Tell about yourself and your background! *
"My story? Okay. It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child"...JOKES! These are the jokes! (for the young and confused, this is from the opening of Steve Martin's The Jerk. I speak in references from time to time) Hey gang, Matt Merchant here. About me? I grew up a fat kid who could sing and never knew when to shut the hell up. That's a helluva a lot of reasons to wanna beat the shit out of a kid so I learned how to take a punch at an early age. Even got shot once cuz the bullies were pretty severe where I grew up. I grew up in Compton...MD. Compton, MD, it's a hunting town. Lotta fishing too. We're rednecks is what I'm saying and that dude was a good shot. And as a fat kid, well, I was an easy target. Never let em take my shine though. I got into performing and never looked back. By the time high school came around so did football and a shift happened. Started getting stronger, started getting more agile and never had to give up performance. Ended up going to a small enough college that I could keep playing sports and get a musical theater degree. Sure I played Tight End but I also played Billy Bigelow in Carousel and sang the National Anthem before the game. Pretty great double life and I thought I was destined for the stage as a career. Growing up on Remo Williams, Rambo, The Last Dragon, Guns of Navaronne, etc. I never even thought stunts could be something I was allowed to do. It was a completely foreign wold to me. Flash forward to 2007. I'm in a production of Beauty and the Beast playing Gaston. There's a fight and a fall off the castle at the end. The guy putting it all together says to me "hey, you're pretty good at this. You should look into doing stunts." So I did, and I haven't looked back. I still hit the stage from time to time, doing stand up comedy or a musical or what not and still think from time to time this is a land where I'm not worthy but I'm enjoying the ride performing physically for cameras when a production will have me. Humbled and grateful for all the chances folks have taken and the opportunities they've provided. Thanks y'all!
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
Inspiration's a funny word yeah? When I was 7 I saw a production of The Music Man and thought "I can do that." But when I saw Remo Williams on that Wonder Wheel? NOPE! (Steve Lambert? Was that you? If so, BRAVO good sir!) Never once thought that was a world I'd get into. I gotta say my inspiration to be a stunt performer came when someone actually put their faith in me. I was put in a position for stunts from the musical theater. That dude couldn't have been excited to work with me at first. Surprising him prompted me to want to do it more. Surprise people more. That's the fun, having people say "he's not gonna hit" or "I don't know that he can do it" and then having the person in charge believe in me. That's inspirational. That one person who matters believing in me and me making believers out of others. Now that I'm grown, that kid who was terrified of the Wonder Wheel scene would really love to take a crack. It's fun to defy expectations and come out the other side with a smile. Buster Keaton never smiled but every time a gag goes right and we're all okay, I can't help but get in a little grin.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
It's the duck on a pond thing yeah? It doesn't make me unique that I consider it a skill to have a sense of calm amidst the chaos but it's something I value. We're the ones putting other minds at ease when the impossible is about to occur. We're the ones a stressed crew member looks to when shit's about to hit the fan. I'm the middle kid in my family. The peacemaker. The one who diffuses a tense situation with a bit of levity or understanding depending on what's required. Recognizing what's required is, I think, a skill that gets honed with time. There isn't a stunt behind gaining this skill but it's one I'm grateful to witness when I'm on a set. Mr. Rogers taught us to look for the helpers. I always look for the calmest, coolest cucumber on set cuz I know it's a stunt person.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
THE LOOT!! But seriously folks, aside from getting paid handsomely to defy expectations and keep a cool head in chaos I gotta say I LOVE the sense of family!! In my past there was always this feeling that you're on your own to make it. It was you against the world and people were around to actually try and swipe your dream. But here with stunts, there's always someone who made it to a higher floor reaching their hand back through the door to pull you up. These are people who'd help you move a couch if you needed. I never had that. I've moved my own furniture every time. But now I feel like there are people in my life who have my best interests at heart and I of course will do everything in my power to help them succeed. I think that's the best part, knowing you can lean on people who know they can lean on you.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
I gotta say, the Gene LeBell messin with Bruce Lee one is amazing! "I can't put you down or you'll kill me!" Clearly there's a pattern of me enjoying stunt folks who put humor into the day.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
I still feel like I have so much to learn that I'm not sure I'm the dispenser of advice. Maybe that's the lesson though? Know enough to know you don't know it all. And be grateful for every lesson you get. There will be chances to share a set with LEGENDS of this industry. Soak up all you can. Help whenever you can. That's it on that one. Just be of help. Patience is key. It takes longer for some to get where they're going for reasons none of us can truly identify. People will skyrocket before you. Root them on. People will get chances you think you deserve. Be excited for them. Your chances are coming. Getting bitter because success isn't on your timeline doesn't serve you at all. It'll come when it comes and you'll be so grateful when it does. Finally, be the kind of person people like spending time with. You can be the most talented stunt person around but if you're a dick nobody wants to be around, you're just an insanely talented person looking for another way to make rent. I guess the TL:DR version is: don't be a dick.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
I started a fake Brawny Paper Towel Guy campaign in the hopes they might pay attention and make me their live action guy. Dream big right? Anyway, I"ll add those pages to the social media thing on here and hope you might follow along or lend a hand down the line if you'd like. More importantly though, I'm so grateful to all of you who've welcomed me in!! Been an honor to work with so many of you and I'm looking forward to getting to work with so many more of you before all is said and done.
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.merchant.148/
twitter: @midmerch twitter: @Brawny_PTG
Insta: @matt_merchant Insta: @brawnyptg
Please include any links to stunt reels or videos you'd like to share!
Stunt Reel: https://vimeo.com/663148136
\Stand up Comedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joVJMkN6ID0
