Matt Battaglia
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| Matt Battaglia | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1965 Tallahassee, Florida |
Matt Battaglia (born September 25, 1965 in Tallahassee, Florida) is an American actor.
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[edit] Biography
Battaglia, one of 4 siblings, is of half Italian and half German/Dutch heritage.[1]
He attended the University of Louisville where he played football; he was a promising player, and led the nation in tackles his senior year. Battaglia went to the NFL and played for both the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, but suffered a career-ending neck and shoulder injury.
[edit] Career
Battaglia is often cast in action/adventure roles. He appeared in two of the Universal Soldier films, as well as Half Past Dead with Steven Seagal. He was also "bad guy" J.L. King on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives.
Battaglia has also appeared in comic roles, most notably as a boyfriend of Phoebe's on Friends and as a romantic interest for Kristen Johnston on 3rd Rock From The Sun.
Battaglia is also famous for playing Drew Boyd, on Showtime's Queer as Folk. He played a star football quarterback who causes controversy by "coming out" on national television.
Battaglia is featured on the "Most Beautiful Man" site and has a following of women and gay men based in part on his Days of Our Lives role as well as his "beefcake" status.
More recently, he has appeared in commercials for Ford trucks.
[edit] Philanthropy
Battaglia is a philanthropist and co-founded The Mint Jubilee, an annual celebrity driven charity event which takes place at the Kentucky Derby benefiting cancer patients.
He became involved in cancer advocacy following the death of his mother from the disease.
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Television
- 24 (2006) as Agent Jennings.
- Queer As Folk (US) (2005) as Drew Boyd.
- NCIS (2004)
- Days of Our Lives (1997) as J.L. King
- Friends (1997) as Vince.
[edit] Film roles
- Universal Soldier II: Brothers In Arms in 1998 as the lead, GR44
- Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business in 1998 as GR44
