Soap Opera Digest: Hey, Matt! Congratulations!
Matt Cohen: Thank you! I’m very, very excited to hop on board and see what this new endeavor brings to me.
Digest: What was the genesis of this?
Cohen: I don’t know, to be honest with you. I think I just met some good people at ET and they liked my personality enough to bring me into that world. It’s freedom to be kind of my goofy old self and talk to some very interesting people. One thing led to another and things just have been working out there. We’re gonna give it a go and see what happens.
Digest: You’ve been a guest correspondent for them before over the past few months and have interviewed some major heavy hitters. Do you find that nerve-wracking?
Cohen: No, I don’t really feel nervous as much as I’m super interested to talk to the people that I meet. For me, it hasn’t been like, “Wow. I’m so star-struck. How am I going to pull this off?” It’s just, “Oh, wow. I get to talk to some of the people that I respect in front of the camera and behind the camera.” And that’s really interesting. I mean, the whole idea of being a human being is experiencing each other and having those moments and sharing and listening, and that’s what I get to do now with this new job. It’s super-exciting.
Digest: This is not really a career that you anticipated getting involved in. Has this taken you by surprise?
Cohen: Yes and no. It’s taken me by surprise the same way becoming an actor has taken me by surprise. I decided at 24 years old to become an actor. I never wanted to be an actor before that. I had a movement in my life and next thing you know I was pursuing an acting career. I’m a big believer in, “Walk through the open doors and if you don’t like what’s inside, walk out. Experience and live your life and try new things.” This was just one of those new things, just as acting was. I fell in love with that. Who knows what’s going to happen with this? I have no expectations whatsoever, but the sky is the limit, for sure.
Digest: Did you have any hesitation about signing on to ET in terms of being available for other acting projects?
Cohen: No. I’m so busy doing so many things and the people that I’m working with, they’re going to work with me to make sure I can do as many things as possible. I have to trust the executive producer, Erin, over at ET and that she’s going to help me out and I’m going to help her out. We’ll develop a relationship that allows me to be with them and do some extra stuff on the side. In no way am I worried about being available for other jobs. It’s not going to be a problem.
Digest: Cameron Mathison [ex-Ryan, ALL MY CHILDREN] also hosted at ET, and he had a great experience with the team over there. How have you found your new colleagues?
Cohen: It’s a super-creative, real, approachable group of people. Young and all professional and all hungry. They never forget to have fun. They’re open and honest and that goes a long way with me. Having a bit of character and everybody has character in the best way. It’s a great group of people that have taken me under their wing. As long as they’re good to me and I can be good to them, I think it’s going to be a really happy place to work.
Digest: Any pinch-me moments thus far on the job for ET?
MC: Yeah. I don’t know if I would describe it as a “pinch-me” moment, I think it’s like, “Wow. This is my life and I’m going to face this new job head-on and give it all I have and just see how it goes.” I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and I think I can be really successful for ET in doing this.
Digest: There are some actors who have hesitation about letting people know who they are outside of their characters, for fear that it will make it harder for people to buy them in a role. You’re not that guy, clearly.
Cohen: Look, I’m pro do what makes you happy. If you’re going to be the person that hides yourself from the world, then be that person. I’m not that person. I choose to keep minimal things private and more things public. That’s who I am. I want to be an approachable guy that’s on television. I don’t want to be the guy that’s cut off from the world. I don’t want to live that life. I don’t want my son [Macklin] to come up that way. We want to be wide open with love and laughter for everybody we meet. I’m going to give it my all. Everything I’ve ever given my all has kind of turned out [well] for me.
Digest: Have you kept in touch with anyone from GH?
Cohen: Yeah. I stay in touch with Maura [West, Ava]. She and I touch base every few weeks. Haley Erin [ex-Kiki] is dating one of my very close friends, Adam Fergus, who is like a brother to me, so I hear from her often. I’ll hear from Mo [Benard, Sonny] every now and again. Dom [Zamprogna, ex-Dante] has reached out a few times. I’m not in touch every day, every second, but I’ve also been busy. I’ve done a couple of movies since I’ve left there and I’ve been to several [SUPERNATURAL] conventions, I’ve been hosting for the last three months and now I’m in the middle of demolition on a new house. I have so much going on. I’m in touch with them as much as I’m in touch with anybody in my life right now.
Digest: I need a Mack update before I let you go.
MC: He turned 4 in April. He’s just kicking butt and taking names. He’s just a little guy. He’s learning. He’s more amazing every second. Every minute I spend with him is of greater value than the last.
