Matt Wood is an American stage and screen actor best known for playing comedian John Belushi in the 2024 film Saturday Night.
He spent more than a decade working in theater and television before that role. His performance introduced him to a much wider audience.
Who is Matt Wood?
Matt Wood is an American actor who works across film, television, and Broadway. He built his career slowly, taking on stage roles long before he became a familiar face on screen. His path to recognition did not happen overnight.
Wood spent years performing in regional and national theater productions. He later moved into television guest roles before landing his breakout film part.
In 2024, he gained widespread attention for portraying John Belushi in director Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night. Several entertainment outlets singled out his performance as one of the film’s strongest.
Early Life of Matt Wood
Matt Wood was raised in the United States before relocating to New York City to pursue acting.
Detailed information about his hometown and family background has not been widely reported. He has kept most details about his upbringing private.
What is known comes mostly from his professional history. Wood enrolled in a theater training program in New York and began performing in sketch and musical comedy shortly after.
Matt Wood Age
Matt Wood has not publicly shared his exact date of birth. He remains active in film, television, and theater as of 2026.
Matt Wood Education
Matt Wood studied theater at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The program is known for training many working stage and screen actors.
After graduating, he did not move straight into film or television. Instead, he began writing and performing sketch and musical comedy at New York venues including The Pit and the Upright Citizens Brigade.
That early comedy training shaped his sense of timing. It also connected him to New York’s tight-knit theater and improv community, which later helped him land stage work.
Matt Wood Career
Early Career and Stage Work
Wood’s first onscreen credit came in the 2012 short film Gator Farm, where he played a character named Dwayne. Around the same period, he worked steadily in regional theater.
He played Roger in a production of Grease! at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. He also played Luther Billis in South Pacific at the John W. Engeman Theater in New York.
His stage career reached Broadway in 2017. He joined the ensemble of the original Broadway production of The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical.
The following year, he stepped into a leading role. He played Augustus Gloop in the first national touring production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
During this period, Wood also took small television roles. He appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Officer Kenneth Parker across three episodes between 2013 and 2014, and he had guest spots on The Michael J. Fox Show, Difficult People, and Instinct.
He also appeared in the 2017 film Sunset Park as Rocco Lombardi. Throughout this period, he was represented by BRS/Gage Talent Agency, a New York and Los Angeles based agency known for theater and film clients.
Breakthrough Role in Saturday Night
Wood’s career changed in 2024 when he was cast as John Belushi in Saturday Night. The film recreates the 90 minutes before the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live in 1975.
Director Jason Reitman led an ensemble cast that included Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien, Cory Michael Smith, and Rachel Sennott. The Saturday Night movie premiered at the Telluride Film Festival before opening in theaters in September 2024.
Wood’s performance drew specific praise from entertainment writers. Outlets including InSession Film and Awards Radar described his take on Belushi as a standout among a large ensemble cast. That kind of attention rarely comes early in an actor’s career.
Recent and Upcoming Work
Wood continued working in film after Saturday Night. He joined the cast of The Man Who Changed the World, a drama inspired by entrepreneur Lawrence “Bud” Stoecker.
According to Deadline, Wood plays a character named Joe in the film. He stars alongside Christopher Lowell, Jeanine Mason, Wallace Shawn, and Illeana Douglas, with Greg Pritikin directing.
Matt Wood Filmography and TV Credits
Wood’s screen work spans short film, network television, and studio features. His credits include Gator Farm (2012), Sunset Park (2017), and Saturday Night (2024).
On television, he has appeared in Law & Order: SVU, The Michael J. Fox Show, Difficult People, and Instinct. Most of these were guest or recurring roles rather than series leads.
His stage credits remain just as central to his career. They include Broadway’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical, the national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and regional productions of Grease! and South Pacific.
Matt Wood Net Worth
Matt Wood’s exact net worth has not been publicly disclosed. No reliable financial outlet has published a verified estimate for him.
His income likely comes from a mix of sources. These include Broadway and touring theater pay, television guest appearance fees, and his film acting work.
Saturday Night was a studio release from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing, which typically pays actors through standard guild contracts. As his film career grows, his earning potential is likely to grow with it.
Matt Wood Social Media
Matt Wood maintains a presence on Instagram under the handle @mattwoodgrams. He has not publicly listed verified accounts on other major platforms.
His follower count and posting activity are not consistently tracked by reliable sources. For now, Instagram appears to be his primary public-facing account.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Matt Wood known for?
Matt Wood is best known for playing John Belushi in the 2024 film Saturday Night.
Where did Matt Wood study acting?
He studied theater at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
How old is Matt Wood?
Matt Wood has not publicly confirmed his exact age or date of birth.
Is Matt Wood a Broadway actor?
Yes, he appeared in the original Broadway cast of The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical.
What is Matt Wood’s net worth?
His exact net worth has not been publicly disclosed.
What other movies has Matt Wood been in?
His film credits include Sunset Park (2017) and Gator Farm (2012).
Who does Matt Wood play in The Man Who Changed the World?
He plays a character named Joe in the 2025 drama.
Does Matt Wood have a wife or girlfriend?
His relationship status has not been publicly reported.
The Bottom Line
Matt Wood spent years building a career on Broadway and in regional theater before his breakout role as John Belushi in Saturday Night.
His mix of stage training and screen work has made him one of the more notable new names to come out of the 2024 film season.
We hope you enjoyed reading about Matt Wood. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!