Matt Ross

Biography

**Matthew Brandon Ross** (born January 3, 1970) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. Recognized for his sharp character portrayals and command of dark, morally ambiguous, or pretentious personalities, he achieved widespread acclaim for his role as megalomaniacal tech CEO Gavin Belson on the HBO comedy series *Silicon Valley* (2014 to 2019) and for writing and directing the critically celebrated comedy drama *Captain Fantastic* (2016). Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Ross spent part of his childhood living in alternative and communal lifestyle communities in Oregon and California, experiences that later influenced his creative output as a filmmaker. He attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division as a member of Group 22 and also studied filmmaking at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, developing parallel proficiencies in stage craft and visual direction. Ross built an extensive portfolio as a versatile character actor throughout the 1990s and 2000s across notable independent and studio features. His memorable early roles include playing Terry Valentine's enforcer in Steven Soderbergh's neo-noir *The Limey* (1999), detective investigator Luis Carruthers in the cult classic *American Psycho* (2000), real life aviation engineer Glenn Odekirk in Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic *The Aviator* (2004), and appearances in films such as *Face/Off* (1997) and *Good Night, and Good Luck* (2005), the latter earning him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination as part of the ensemble. On television, he portrayed polygamist businessman Alby Grant in the acclaimed HBO drama series *Big Love* (2006 to 2011) and appeared in *American Horror Story: Murder House* (2011) as Dr. Charles Montgomery. His most defining television role came in 2014 with Mike Judge's *Silicon Valley*, where he starred as Gavin Belson, the ruthless, spiritual guru obsessed CEO of tech conglomerate Hooli. His deadpan depiction of corporate hubris and tech industry absurdity was widely hailed by critics and tech insiders alike as one of the standout comedic performances of the decade. Parallel to acting, Ross has established himself as an accomplished auteur filmmaker. He made his feature film directorial debut with the indie relationship drama *28 Hotel Rooms* (2012), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He followed this with the acclaimed drama *Captain Fantastic* (2016), starring Viggo Mortensen as an anarchic father raising his children off the grid in the Pacific Northwest wilderness. The film received universal critical praise, earning Ross the Best Director prize in the *Un Certain Regard* section at the Cannes Film Festival, alongside Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Mortensen. On television, he also directed the Starz political thriller miniseries *Gaslit* (2022), starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Balancing compelling character acting with thoughtful, award winning directing, he remains a distinctive and versatile creative force in American cinema and television.