Matthew Bomer
Matthew Staton Bomer (born October 11, 1977) 5' 11½" (1.82 m) is an American film, stage and television actor. He currently stars as conman-turned-FBI consultant Neal Caffrey in the hit USA Network series, White Collar. He is also widely recognized for his recurring role in the hit NBC series Chuck as Bryce Larkin.
Bomer was born in Spring, a suburb of Houston, Texas, the son of Sissi and John Bomer, a final round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys although he did not make the team. He attended Klein High School, located outside of Houston, with fellow actor Lee Pace. In addition, they both acted at Houston's Alley Theatre, a non-profit theatre company. In 2001, Bomer graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Bomer currently stars as Neal Caffrey in the new USA Network original series White Collar. Bomer’s television credits include a lead role in the ABC series “Traveler,” and recurring roles on the NBC series “Chuck” and the FOX series “Tru Calling.” In feature films, Bomer starred in New Line’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning,” and appeared in “Flightplan” with Jodie Foster. Coincidentally, he plays a character named Eric in both films.
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University (School of Drama) in 2000, he moved to New York City, New York, and worked on stage until he was cast in a small role, as Ian Kipling, on All My Children, a daytime soap-opera serial on the ABC television network. Later in 2001, he was cast as Ben Reade on another daytime television soap opera, Guiding Light, on the CBS television network.
He starred as Luc, Tru's (Eliza Dushku) ill-fated love interest, in Tru Calling (2003–04), a supernatural, science-fiction television series on the Fox television network.
Although Bomer was director Brett Ratner's favorite choice to portray Superman/Clark Kent for the project that later became Superman Returns (2006), Ratner left the project in 2003 and was replaced by director Bryan Singer; Singer cast actor Brandon Routh in the role in October 2004. But Bomer had the chance to play both Clark Kent and Superman in a series of Japanese commercials and press ads for Toyota in 2009.
Bomer appeared on North Shore (2004–05), a prime-time television soap opera, as well as in Flightplan (2005), a thriller film with Jodie Foster.
In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), Bomer portrayed Eric, a Vietnam-War veteran who is driving across Texas to re-enlist after his brother is drafted. The brothers run afoul of Sheriff Hoyt and are taken captive by the Hewitt family. Bomer costarred in Traveler (2007), a short-lived midseason replacement television series which premiered on ABC on May 30, 2007. He has had the recurring role of Bryce Larkin on action-comedy series Chuck (2007–09) on the NBC television network.
On October 23, 2009, Bomer began starring in White Collar, a police-procedural drama television series on the USA Network. The series chronicles the partnership between a con artist (Bomer) and a U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation agent (Tim DeKay).
Bomer enjoys participating in sports such as football, baseball and tennis, as well as playing the guitar.
He is good friends with Zachary Quinto, a fellow Carnegie Mellon alumnus, as well as high school classmates Lee Pace and Lynn Collins.
In an interview published in the January 2010 issue of Details, when asked about media reports regarding his sexual orientation, Bomer stated, "I don't care about that at all. I'm completely happy and fulfilled in my personal life." He declined to elaborate further, stating, "I have a network and a show riding on my shoulders", referring to his starring role on USA's White Collar.