Competing in World Cups, singing on The Voice and starring in Guys and Dolls? Cerebral palsy hasn’t stopped Matthew Hearne from some major achievements – and he’s only twenty-five!
What was it like performing in Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour?
Incredible! It was my first commercial musical, and at the most unbelievable place to work every day. The cast was amazing. I got to work with some of the biggest names currently in the industry. Director Shaun Rennie is a brilliant creative, and so is our choreographer, Kelley Abbey! I’m not a dancer and wasn’t familiar with her work, but watching her dance was wonderful. Guy Simpson is a fantastic premier musical director who I also worked with on the concert production of Carousel. As for Cody Simpson, he may be the most talented man on the planet!
Before theatre, you played elite sports. Tell us about those teenage years.
The first thing I did was soccer, which I’ve been playing since I was five, and I then got into competitive swimming from around ten onwards. Within the Paralympic stream of swimming, I competed at quite a high level and held several records. I narrowly missed qualifying for the Rio Paralympics in the 100-metre butterfly, and at that point, I did away with it because I realised musical theatre was what I wanted to pursue.
“I’m bisexual and it took me a while to come to terms with it.”
And you represented Australia in Paralympic soccer as well?
When I was eleven, I got picked up by Paralympics Australia at a state level for NSW, then after a few years, I got into the Australian squad, which led to representing Australia at the 2015 Cerebral Palsy World Games. I continued to play football and went to my first World Championships in Argentina in 2017 and then the following year to the Asian Championships in Iran. However, I chose to perform in my high school musical, which was Hairspray, instead of being selected for my first Senior World Cup. At the time, I was torn between what I wanted to do, but I have no regrets about making that decision. My mum took me to see Les Misérables and I came away thinking I had to go play Link Larkin – instead of playing in a World Cup!
Matthew Hearne
How did you finally decide to switch careers from athlete to performer?
My last tour on the Australian soccer team was for the 2019 World Cup in Spain. At the time, I was in my first year at the Patrick School of the Arts in Melbourne, and my teacher said, “Matt, you’re going to have to choose something and be all in,” and I agreed. It had been a five-year journey, and I wanted to close off the chapter in a fitting way. Competing in my first World Cup and ticking that off the bucket list was something I had to do. I’m still not officially retired from football. The Paralympics are coming to Australia in 2032, and I’d like to compete in those. I’ve still got gas in the tank!
How did you break into professional theatre?
Funny enough, my graduating production in Melbourne was Guys & Dolls. But after I’d left, nobody wanted to hire me. To be completely honest, I wasn’t ready to be a professional. I’d been getting knocked back at auditions and struggled to find an agent. It took a few years of growth and learning in the real world until I decided I’d lived enough life to finally be a working actor. I think you need to see a bit of life and to know who you are as a human being first. The first paid gig I did was a workshop on a musical for the famous Australian novel, I Can Jump Puddles. That was with Antipodes Theatre Company, and I got to play a character with a disability. I found it quite a liberating experience.
“I was very hesitant to accept any part of me that wasn’t completely straight.”
How did being on The Voice come about?
I had performed the national anthem at a Socceroos match in 2023 after the Pararoos put me forward. It was the first time my teammates and coaches heard me sing, and they were impressed. That was in front of 35,000 people, and my local ABC radio station did an article about it. The people from The Voice saw it, loved my story and asked me to audition. At first, I was hesitant, but they were also keen on me championing the Pararoos. I realised I could use the platform to give something back to the community that had given so much to me.
Matthew Hearne playing soccer with The Pararoos
You decided to leave The Voice even though you were doing well. Was that a difficult decision?
Yes and no. I had the best time there, and the hardest part was leaving the friends I made. I knew I was not the type of singer who could win a show like that. My voice had certain weaknesses and limitations that some of the other competitors didn’t. But I also knew that musical theatre was where I wanted to be. The Voice was great exposure in opening doors, but at this stage of my life, I don’t have an interest in being a recording artist or writing my own music. But I was happy with the way I was portrayed, and the producers were very good to me. The people on the show are still some of my closest friends.
Both Kate Miller-Heidke and Adam Lambert competed to coach you.
Yes, they were both pitching for me, and Kate ended up blocking Adam. Adam grilled me when I left, which was not something I was expecting. He quite famously gave up his musical theatre career to do American Idol, which went very well for him. I don’t know if he was playing devil’s advocate or if he genuinely felt as though I made the wrong choice, but looking back now, the whole thing was such a fever dream.
Matthew Hearne
You identify as He, They. Can you explain a bit about that journey?
I’m bisexual and it took me a while to come to terms with it. I grew up in a world of elite sport in Wollongong, NSW, not that it’s a bigoted or conservative town, but it wasn’t at a time of being at the forefront of progression and change. I went through high school having people speculate about me because I was doing musical theatre. I felt very protective of my identity in a ‘Troy Bolton-esque’ way, as he was the sports guy who loved performing in High School Musical.
That’s a common story for many students with diverse talents.
Yeah, I was very hesitant to accept any part of me that wasn’t completely straight. I also had some difficult relationships with people in my life, which, in the long run, kind of stunted my coming to terms with my sexuality and the way I perceived queerness. But I eventually found my people and was in a safe space. I was able to express myself in coming to terms with it, but it’s not something I’ve made a huge deal about, because I’m comfortable with my queerness.
Matthew Hearne
Have you had relationships with men?
I haven’t. I’ve had feelings for men, and I’ve certainly felt attraction to men and still do, but for whatever reason, it’s just not the way my romantic life has panned out. I have kissed men, but I haven’t experimented as such. It’s something I have mixed feelings about, and I feel that bisexual guilt is also a thing. I just know that I’m bi, but it hasn’t been on the cards yet to experience or experiment fully.
“I’ve had feelings for men, and I’ve certainly felt attraction to men and still do.”
And your partner was in Guys & Dolls with you?
Yes, I’m in a long-term relationship with Sienna Embrey, and she’s very accepting of my queerness. I’m completely comfortable with the person I am, and I don’t feel the need to prove myself to anyone. I’m always happy to chat with anyone about it, in the same way that I grew up needing to be comfortable talking about my disability. Both my parents are P.E. teachers, and I’ve been guided to never have issues talking about any topics that are potentially taboo or uncomfortable.
You’ve had roles in The Grinning Man, The Hello Girls, Parade, I Can Jump Puddles, and Wise Guy. Is there a dream role you’re yet to play?
I’d love to do anything in the Les Misérables canon, as that’s the show that got me into musicals. I played Jean Valjean in high school. I’d love to be a part of all the big ones like Phantom of the Opera, but one of the big roles for me is Dmitry in Anastasia. I’ve been manifesting to get that to Australia for a look-in!
Matthew Hearne on The Voice
You normally rock an awesome moustache. Did you shave that off for Guys & Dolls?
Yes, but I’ll grow it back. I think it’s my best look and something I feel rather attached to. I don’t have a lot of ego when it comes to acting and performing, and I’ll look how I need to look for a part, but I do miss the mo!
It certainly helped when you dressed as Freddie Mercury a while back.
That was for Halloween one year, and Sienna did my hair. I have to give her a lot of the credit, but also to the Hoover vacuum cleaner I carried around that night!
Follow Matt on Instagram @matthearne_
