Matthew Vincent Lattanzi[1] (born February 1, 1959) is an American former actor and dancer. He is most commonly recognized as the ex-husband of singer and actress Dame Olivia Newton-John, and for his acting in films such as My Tutor and the soap opera Paradise Beach.
Matt Lattanzi | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lattanzi in 1989 | |
| Born | Matthew Vincent Lattanzi February 1, 1959 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1976–1993 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Chloe Lattanzi |
Personal life
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Lattanzi was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, the son of Jeanette (née Slowikowski) and Charles Paul Lattanzi.[2] His father was a maintenance foreman[3] of Italian descent, while his mother is of Polish ancestry.[4][5] He graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in 1977.[6]
While filming Xanadu (1980), Lattanzi met Olivia Newton-John, whom he married in 1984.[2] The couple had one daughter, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, born on January 17, 1986.[7] By 1993, his acting career was largely over, and he worked as a contractor for a homebuilding company in California.[5] Lattanzi and Newton-John moved to their farm in Australia in 1993 so that he could audition for the soap opera, Paradise Beach.[5] He had a six-month contract on the show.[5]
On April 24, 1995, Lattanzi and Newton-John announced their divorce. A year later, Olivia Newton-John would be in a relationship with Patrick Kim McDermott. McDermott disappeared in 2005, and was subsequently declared by the United States Coast Guard to have been lost at sea. From 1997 to 2007,[8] Lattanzi was in a relationship with Cindy Jessup, who had been his and Newton-John's babysitter.[9]
In 2008, Lattanzi briefly appeared in the MTV reality series Rock the Cradle, supporting his daughter Chloe (a contestant on the show).[10] That same year, Lattanzi—a lifelong environmentalist[11]—was reported to be living off the grid near Malibu, California. He now resides in Portland, Oregon.[10]
Career
editLattanzi's feature film debut was as a dancer in the 1980 movie Xanadu.[5]
Lattanzi's career consists mostly of small movie parts, though he did have a starring role in 1983's My Tutor. Other film credits include Rich and Famous, Grease 2, That's Life!, Roxanne, Catch Me If You Can, and Diving In. Lattanzi also had a significant role in the Australian soap opera] Paradise Beach,[11] and he appeared in eight of Newton-John's music videos: "Xanadu", "Hollywood Nights", "Gimmie Some Lovin'," "Landslide", "Soul Kiss", "Toughen Up", "It’s Always Australia For Me", and "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed".
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Xanadu | Young Danny McGuire/Xanadu Dancer | |
| 1981 | Rich and Famous | Jim | |
| 1982 | Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical | Himself | TV special (Music video: "Landslide") |
| 1982 | Grease 2 | Brad | |
| 1983 | My Tutor | Bobby Chrystal | |
| 1986 | That's Life! | Larry Bartlet | |
| 1986 | Olivia: Soul Kiss | Himself | Music video: "Soul Kiss" |
| 1987 | Roxanne | Trent | |
| 1988 | Blueberry Hill | Denny Logan | |
| 1989 | Catch Me If You Can | Dylan Malone | |
| 1990 | Diving In | Jerome Colter | |
| 1993 | Paradise Beach | Cooper Hart | Main cast (100 episodes) |
References
edit- ^ "General Name Search, PeopleSmart.com". Archived from the original on 2014-10-15. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
- ^ a b "To Have and Hold". People. January 7, 1985. Accessed 2013-08-26.
- ^ "Olivia's Breakup". People. May 15, 1995. Accessed 2013-08-26.
- ^ 1940 U.S. Census, Ancestry.com
- ^ a b c d e Hart, Marla. "Matt Lattanzi Sees Sunnier Days Ahead For 'Paradise'". Chicago Tribune. July 29, 1993. Accessed 2013-08-26.
- ^ Baker, Jeff (April 28, 2014). "18 actors you (maybe) didn't know were from Portland". Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ^ "Baby Chloe is a first for Newton-John, Lattanzi". The Milwaukee Sentinel. January 18, 1986. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
- ^ "SD021155 Matthew V. Lattanzi Vs Cindy L. Jessup".
- ^ "Matt Lattanzi: Bio, Age, and Facts about Olivia Newton John's First Husband". Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ a b Byrne, Fiona. "Matt Lattanzi: Looking for Love in Australia". Sunday Herald Sun. July 6, 2008. Accessed 2013-08-26.
- ^ a b Groves, Seli. "Matt Lattanzi: A Message from Paradise". The Spokane Spokesman-Review. July 27, 1993. Accessed 2013-08-26.