Matt Lattanzi
Matthew Vincent Lattanzi[1] (born February 1, 1959) is an American actor and dancer. He is most commonly recognized as the first 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 | |
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Lattanzi in 1989 | |
Born | Matthew Vincent Lattanzi February 1, 1959 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1980–1993 |
Spouse(s) | Cindy Jessup
(m. 1997; div. 2007) |
Children | Chloe Lattanzi |
Personal life
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, 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 1992, his acting career was largely over, and he took a job 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 new soap opera, Paradise Beach.[5] He won a six-month contract for the show.[5]
On April 24, 1995, Matt and Olivia announced a divorce. From 1997 to 2007, Lattanzi was in a relationship with Cindy Jessup. [8]
In 2008, Lattanzi briefly appeared in the MTV reality series Rock the Cradle, supporting his daughter Chloe (a contestant on the show).[9] That same year, Lattanzi—a lifelong environmentalist[10]—was reported to be living off the grid near Malibu, California. He now resides in Portland Oregon.[9]
Career
Lattanzi'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,[10] and he appeared in four of Newton-John's music videos: "Landslide", "Soul Kiss", "Toughen Up" and "Can't We Talk It Over In Bed".
Filmography
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
- "General Name Search, PeopleSmart.com". Archived from the original on 2014-10-15. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
- "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
- 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.
- "Matt Lattanzi: Bio, Age, and Facts about Olivia Newton John's First Husband". Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- Byrne, Fiona. "Matt Lattanzi: Looking for Love in Australia." Sunday Herald Sun. July 6, 2008. Accessed 2013-08-26.
- Groves, Seli. "Matt Lattanzi: A Message from Paradise." The Spokane Spokesman-Review. July 27, 1993. Accessed 2013-08-26.