Matthew Simmons is a self made underdog, with no family in the film and entertainment industry. He came to LA with no foot in the door, no lifeline, and dangerously little money. On New Years Eve of 2008, Matthew and his break-dance crew, the Unkabadunka Monkeys, rolled into Long Beach, ending their 3 day trek from Florida.
With only a BMX bike and the metro for transportation Matthew set out on his lifelong adventure-dream of fighting his way into Hollywood.
2024 marks Matthew's 14th year in Los Angeles. He's used his talent to obtain and sustain work in several avenues of entertainment- acting, stunts, mascot, hosting, dancing, and comedy- for film, commercial, television, and live events.
His early sights set on making short films about dancers, in 2010 he Co-directed "Bboy Movie" and "Breakin". In 2013 he booked a recurring role on General Hospital, gaining some momentum in acting- The classes were working! In 2014 he produced the feature film, "Almost Amazing", and stepped in as the Lead character, working closely with Director Justin Price (Hard Matter; Paragon: Shadow Wars), who had cast him the year prior in a supporting role in horror feature "Dark Moon Rising".
Over the next few years Matthew wrote several screenplays, dabbling with the notion of producing his own projects under the name Monkey Entertainment. He earned stock, assisting other filmmaker friends with their projects. Sometimes acting, sometimes performing stunts and often stunt coordinating action scenes, in horror, and sci-fi films.
By 2019, he'd achieved all he had set out for. He'd acted and performed stunts in shows and movies. His adventures had led him to meet and work with industry greats like Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Ivan Riteman, Peter Berg, David Duchovny, Eric Stolts, Snoop Dog, Jeff Garland, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Hopkins, (always trying so hard to not get googly eyed!)
He met his wife and started a family in West LA, and now coaches his son Levi in Kung Fu, acting, and the performing arts.
In 2021 Matthew made his production company Monkey Entertainment official, when he pulled the trigger on a feature film project of his own- "Mama Bear", an adaptation of a short film he had made the year before. Casting his real son Levi Simmons, to play his son in the film, was just one of the many ways Matthew would make this movie special. As his own Executive Producer, there was no one to tell him he couldn't work with all of his favorite people. Cast members, crew members, all the way down to the set carpenter, and stunt rigger- all family members, class mates from past acting studios, and loyal friends Matthew has kept in his life and kept in his heart.
Mama Bear is Matthew's first feature film. It is an homage to classic horror, and the modern supernatural thrillers.