Matthew Rodrigues ’04
Class of 2004, B.F.A. in Acting major
Matthew Rodriguez
“Studying theatre helped me to discover and explore all the different parts of my personality and gave me confidence to make bold choices. The actor in me loves to bring a lot of energy, physicality, and humor to my hosting work.”
– Matthew Rodriguez ’04 (A longtime staple of the Hollywood entertainment scene as anchor of the celebrity and lifestyle TV program POPSUGAR and as a live broadcast reporter from the Academy Awards. He’s worked with leading names in the industry such as Hilton, Cirque du Soleil, CBS’s The Talk, Wanderlust, ABC’s The View and FOX.)
When Matthew Rodrigues heard about Marymount Manhattan College through a high school friend, he knew that the “small school in a big city” was the perfect place for him to hone his skills and prepare for a successful career.
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts in 2004, Rodrigues made the move to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams, but quickly realized it wouldn’t be as easy as planned.
After living in Los Angeles for some time, he was ready to pack his bags and head back to New York City because he “just wasn’t getting a break in his hosting career.”
As fate would have it, a close friend mentioned that an up-and-coming company called POPSUGAR created online video content and needed on-camera hosts. After acquiring a ticket to the opening of POPSUGAR’s new studio, Rodrigues walked up to the founder of the company, Lisa Sugar, and said, “I love your company and what you do, and I think it’s time you have a male host.” Two weeks and three auditions later, he had the job.
As a host, Rodrigues has interviewed an array of big names in entertainment, including Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, and Hugh Jackman. Rodrigues credits his time at MMC for making him the multifaceted industry personality he is today.
This spotlight originally appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of MMC Magazine.
Class Year and Major
Class of 2004, B.F.A. in Acting major
Testimonial
“Studying theatre helped me to discover and explore all the different parts of my personality and gave me confidence to make bold choices. The actor in me loves to bring a lot of energy, physicality, and humor to my hosting work.”
– Matthew Rodriguez ’04 (A longtime staple of the Hollywood entertainment scene as anchor of the celebrity and lifestyle TV program POPSUGAR and as a live broadcast reporter from the Academy Awards. He’s worked with leading names in the industry such as Hilton, Cirque du Soleil, CBS’s The Talk, Wanderlust, ABC’s The View and FOX.)
