Matthew Arkin

Matthew Arkin is a critically acclaimed actor, an acting teacher, and a recovering attorney. He attributes his skill for crafting dialogue and creating characters to his more than forty-five years of experience on stage, television, and film, and to reading approximately one suspense thriller per week since he was a young child.

Following the advice of one of his moms, author Barbara Dana, to "write what you know," Arkin created Zach Brandis and the novel In the Country of the Blind. Like Zach, Arkin gave up a career as a lawyer. Like Zach, he was born and raised, went to law school and spent most of his life in and around New York City. His love affair with the city, his life as a former attorney, and his experiences as the victim of cult abuse allow him to approach Zach's story with poignant, candid depth and realism.

Matthew also has a thriving career as an actor. His Broadway credits include Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys, with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, Mr. Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and Manhattan Theater Club's Losing Louie. Other New York credits include originating the role of Gabe in Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize winning Dinner with Friends (Drama Desk nomination, Drama League Honoree), Manhattan Theatre Club's Moonlight and Magnolias, and Richard Dresser's Rounding Third. Regional Theater includes Our Mother's Brief Affair at South Coast Rep., Surf Report at La Jolla Playhouse, The Scene at Hartford Stage Company, Around the World in 80 Days at the Cape Playhouse, Rounding Third at Chicago's Northlight Theatre, Talley's Folly at The Bay Street Theatre, Guys and Dolls at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater, and Sight Unseen at The George Street Playhouse. Film credits include indies Margot at the Wedding, Second Best, Raising Flagg, The Curse, and Bittersweet Place, as well as Veronica Mars, Death to Smoochy, Liar, Liar, North, An Unmarried Woman, and Chu Chu and the Philly Flash. Matthew appeared in recurring roles as Dr. Thompkins on the hit FX drama Rescue Me and as Legal Aid Attorney Paul Bernard on A&E's 100 Centre Street. Other television credits include the NCIS, Medium, Switched at Birth, Third Watch, Hack, The Education of Max Bickford, Ed, Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: SVU, Kojak, and All My Children. For more information, visit www.matthewarkin.com.