# Matt Lattanzi
**Matt Lattanzi** (Matthew Vincent Lattanzi) is an American former actor and dancer, born in 1959 in [Portland, Oregon](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-oregon), whose screen career ran from a dancing debut in *Xanadu* (1980) through a starring role in *My Tutor* (1983) and supporting parts in films such as *Grease 2* (1982) and *Roxanne* (1987). He is also widely known as the first husband of the singer and actress [Olivia Newton-John](https://www.edgepedia.org/olivia-newton-john), whom he met on the set of *Xanadu*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490402/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name, birth | Matthew Vincent Lattanzi, born 1959 in Portland, Oregon; height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490402/bio/) |
| Screen debut | Dancer in the 1980 musical fantasy *Xanadu*, credited as Young Danny McGuire / Xanadu Dancer[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/) |
| Best-known starring role | Bobby Chrystal in the 1983 teen comedy *My Tutor*[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/) |
| Other film roles | Jim in *Rich and Famous* (1981), Brad in *Grease 2* (1982), Larry Bartlet in *That's Life!* (1986), Trent in *Roxanne* (1987), Denny Logan in *Blueberry Hill* (1988), Dylan Malone in *Catch Me If You Can* (1989), Jerome Colter in *Diving In* (1990)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi) |
| Television | Cooper Hart in the Australian serial *Paradise Beach* (1993), main cast of 130 episodes[4](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/screen-guide/paradise-beach-series-1-7611/) |
| Marriage | Married Olivia Newton-John on December 15, 1984; divorced 1995; one daughter, Chloe Lattanzi[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490402/bio/) |
## Background
Lattanzi grew up in Portland, Oregon, in a large family. His father, Charles Paul Lattanzi (1930 to 2008), known as Chuck, was a son of Italian immigrants, Vincent and Rose Lattanzi; his mother is of Polish ancestry.[5](https://www.ancientfaces.com/surname/lattanzi-family-history/181361) Charles married Jeanette Slowikowski in Portland in 1951, and Matthew was one of their nine children.[5](https://www.ancientfaces.com/surname/lattanzi-family-history/181361)
## Film career
**Debut in [Xanadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/xanadu-film).** Lattanzi's first film work was as a dancer in *Xanadu* (1980), a musical fantasy starring Olivia Newton-John, in which he was credited as Young Danny McGuire / Xanadu Dancer.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/) The film itself was poorly received, but Newton-John later said her biggest benefit from the *Xanadu* experience was meeting Lattanzi, whom she first saw roller-skating and who then stood in before a leading man was cast.[6](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/Billboard-Book-of-Number-One-Hits-1988--221117.pdf)
**The 1980s roles.** From the dancing part he moved into small acting parts: Jim in *Rich and Famous* (1981) with [Jacqueline Bisset](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacqueline-bisset), and Brad in *Grease 2* (1982) with [Maxwell Caulfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/maxwell-caulfield).[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi) His most prominent starring role came as Bobby Chrystal in the 1983 teen comedy *My Tutor*, released by Crown International Pictures.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi) He continued through the decade with Larry Bartlet in the [Jack Lemmon](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-lemmon) comedy *That's Life!* (1986), Trent in the Steve Martin comedy *Roxanne* (1987), Denny Logan in *Blueberry Hill* (1988), Dylan Malone in *Catch Me If You Can* (1989), and Jerome Colter in *Diving In* (1990).[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi)
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, *Catch Me If You Can* (1989) holds his highest listed rating at 79 percent, while *Grease 2* holds his lowest at 22 percent; on Metacritic, *Roxanne* scores highest among his films at 73 and *My Tutor* lowest at 17.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi) • [2](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/)
## Television and music videos
Lattanzi's main television role was Cooper Hart, an adventurous fashion photographer, in the Australian half-hour serial *Paradise Beach*, set on the [Gold Coast](https://www.edgepedia.org/gold-coast); the first series ran 130 episodes of 30 minutes each, completed in 1993.[4](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/screen-guide/paradise-beach-series-1-7611/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-20-tv-4992-story.html) A Los Angeles Times report on the show's American sale described him as the cast member probably best known to U.S. audiences.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-20-tv-4992-story.html)
## Marriage to Olivia Newton-John
Lattanzi and Newton-John met during the filming of *Xanadu* in 1980 and married on December 15, 1984; their daughter Chloe was born in 1986, and the marriage ended in divorce in 1995.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490402/bio/) • [8](https://www.thepeerage.com/p72866.htm) During the marriage he worked alongside her professionally as well: a 1990 profile described him as an actor and homebuilder reviewing blueprints at the family's kitchen table, and Newton-John credited him with helping launch the sexier look of her *Soul Kiss* video and album.[9](https://onlyolivia.com/memorabilia/presscut/90s/90-04-16-us-us-01.html) • [10](https://www.onlyolivia.com/memorabilia/presscut/80s/85-12-14-au-new_idea-01.html)
He married again after the divorce, to Cindy Jessup; sources disagree on the year, giving either 1997 or 1999, and that marriage also ended in divorce, in 2007.[8](https://www.thepeerage.com/p72866.htm) • [11](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Matt%2BLattanzi-58126/biography)
## Later life
Around 1992, Lattanzi's acting work had essentially ended, and he began working in construction for a homebuilder in California.[12](https://auteurgraph.com/person/matt-lattanzi/ratings) A 1990 magazine profile had already described him working in home construction while married to Newton-John.[9](https://onlyolivia.com/memorabilia/presscut/90s/90-04-16-us-us-01.html) Database listings now describe him as a former actor and dancer, best known for *My Tutor* and for *Paradise Beach*.[13](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/matt-lattanzi)
## References
1. [Matt Lattanzi – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490402/bio/)
2. [Matt Lattanzi – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/matt-lattanzi/)
3. [Matt Lattanzi Movies List – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/matt_lattanzi)
4. [Paradise Beach series 1 – Screen Australia](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/screen-guide/paradise-beach-series-1-7611/)
5. [Lattanzi Family History: Last Name Origin & Meaning – AncientFaces](https://www.ancientfaces.com/surname/lattanzi-family-history/181361)
6. [OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, Billboard Book of Number One Hits (1988), AmericanRadioHistory](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Radio-Programming/Billboard-Book-of-Number-One-Hits-1988--221117.pdf)
7. ["Paradise" Found Down Under – Los Angeles Times, June 20, 1993](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-20-tv-4992-story.html)
8. [Matthew Vincent Lattanzi – ThePeerage](https://www.thepeerage.com/p72866.htm)
9. [Queen Of Mellow – Warm & Tender, US magazine profile, April 1990](https://onlyolivia.com/memorabilia/presscut/90s/90-04-16-us-us-01.html)
10. [We Want only the best for this baby – New Idea, December 14, 1985](https://www.onlyolivia.com/memorabilia/presscut/80s/85-12-14-au-new_idea-01.html)
11. [Matt Lattanzi Bio – Filmweb](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Matt%2BLattanzi-58126/biography)
12. [Matt Lattanzi Ratings – AuteurGraph](https://auteurgraph.com/person/matt-lattanzi/ratings)
13. [Matt Lattanzi Movies on Netflix – NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/matt-lattanzi)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Ki to La*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license