Matty J spills on his cheeky cameo in The Killings At Parrish Station
"It's kind of like playing soccer down at the park with a mate to all of a sudden being in a full stadium playing the world cup."
You may know him from The Bachelor, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here or as a host to the parenting podcast Two Doting Dads, but now, Matthew Johnson — AKA Matty J — but now the media personality is adding another dot-point to his resume: actor.
In Stan’s most recent drama, The Killings At Parrish Station, Matty is taking on his second acting cameo with the character of Simmo, a cop working at the station alongside hard-talking cop Millie Farah and retired detective Georgia Cooke, played by powerhouse actors Doris Younane and Heather Mitchell.
For Matty, who is known for his skits on social media, stepping up to act next to two of Australia’s most established actors was “pretty daunting”.
“Whenever we do skits on social media, at the most it’s me and one other person filming. But all of a sudden on a real set, you’re in a room full of 40 people including cast, director and all the crew. It’s a big jump,” he tells TV WEEK.
“It’s kind of like playing soccer down at the park with a mate to all of a sudden being in a full stadium playing the world cup.”
The Killings At Parrish Station is a mind-boggling, slightly terrifying drama which follows a pair of detectives, ho take on a very bizarre investigation in 1987 when four scientists at a remote research station in the dessert are found murdered. The crime, which they never managed to solve, still haunts them years after retiring from the force. But when a series of murders replicating the 1987 killings start popping up, the current cops on the force need their help.
The storyline jumps between two timelines, leaving audiences guessing (and mildly spooked) the whole way along.
Despite only having one line in episode four, Matty is proud as punch to be in such an incredible Aussie production alongside the country’s best acting talent. And part of that, was feeling a tad nervous about getting his scene right.
“Even though I only had a small role, it was really exciting. It’s almost harder when you’ve only got a few lines because you’re like, ‘I don’t want to stuff this tiny little window up. I want to make sure I nail it for everyone else.
“Heather was super nice, so lovely. And Doris, I grew up watching her on Heartbreak High, so I was like holy sh*t. I was a bit starstruck by her.
Now that he’s had two cameos in Stan productions, does Matty have the acting bug? Yes, he does.
“I’ve always been a jack of all trades. I’ve done the weather on channel nine. I’ve sung songs on Play School. Now I’ve done a bit of acting as well,” he explains.
“I’m just constantly trying to add more strings to the bow. I really love the fact that my work is so varied,” Matty continues.
“I mean, it’s a bit tricky when someone asks what I do, and my mum is probably wondering what on earth her son does, but I love acting. And I’d love to do more.
“I hope they can give me another role in the near future.”
