100 Treasured Chests: Hairy Edition

From: OUT

Matthieu Charneau

Actor/Model

Matthieu Charneau (born November 23, 1988, in France) is a French actor and model.

He debuted as a model at age 21 after being spotted by a photographer during a visit to Paris.

In 2011 Nicola Formichetti chose him to play in his short film Brothers Of Arcadia for MUGLER. The film is directed by Branislav Jancik in New York and was broadcast at the opening of the Mugler show during Fashion Week in Paris. This collaboration launched Matthieu’s success in the fashion industry and in late 2011 he made his move to Paris.

In 2012 he began training at the prestigious European Acting School Cours Florent. That same year he became a muse for the famous French artists Pierre & Gilles. He posed in three of their photographs entitled Johnny Guitar, Narcissus and Ohé Matelot. After various publications, including the cover of the British magazine Yearbook by Laurent Humbert and an exclusive portrait for Butt Magazine by Luis Venegas, he was chosen as part of the jury for the French Film Festival Chéries-Chéris together with Spanish actress Rossy de Palma and French writer and screen writer Philippe Besson.

In 2013 the young actor appeared on the cover of the French cultural and political magazine Les Inrockuptibles for their special issue, “Homophobie, c’est pas Bientôt Fini?!” He also posed for fashion photographer Damon Baker. While training at Cours Florent he landed the role of Samson in the short film Coup de Grâce directed by Justin Wu – a contemporary adaptation of Delilah Myth from the Bible. The film has been selected for the San Jose International Film Festival 2013 in California as well as for the Fashion Film Festival ASVOFF 2013 at the Georges Pompidou Center Art Museum in Paris.

In late 2013 Matthieu was cast for a leading role in the feature film 'Les Français du Jours J' - a war film directed by Cédric Condon about the allied landing on June 6, 1944 with Commando Kieffer. He plays the role of Marcel Labas, a young Marine rifleman.

In 2014, after a couple of music video collaborations with the bands Gentle Republic and Hollydays, Matthieu portrayed Freddie Mercury for Schön Magazine. While traveling in Los Angeles and New York, he was featured as one of the 'OUT 100' in the prestigious OUT Magazine. The photos were shot in New York by photographers Therese & Joel.

In late 2014 Matthieu plays the lead in 'I'm Cornered', a short film written and directed by Nicolas Goergen which screened at the Nikon Film Festival. It tells the story of a young man demoralized by the aggressive questioning by his doctor after an HIV test. Always keeping a foot in the modeling world, he was shot in Barcelona by photographer Carlos Puig Padilla for the exhibit Vanities Vanitatum Omnia Vanitas at the N2 Gallery.

In 2015 Matthieu will be featured in 'Arnaud fait son 2ème Film' - second film of the French director Arnaud Viard after 'Clara et Moi' in 2003. The film will be launched in French theaters April 2015.

Matthieu joins Lee Jones, Stephen Moyer and Katey Sagal in new Kurt Sutter's Drama The Bastard Executioner as Ventris' Servant, also named Frenchie. The Pilot will be directed by Paris Barclay, President of the Directors Guild of America, and who has directed 15 episodes of Sons Of Anarchy.