Meet Leo Matthews

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leo Matthews and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
When I was a kid, I was always glued to the TV. Anime, Movies, even the news interested me. The world of entertainment brought me happiness during my lonelier moments, so becoming a voice actor is my way of giving back. And after being told by someone about this job, I was absolutely hooked.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well, My story of voiceover started as many others did. I practically grew up with Funimation as a staple in my household. I absolutely adored seeing everyone’s performances of their characters, and even attempting to mimic my favorites. I was always anxious, though.

You see, I transferred schools a lot due to my Autism and ADHD. Both that and struggles in high school socially made it hard for me to put myself out there. To tell the truth, I actually had given up for a while on being anything significant, until a convention meeting with a voice actor I look up to reignited that desire to try.

The road ahead was far from easy, but after managing to graduate, moving out of my parent’s house and transferring colleges for the final time, I settled in the DFW area. I got myself the tools I needed to succeed. And with the confidence to actually make myself known, I found myself landing gigs with Crunchyroll shortly after moving.

You never know the power of hearing from someone that they believe in you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you stay in the City of Denton, there’s a lot to see.

If you want the best sushi there is, look no further than Sushi Cafe on W Hickory Street. Whenever I want to treat myself, their california rolls are affordable and hit the spot. The place itself is nice and quiet too, so is great to go there to unwind .

And speaking of time to unwind, multiple Things further into town are just that; video games at Free Play Denton, Shopping at the various hobby shops, or just seeing what events are at the square. And for days where I don’t feel like walking around? Staying in and playing video games, reading or doodling characters is just as fun!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shoutout those who never gave up on me. My mom, Dad, The staff at my high school and every director that gave me a shot. Thanks for sticking with me, I’ll continue to make you proud.

Website: https://www.leomatthewsva.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leofishva/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-matthews-59259920b

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeoFishVA

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LeoTheFish

Image Credits
Reincarnation of The Strongest Exorcist Episode 3 “The Hero the Oracles Spoke Of” (Kiichi Kosuzu / Studio Blanc.) Silver Symphony Episode 1 “Love and Hope” (Silver DreamyRose / Studio Nephilim)