In-Depth Feature

Beyond the Bow: The Methodical Craft of Matthew Daddario

Source: The Hollywood Reporter (Virtual Sit-Down) | Date: November 10, 2025

To many, he is the definitive Alec Lightwood. But to reduce Matthew Daddario to his iconic role is to miss the point entirely. This is an actor not defined by fame, but by a quiet, analytical dedication to craft. We sat down with him to discuss his methodical process, his deliberate move to independent film, and the intellectual curiosity that fuels every role.

The ‘Shadowhunters’ Legacy: More Than Representation

When discussing *Shadowhunters*, Daddario is thoughtful and pragmatic. “You can’t go into a job thinking about legacy,” he states. “You have to think about the scene. You have to think about the truth of the moment.” For him, the global impact of Alec Lightwood’s journey was a byproduct of focusing on a single, fundamental principle: honesty.

“The fan response was, and continues to be, humbling,” Daddario explains. “But what Harry [Shum Jr.] and I focused on was ensuring the relationship felt earned. Alec’s journey wasn’t just about his sexuality; it was about his identity as a leader, a son, and a brother, all crashing against his personal truth.” He describes his process for the role as “internal.” Alec, especially in season one, was a character defined by his restrictions. “It was an exercise in subtraction,” he says. “What does this character *not* say? How does he hold himself? He was a coiled spring, and the entire multi-season arc was about slowly, painfully letting that tension go. The joy of the role was in that gradual release, in finally allowing him to breathe.”

“I’m not interested in being famous. I’m interested in being a working actor for the next 40 years. You have to be your own primary audience.”

— Matthew Daddario

The Comedic Pivot: Deconstructing in ‘Why Women Kill’

His choice to follow *Shadowhunters* with the role of Scooter, a vain and dim-witted aspiring actor, was a shock to many. Daddario sees it as a necessity. “After six years of intense, world-ending drama, I was desperate to do something fun. I needed to remind myself, and the industry, that I wasn’t just one thing.”

He approached the comedy with the same analytical rigor as his drama. “Comedy is mathematics. It’s rhythm. With Alec, the performance was about what was *under* the surface. With Scooter, the performance *was* the surface. There was nothing underneath. He was pure, unadulterated vanity, and that’s a hilarious and sad thing to play. You have to commit to the absurdity without winking at the audience. You have to believe in the character’s ridiculousness as much as he does.”

“With Alec, the performance was about what was *under* the surface. With Scooter, the performance *was* the surface. There was nothing underneath.”

— Matthew Daddario

The New Chapter: The Indie Spirit of ‘The Last Ember’

His current focus is squarely on the independent film circuit. His upcoming lead role in the thriller ‘The Last Ember’ continues this trend. “The scripts are just better,” he says bluntly. “In the indie world, the story is the product. In the studio world, the *film* is the product. It’s a subtle but crucial difference.”

In ‘The Last Ember’, he plays a reclusive historian. “What fascinated me was the character’s relationship with the past. He’s a man who is more comfortable with dead languages and dusty books than he is with living people. The story forces him into the present, and all that intellectual armor he’s built up just shatters. That’s the good stuff. That’s what I want to do.”

He also credits his passion for photography, a solitary hobby, with informing his acting. “Photography is 99% observation. It’s about patience. It’s about understanding light. Acting is the same. You observe human behavior, you wait, and you understand the ‘light’ of the character—what illuminates them, what keeps them in shadow. Both are, at their core, the study of what it means to be human.”

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