Matthew Brandon Ross (born January 3, 1970) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Alby Grant on the television series Big Love (2006–11) and Gavin Belson on Silicon Valley (2014–19), as well as his performances in the films The Last Days of Disco (1998), American Psycho (2000), and The Aviator (2004). He wrote and directed the 2016 comedy-drama film Captain Fantastic.
Early life and education Ross was born on January 3, 1970 in Greenwich, Connecticut, and grew up in Eagle Point, Oregon. His parents divorced when he was young, and Ross was raised in what he described as "alternative living situations". These experiences partly inspired his 2016 film Captain Fantastic. His mother became interested in the Waldorf education philosophy and Ross spent time in England while his mother worked towards a teaching credential in Waldorf education.
Career Ross garnered critical acclaim for his role as Alby Grant in the HBO series Big Love for five seasons. He also played Eddie Scott in the 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck, for which he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2011 and 2015, he played Charles Montgomery in the first and fifth seasons of FX's anthology series American Horror Story.
His feature film directorial debut, 28 Hotel Rooms, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Before that, Ross made seven short films, including The Language of Love, which premiered at a prior Sundance festival. Ross subsequently wrote and directed the feature film Captain Fantastic, starring Viggo Mortensen, for which he won the Un Certain Regard Prize for Best Director at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Mortensen's performance in the film earned multiple accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Personal life
He is married to the writer Phyllis Grant, with whom he has two children: Isabel "Bella" and Dashiell "Dash" Ross.
Filmography Film Short film Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes 1997 The Language of Love 2009 Human Resources Also editor and cinematographer
Feature film Year Title Director Writer 2012 28 Hotel Rooms 2016 Captain Fantastic TBA Kockroach
Acting roles Year Title Role 1993 Little Cory Gory Larry 1994 PCU Raji 1995 12 Monkeys Bee 1996 Ed's Next Move Eddie Brodsky1997 Face/Off Agent Loomis Buffalo Soldiers Captain Calhoun1998 You Are Here Kid in Grocery Store Homegrown Ben Hickson The Last Days of Disco Dan Powers 1999 Pushing Tin Ron Hewitt2000 American Psycho Luis Carruthers Company Man Danny2001 Just Visiting Hunter Cassidy Dust Stitch 2003 Down with Love J.B. 2004 The Aviator Glenn Odekirk 2005 Good Night, and Good Luck Eddie Scott 2006 Last Holiday Mr. Adamian 2007 Turn the River David Sullivan
Television Year Title Director ExecutiveProducer Notes 2018–2019 Silicon Valley 2 episodes 2022 Gaslit Miniseries 2025 Death by Lightning Miniseries
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes1997 Party of Five Aaron Hughes Episode: "Life's Too Short" Oz Officer Anthony Nowakowski Episode: "A Game of Checkers" A Deadly Vision The Killer Television film 1999 Third Watch Leonard Episode: "History of the World" 2002 Stephen King's Rose Red Emery Waterman 3 episodes2003 Touched by an Angel Pete Episode: "The Root of All Evil" Six Feet Under Daniel Showalter Episode: "You Never Know" Just Shoot Me! Adam Episode: "My Fair Finchy" 2005 Bones Neil Meredith Episode: "The Girl in the Fridge"2006 CSI: Miami Paul Burton Episode: "Silencer" Invasion Vince Episode: "The Fittest" Numb3rs Joel Hellman Episode: "Provenance" 2006–2011 Big Love Alby Grant 49 episodes 2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Charlie DiMasa Episodes: "Irradiator" and "Meat Jekyll" 2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Charles Montgomery 6 episodes 2012–2013 Magic City Jack Klein 14 episodes2013 Revolution Titus Andover 4 episodes Ring of Fire Johnny Cash Television film 2014–2019 Silicon Valley Gavin Belson 37 episodes 2015 American Horror Story: Hotel Charles Montgomery Episode: "Room 33"
Awards and honors Year Title Award Result 2016 Captain Fantastic Deauville American Film Festival Jury Prize Deauville American Film Festival Audience Award Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard Best Director Seattle International Film Festival Golden Space Needle Audience Award – Best Film Variety "Ten Directors to Watch 2016" Nantucket Film Festival Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Pravo Audience Award Rome Film Festival People's Choice Award
References
External links