August Maturo talks with Our Era Magazine about ‘ACCUSED’ and growing up in the entertainment industry
Tell us about yourself.
I’m 15 years old and have 4 siblings. I’m the 2nd youngest in my family. I’m in my 2nd semester of college. I’m half Jordanian and half Italian.
When and why did you begin acting?
I began acting professionally at age 4. My mom said that from the time I could walk and talk, strangers would always come up to her and tell her she should put me in commercials. She didn’t think much of it until I was in a church play. After my performance I was really upset, and she asked me why? I said I wanted to be back on the stage. So she found me an agent and just a few months later I was already booking things.
You’re mainly known for your role as Auggie Matthews in Girl Meets World. This new project, Accused, is quite different from that. What has it been like making the shift from a more comedic role to a dramatic one?
I was on Girl Meets World from age 5 to 9. At age 9 I made the shift to films, which have all been dramatic actually. The first one I did is a Holocaust film called “Shepherd: The Story of a Hero Dog” which was in the theaters when they first reopened during the pandemic. I’m excited to share that it’s finally going to be released on DVD and all VOD platforms this upcoming Valentine’s Day. I’ve also been in the horror films “The Nun” and “Slapface” so filming a dramatic role for television felt like a natural progression for me from acting in dramatic films.
What about this role was intriguing to you?
I love that it’s an anthology series, and that each episode is a stand alone story. And it’s produced by Howard Gordon who did “Homeland” and “24” so I knew it was going to be fantastic! I also loved that our episode “Danny’s Story” was directed by the incredible Jonathan Mostow, a film director. He directed HUGE actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Matthew McConaughey in “Terminator 3”, “Surrogates” and “U-571” It’s wild to think about! I’m honestly still pinching myself.
Describe your character to us.
My character “Matthew” is the younger brother of the protagonist “Danny” who is played by the insanely talented Reid Miller. My character plays an interesting part of this story, as I believe he is reflecting the conflict the audience will be feeling as they watch the story unfold. Like the viewers, Matthew doesn’t know what to believe: Is his brother crazy and paranoid? Or is he justified in his actions?
What was it like working with such talented actors on this project?
As I mentioned, Reid Miller was such an inspiring actor to work with. He really put his heart and soul into his character. He is truly fearless and makes incredibly bold choices in his performance. Rachel Bilson is an absolute dream and anytime I watched the monitor when the camera was on her face I was mesmerized. You can’t take your eyes off of her! She’s such a star. Same goes for Jack Davenport who plays my dad. What a legend! He makes it look so easy and effortless. It was a privilege to share the screen with all of them. Really an honor.
What was the process of filming this? Tell us what a day on set looked like.
We filmed the majority of this episode in a huge estate outside of Toronto. It was in August and the weather was beautiful, so sometimes we hung out in the backyard together, but mostly us cast (Reid, Rachel, Jack and I) would be in one of the rooms hanging out between scenes. We really bonded and had a great time getting to know each other. We laughed a lot.
What was your favorite part of filming this project?
Other than working with our amazing director and this cast, my favorite part was working in a new country. I was in Canada for about 3 weeks shooting it, which was an incredible experience. I’ve always wanted to visit Canada. It’s so beautiful and the citizens are so nice! On my days off I was able to explore the city with my cast mate Reid Miller and I also went on a tour to see Niagara Falls, which was on my bucket list.
What advice would you give to your younger self on auditioning and acting?
I would tell my younger self to just audition and then forget about it. After you audition it’s completely out of your hands. I think 95% of casting decisions, especially for young actors, is contextual. You are either right for the role or you aren’t, and if you don’t book something, never take it personally. Just keep doing the work and eventually preparation will meet opportunity. A lot of this business really is luck, so just keep at it.
Where can people find you?
@augustmaturo on all platforms
Photographer: Matt Kallish
Hair/Makeup: Kristine Lisman
Styled by: blackbear
August is wearing Celine, Yves Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen
Accused airs Tuesday nights on FOX at 9/8c, next day on Hulu
