Some of you may know the very gorgeous Matthew Camp from the movie Getting Go, a fictional doc about an NYC go-go dancer. If you thought he played the part well, it’s probably because he too made a living dancing in the coolest of New York clubs.
‘What you see in Getting Go is a rough representation of me,’ he says of the film that is apparently partly based on him. ‘I mean, I do run around shirtless all the time, Go and I are both not afraid of a lot of things, and we danced in our underwear, so we’re both confident.’
But Matthew is keen to point out that there are marked differences between him and his film alter ego. ‘I certainly wouldn’t have handled most of the situations in the same way Go did. I’m not as sexual as him… I don’t go on a lot of dates, I’m very reclusive, hanging out at my house. Go-go dancing was very much a job for me and after I’d perform, I’d leave right away rather than hang out at the club.’
But with go-go dancing now behind him, fashion is Matthew’s passion and for the past ten years or so he has steadily been building a hugely successful career as a clothing designer, launching in 2013 his very own Brooklyn-based label specialising in leather and cutting edge construction.
What’s most amazing about the drop dead gorgeous model-slash-designer-slash-perfumier-slash-actor-slash-artist is that he is entirely self-taught when it comes to design and yet his one-of-a-kind pieces are desperately sought after by private clients.
GuyslikeU caught up with the multi-talented young hipster to find out how he started out, why actor Ryan Phillppe helped him realise he was gay and what he is looking for a guy….
Matthew, you’ve been a model, an actor, a gogo dancer, but how did you get discovered?
I only really started getting noticed when I began go-go dancing. It allowed for me to meet so many people really quickly and then opportunities arose.
What was it you wanted to do when you were younger?
I wanted to get in to science, specifically terraforming (the forming the process of transforming a hostile environment into one suitable for human life) outside planets in our solar system.
Blimey! There’s no doubt you’re a good looking guy, but when did you become aware that your looks made you stand out?
I actually had a good friend who sat me down one day and told me that I was very handsome and that if I didn’t do anything with it it would be a waste.
Wow, that’s a nice friend. Had you always been very secure about your looks?
Ha, I have never been secure about my looks. I’m still not. I think that’s part of being human is learning to love your flaws.
Amen! You’ve got a great body, when did you start building it up?
I started weight trainingg when I was 16 but it wasn’t until my late 20s that I started seeing any real gains.
So what was your big break….?
I think it was my Internet following that really made people notice me most. So I have to say thank you to everybody that has ever liked anything online. Thank you guys!!!!
How did you fall in to go-go dancing?
Well, when I first moved to the city, I was asked to dance at a club and my best friend made me do it. But you know what? I’m glad she did!!
Apparently your grandfather supported your decision to dance.
My grand father and I have a great relationship! He is totally amazing, one of the funnest sweetest people I know. I’m so blessed to have a really loving supportive family that accepts me for who I am and what I do.
The movie you starred in, Getting Go, was supposedly loosely based on you… What was that experience like?
The entire Getting Go experience was surreal and really fun. I’m so fond of all those memories and the wonderful people who gave me that opportunity.
Did it give you the taste for acting?
Getting Go really was great, and oh yes, it definitely made me want to do more acting. If anyone out there wants to use me for anything, let me know – I’m interested.
There was a lot of sex and nudity in the film – was that nerve-wracking for your first foray into films?
Actually, I was totally comfortable in the nude scenes, though I have to admit whisky helped.
Are you pretty open about nudity and sex?
Sex and intimacy are not mutually exclusive for me so generally I’m a very open person.
You’re so handsome, did you have lots of potential boyfriends sniffing?
I have no boyfriends right now I would love one.
We can’t believe you’re single. Are you the kind of guy who wants to settle down or are you open to lots of adventures?
I would love to meet my future partner – I think that would be a great adventure.
We all have to be wary about safe sex these days.. Have you always been cautious about it?
I am cautious about sex, but I also do not want to live my life being afraid of love. I prefer a secure sexual relationship.
Take us back to when you were a kid… When did you realise you were gay?
I was always attracted to men, but when I watched the movie 54 with Ryan Phillippe it gave me a context and social dialogue in which to funnel those feelings.
Who was the first person you came out to?
The first person that I told about my feelings for men, was my friend Nicole. I was 14 and she was 16 and was very stylish and cool. She collected the queer kids at my school for her scocal circle.
How did your family take the news?
When I was 15, my mother found out that I had lost my virginity. And she cried. But I was a mature child and explained to her that people develop at different rates and that it was an experience I had wanted for a very long time.
During your teens were did you ever go through depression like a lot of young gay guys do?
Depression is a daily battle for me. I have to choose when I wake up to be happy and pursue the things that make my heart feel its best. It’s not easy, but I try and treat my physical self as a child and my spiritual self as its caretaker.
Do you feel like a role model to your younger fans?
I know I am a role model to younger generations. I get a lot of emails frequently from young men who tell me all sorts of stuff. It’s very sweet and it makes me feel good to be a light in someone else’s life.
You’re now designing clothes, was fashion something you were always interested in?
Yes, I realised at a young age the very powerful and persuasive qualities of fashion and marketing. I also really enjoy the archetual aspects of apparel.
Do you have a muse or do design what you want to wear ?
I don’t actually wear much of my own work. I’m too much of a perfectionist I really design for my close friends.
So what’s next on your to do list?
I’ve just started learning how to play music – it’s rewarding so far.
For more info about Matthew’s range and perfume 8.5, check here or follow him on Instagram
And check out the rather naughty ad for 8.5 here….
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