DC fans, we are excited to bring yet another exclusive DC Comics News interview. This time we have been lucky enough to speak with the very talented Mr. Matt Letscher who plays Reverse-Flash on both The Flash, and DC Legends of Tomorrow. The impact of the Reverse-Flash first speed onto our television sets in season one of The Flash, we saw Letscher as the main villain up against Barry Allen.
DCN (Damian Fasciani) 1. Matt Letscher, thank you for speaking with DC Comics News. Let’s kick off with how you got into the entertainment industry and what your first big break was?
Matt Letscher: I started acting in high school and fell in love with it. Knew it was where i belonged. Studied theatre at the University of Michigan. I guess my first big break came right after graduation when I was cast in a new play written by the actor Jeff Daniels at his new theatre company in Chelsea, MI. It was the Purple Rose Theatre Company’s second season and Jeff was very encouraging. In fact, he helped get me a teeny, tiny part in a movie he was doing at the time called GETTYSBURG.
DCN 2. As an actor, have you modeled yourself on anyone and with that, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Matt Letscher: I look toward actors who exhibit a strong sense of both craft and generosity. Jeff Daniels, Anthony Hopkins, Julia Louis Dreyfus, among others. They elevate the story through their excellence while seeking out the contributions of others to help fully tell a story.
DCN 3. The DC TV Universe is going from strength to strength. How did the opportunity arise for you to play Eobard Thawne/ Reverse-Flash on CW’s The Flash?
Matt Letscher: I had worked with Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kriesberg before on a series called ELI STONE. Truly one of the best experiences of my working life. They called up and offered the role and I couldn’t refuse.
DCN 4. The book Flashpoint is such an iconic story, and the animated film was great in its own right. When developing your own persona of the character, did you draw on these two sources? If so, was there anything in particular that grabbed you? And was there anything else you used to create your own version of Reverse Flash?
Matt Letscher: In Season 1, I tried to draw a little bit from what Tom Cavanagh was doing: his intensity, his stillness. I found it very effective and since he was essentially playing Eobard before I was, that seemed appropriate. I also downloaded a lot of information from Marc and Andrew regarding back story and how it related to the story they were trying to tell. This Flashpoint is very different from the book and necessarily so. THE FLASH has built a world unique to itself.
DCN 5. In season 1 of The Flash, the relationship between Grant Gustin’s Flash, and your character intensified as we progressed through the story. What creative control, if any do you have as an artist do you both have in developing that on set?
Matt Letscher: A lot! But it mostly comes through collaboration. That relationship developed as it did because Grant takes great care to invest in his work at all moments–not easy for someone with a schedule like his.
DCN 6. The suits are unique, their design, and look. What’s it feel like to get into the Reverse-Flash suit, get into that head space, and then become the character?
Matt Letscher: The suit is transforming. You feel a great sense of power in it. It’s a bit complicated: zippers and gloves and odd straps, but that only adds to the sense of something special. The latex cowl is my least favourite bit. Very claustrophobic.
DCN 7. You’re now playing the same role on both The Flash and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. How do you manage and balance that?
Matt Letscher: It’s mostly Legends and it’s the same guy. Same problems. But with Legends, I have my Legion of Doom buddies to pal around with. A little less lonely.
DCN 8. If you could play any other DC character on TV or film, who would it be and why?
Matt Letscher: Batman. The wound is so deep. The backstory so rich. And he’s a man, not a metahuman. I love the Bat.
DCN 9. Batman v Superman – who would you go for and why?
Batman.
DC Comics News would like to thank Mr. Matt Letscher & his agency for making the time to set up the interview. We truly appreciate the opportunity to share some of the insights from the DC TV Universe with our fans. If you have any thoughts or comments or Mr. Letscher’s persona of the Reverse-Flash please comment below.
