Matt Rife's biography: All about the comedian's life and relationships
Matt Rife is an American actor and comedian. He is best known as a leading cast member on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out. He is also famous for his self-produced comedy specials, including Only Fans, Matthew Steven Rife, and Walking Red Flag. His 2023 Netflix special, Natural Selection, earned him more fame and attention.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Did you know Matt Rife was the most budding comedian at the World Famous Laugh Factory? He made history as the youngest person to be featured on BET's ComicView. Here is all there is to know about the comedian's life and relationships.
Profile summary
| Full name | Matthew Steven Rife |
| Nickname | Matt |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 10 September 1995 |
| Age | 29 years (as of 2024) |
| Place of birth | Columbus, Ohio, United States of America |
| Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height | 6 ft (183 cm) |
| Weight | 172 lb (78 kg) |
| Body measurements | 40-32-36 in |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Green |
| Marital status | Single |
| Father | Michael Eric Gutzke (deceased) |
| Mother | April Rife |
| Siblings | 4 |
| Profession | Actor and comedian |
| Matt Rife's Instagram | @mattrife |
| @Comedian Matt Rife | |
| X | @mattrife |
| TikTok | @matt_rife |
| YouTube | @MattRifeComedy |
Who is Matt Rife?
Matthew Steven Rife, commonly known as Matt Rife, is an actor and comedian. He has appeared in Wild 'n Out, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Fresh Off the Boat. He is known for self-producing his comedy specials.
How old is Matt Rife?
Matt Rife's age is 29 years as of 2023. He was born on 10 September 1995, and his Zodiac sign is Virgo.
Where is Matt Rife from?
The famous comedian is from the United States of America, and his nationality is American. He was born in Columbus, Ohio.
He was raised in a small town in the Midwest state of Ohio. He later moved to Los Angeles, California. His ethnicity is White.
Family background
The comedian and actor was born to April Rife and Michael Eric Gutzke. His biological dad, Michael, took his life when the actor was only 17 months old.
The actor has four siblings: three older stepsisters and one younger half-sister. Matt Rife's mom, April, is the comedian's biggest fan and supporter.
Source: Original
Career
The comedian's journey started in his teen years. He showed an interest in comedy at 14 after a teacher informed him there would be a talent show at his high school.
He started performing professionally at 15. He grew up on Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Jim Varney, Robin Williams, and David Spade, so they influenced his style.
He got better platforms with time. Today, he is known for his self-produced comedy specials, as listed below.
- Only Fans (2021)
- Matthew Steven Rife (2023)
- Walking Red Flag (2023)
- Natural Selection (2023)
In 2019, he appeared on Bring the Funny, where he advanced to the Semi-Final Showcase. He was eliminated in the eighth week.
Fans can find his comedy on various online platforms. He is active on multiple social media platforms, including TikTok, where he has millions of followers.
The famous comedian goes on tours and hosts shows across the world. He has a dedicated website where fans get updates on his tours and purchase tickets. His site has a shop for his branded merchandise.
In May 2024, Matt Rife cancelled two comedy shows only hours before he was supposed to go onstage. At the time, he was on a North America and Europe tour, with one stop in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
He took to social media to announce the cancellation of the second show.
Due to a last minute medical emergency, I have to reschedule our shows tonight... I’ve been doing 40+ shows a month for a year and half and never had to do something like this.
He refunded those who had purchased tickets. An email received by ticket buyers from venues revealed that the cancellations were due to immediate health concerns. He resumed his tour in mid-June.
Matt Rife's movies and TV shows
Besides being a comedian, Matt Rife is an actor. He has appeared as a guest on Wild 'n Out, a sketch comedy and improv game show series. The comedian and actor has multiple acting credits, and some are listed in the table below.
| Title | Year | Role |
| Average Joe | 2014 | Danny |
| Room 236 | 2015 | Matt |
| Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything | 2015 - 2016 | Doyle O'Doyle |
| WTH: Welcome to Howler | 2016 | Jesse |
| Sophomore Year | 2017 | Jake Riker |
| Black Pumpkin | 2018 | Flash |
| The Debt | 2018 | Matt |
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine | 2019 | Brandon Bliss |
| American Typecast | 2019 | Robber #2 |
| Stalked by My Doctor: A Sleepwalker's Nightmare | 2019 | Leo |
| Fresh Off the Boat | 2020 | Logan |
| Burb Patrol | 2021 | Alex |
| After Masks | 2021 | Wolf (Segment "Winners") |
| The Elevator | 2021 | Michael |
| Death Link | 2021 | Darrin |
| Just Swipe | 2021 | Colin |
| North of the 10 | 2022 | Matt Downes |
| Wolf Mountain | 2022 | James |
| That 90s Show | 2024 | Travis |
| Beyond the Likes | 2024 | Mike Downes |
| Trapped Inn | 2024 | Connor |
| The Private Eye | 2024 | Mort Madison |
Who did Matt Rife play on Brooklyn Nine Nine?
The actor portrayed Brandon Bliss' character on the comedy television series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He appeared in one episode.
Is Matt Rife going to be on Netflix?
Yes, the comedian's comedy specials are on Netflix. They include Natural Selection, in which he makes fun of his problems with protection crystals, beef with social media trolls, and much more.
What is Matt Rife's net worth?
The comedian and actor is worth $50 million. He has amassed his fortune from his long-term acting and comedy career.
Is Matt Rife gay?
The famous comedian and actor is not gay. Matt Rife's relationships have been with women, proving that he is a heterosexual man. Besides, he has never come out as a gay person.
Is Matt Rife married?
No, the actor is yet to be married. In August 2023, the comedian and actor confirmed he was in a relationship. He did not reveal his girlfriend's name then.
It was later revealed that actress Jessica Lord was Matt Rife's girlfriend. In March 2024, it was confirmed that the comedian and Jessica Lord had ended their relationship.
Between 2017 and 2018, he dated Kate Beckinsale, a British actress. The relationship attracted plenty of attention because she is double Rife's age.
Beckinsale said that she never prioritised the relationship besides her daughter. She added that she broke up with the comedian because of her busy schedule.
Source: Getty Images
Matt Rife's controversy
Matt Rife was accused of making sexist jokes in one of his Netflix specials. The special starts with the comedian mocking a woman for having a black eye.
This is not his first controversy. In February 2023, he appeared on the Stiff Socks Podcast and made a harsh comment about women's bodies. The comment was criticised for being insensitive. It is worth noting that a large percentage of fans, especially on TikTok, is female.
In 2024, he made a joke that irked people because it was in support of domestic violence. Following the joke, he quipped:
Guys, I’m kidding. Domestic violence is not funny, ever, ever, on any comedy special ever.
Another controversy has been about Matt Rife's plastic surgery. For some time, there were speculations that he had undergone cosmetic procedures.
In his memoir Your Mom's Gonna Love Me, Matt discussed rumours that he had undergone plastic surgery. Pictures of Matt Rife before the alleged procedure show he was younger-looking. In his book, the comedian claimed the rumours started because:
My face got wider, my features became more prominent, I grew a few inches taller.
He went ahead to say that his bizarrely stunted journey through puberty caused the physical changes. He went from looking like a 13-year-old to looking like his actual age within a couple of months.
Matt Rife's height and weight
The comedian's height is 6 ft or 183 cm. He weighs about 172lb or 78 kg and has dark brown hair and green eyes.
Trivia
- He is represented by Primary Wave Entertainment.
- Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais are his two biggest influences in comedy.
- He has tattoos on his left arm and wrist.
- He loves to hit the gym to stay in shape. He enjoys weightlifting exercises, abs workouts, push-ups, and boxing.
- Ryan Reynolds is his favourite actor, and J. Cole is his favourite music artist.
- He is a huge animal lover, especially cats and dogs.
- He has a long-term crush on Zendaya.
Matt Rife is an American actor and comedian who has worked closely with other Hollywood celebrities. He has been performing since he was 15.
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