Perry Mattfeld
Perry Mattfeld | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Spouse | |
Perry Mattfeld is an American actress and producer. In her early career, she played small roles as Mel in Shameless and FrankenGirl in Wizards of Waverly Place. She attained greater recognition for her portrayal of a blind woman in The CW crime drama In the Dark.[1] She is also known for her role in the sports comedy Chad Powers.
Early life
[edit]Mattfeld grew up in Long Beach, California.[2] Her mother is of Mexican descent. Her grandparents and great-grandparents were entertainers.[3] She participated in ballet from the age of five, studying dancing for the following nine years under the guidance of Debbie Allen. By the age of 12, she was a full-fledged employee of Mattel when she played Kirsten Larson and Kit Kittredge as part of Mattel's American Girl Dolls musical theater troupe.[2]
She graduated from Long Beach Poly High School and attended college at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting in 2016.[4][5] She participated in cheerleading at both schools.[6]
Career
[edit]In her first starring role, in The CW crime comedy-drama, In the Dark (2019–2022), she plays a blind woman. For this part, she learned skills for coping with blindness such as using a guide dog and sending text messages with voice commands. She shadowed a blind person, on whose life the show is based, to observe how she did ordinary things.[5] Fans have reportedly believed that she was blind herself.[7][8] Although the show has received criticism for not using an actual blind actress, the producer says she was "best for the role" despite having auditioned blind actresses.[8]
Mattfeld next played an assistant football coach Ricky Hudson in the comedy Chad Powers, which began airing on Hulu in September 2025. She described playing Hudson a “dream role” to The Hollywood Report because of her connection to football through cheerleading and through her husband, who is a former NFL player.[9]
Personal life
[edit]Mattfeld and former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez got engaged in May 2022.[10] The couple married in Oaxaca, Mexico on May 28, 2023.[11] Mattfeld gave birth to twin daughters with Sanchez in March 2025.[12]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | AmazoBoy! | Samantha | Short film |
| 2011 | The Girl in the Flammable Skirt | Aimee | Short film |
| 2012 | My Mind the Love Story | Alex | Short film |
| 2022 | A Little White Lie | Layla | Feature film |
| Mending the Line | Lucy | Feature film | |
| Who Invited Them | Sasha | Feature film | |
| 2024 | The Idea of You | Eva | Feature film |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Norton Avenue All-Stars | Amanda Hammerschmidt
'The Hammer' |
Television film |
| 2009 | Wizards of Waverly Place | FrankenGirl (Frankie Stein) | 2 episodes[2] |
| 2011 | 4th and Forever | Herself - Cheerleader | 4 episodes |
| 2012 | Secret Diary of an American Cheerleader | Suzie | Episode: "Angels in the Area"[2] |
| 2013 | Escape from Polygamy | Bonnielee | Television film[2] |
| 2017 | Stitchers | Monica Chamberlain | Episode: "Kill It Forward"[2] |
| 2017–2018 | Shameless | Mel | Recurring role[2] |
| 2018 | Homecoming | Makeover Associate | Episode: "Helping" |
| 2019 | Carrier | Pam | 2 episodes |
| 2019–2022 | In The Dark | Murphy Mason | Lead role |
| 2025-present | Long Bright River | Paula | |
| 2025-present | Chad Powers | Ricky |
References
[edit]- ^ Browning, Justine (June 23, 2021). "'In the Dark' star Perry Mattfeld on portraying blindness — and saying no to lip gloss". EW.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Perry Mattfeld Goes "In The Dark"". goldenglobes.com. May 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ "ViacomCBS Press Express | in the Dark".
- ^ Bokan, Medeleine (June 25, 2020). "How Perry Mattfeld Went From USC Student To CW TV Star". Her Campus. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Raga, Pippa (July 17, 2019). "For What It's Worth, 'In the Dark' Auditioned Plenty of Actresses with Visual Impairments Before Landing on Perry Mattfeld". Distractify. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Radloff, Jessica (2025-09-30). "'Chad Powers' Breakout Star Perry Mattfeld Was Born for This Role". Glamour. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
- ^ "Perry Mattfeld finds ways to handle demands of 'In the Dark'". June 22, 2021.
- ^ a b Leland, Andrew (July 1, 2021). "Is There a Right Way to Act Blind?". The New York Times.
- ^ Carson, Lexi (2025-09-30). "For 'Chad Powers' Star Perry Mattfeld, Football Is a "Full-Time Job"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
- ^ Jakiel, Olivia (May 13, 2022). "In the Dark Star Perry Mattfeld and Mark Sanchez Are Engaged — See the Stunning Photos!". People.
- ^ Esquibias, Liza; Strohm, Emily. "'Shameless' Actress Perry Mattfeld Marries Mark Sanchez in Mexico: 'Better Than I Ever Imagined' (Exclusive)". People. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ Graham, Matthew (2025-10-05). "Who is Mark Sanchez's wife Perry Mattfeld?". The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. Retrieved 2025-10-15.