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 Olivia Newton-John, and for his acting in films such as My Tutor and the soap opera Paradise Beach.
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 (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
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,[11] and he appeared in eight of Newton-John's music videos: "Xanadu", "Hollywood Nights", "Gimme Some Lovin'", "Landslide", "Soul Kiss", "Toughen Up", "It’s Always Australia For Me", and "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed".
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Xanadu | Young Danny McGuire / Xanadu Dancer | Feature film |
| 1981 | Rich and Famous | Jim | Feature film |
| 1982 | Grease 2 | Brad | Feature film |
| 1983 | My Tutor | Bobby Chrystal | Feature film |
| 1986 | That's Life! | Larry Bartlet | Feature film |
| 1987 | Roxanne | Trent | Feature film |
| 1988 | Blueberry Hill | Denny Logan | Feature film |
| 1989 | Catch Me If You Can | Dylan Malone | Feature film |
| 1990 | Diving In | Jerome Colter | Feature film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Paradise Beach | Cooper Hart | Main cast (100 episodes) |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Gimme Some Lovin'" | Himself | Music video |
| 1980 | "Xanadu" | Himself | Music video |
| 1980 | "Hollywood Nights" | Himself | Music video |
| 1981 | "Landslide" | Himself | Music video |
| 1982 | "Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical" | Himself | TV special (Music video: "Landslide") |
| 1995 | "Toughen Up" | Himself | Music video |
| 1986 | "Olivia: Soul Kiss" | Himself | Music video: "Soul Kiss" |
| 1988 | "It’s Always Australia For Me" | Himself | Music video |
| 1988 | "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" | Himself | Music video |
References
- ^ "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.
External links
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