling Missoula Theatre production of The Wizard of Oz.

Soon afterwards, when he started first grade, he reluctantly took a short hiatus from his flowering career to join the advanced gifted class in one of the country's most highly respected public schools, Lincoln Park Academy. But by the time he was 11, he was already back at his chosen profession. He had played a principle role in a pilot series and television movie for Europe, and appeared in minor scenes in several motion pictures. He in fact moved to homeschooling, because he had become so busy modeling for catelogues, newspaper and store display ads, billboards and brochures, runway modeling, music videos, industrials, voice-overs, radio and on-line computer ads, TV and cable commercials, theatre, ballet, TV pilots and series in Miami and South Florida. With his fast developing skill at tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, break dancing and ballet, Matthew had already danced his way into a traveling company performing The Nutcracker Ballet.

In Hollywood Matthew's distinctive charisma quickly landed him a role in the Fox pilot series Method and Red, and then advancing to the series regular staring role of Logan in Zoey 101.

Matthew has a unique flair for comedy, especially improv, and while he loves to act, Matthew has discovered he has a great appreciation and admiration for the behind-the-scenes magic, especially writing and directing, an interest he already is pursuing. A member of the Theatre for a Difference since the very first week he moved to California, little over one year ago, he has worked the sound and lights in several stage productions, and stage managed two plays performed by a children's group in Los Angeles. Currently he is the Assistant Teacher of the Children's Theatre Program at the Rose Alley Theatre in Venice, where it's next children's production will give Matthew a chance at directing, albeit as the assistant this first time.

Notwithstanding the young, successful actor that he is, Matthew would not want one to think he doesn't have any interests beyond his acting and theatrical talents. So here's a capsule look at "the other" Matthew.

In sports, and he loves all of them, Matthew started playing soccer, basketball and T ball at the age of four, adding swimming at five and football at seven. He played little league baseball until he was 11, played tennis with The American Tennis Youth League, has played on organized bowling leagues, and enjoys rollerblading, skateboarding, rollar hockey, ice skating, rock climbing, skim boarding, surfing and barefoot water skiing.

He has been playing chess since age six, and he has a growing interest in architecture, which he practices by designing houses with a special computer program, and has more than a fleeting attraction toward finance. When opening the Sunday paper it's a tossup which section he will turn to first, the financial to check the stock market, homes and gardens to check out the new home designs, or the sports page.

In his spare time, Matthew collects exotic pets, his current menagerie consists of a large Tarantula spider, a Red-Tailed Boa snake, a two-and-a-half foot Iguana lizard, fighting Beta fish, and Exotic mice.


Loves extreeme sports once having had a VERY close encounter with aligators while barefoot waterskiing with his top 100 in the world ranked uncle in a canal in South Florida. He was originally considered for the role of Troy Bolton in High School Musical.