Perry Mattfeld

Last updated
Perry Mattfeld
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Spouse
(m. 2023)

Perry Mattfeld is an American actress and producer. She is known for her portrayal of a blind woman in The CW crime drama In the Dark , as well for her role in the sports comedy Chad Powers . In her early career, she played small roles as Mel in Shameless and FrankenGirl in Wizards of Waverly Place.

Contents

Early life

Mattfeld grew up in Long Beach, California. [1] Her mother is of Mexican descent. Her grandparents and great-grandparents were entertainers. [2] She participated in ballet from the age of five, studying dancing for the following nine years under the guidance of Debbie Allen. By the age of 12, she was a full-fledged employee of Mattel when she played Kirsten Larson and Kit Kittredge as part of Mattel's American Girl Dolls musical theater troupe. [1]

She graduated from Long Beach Poly High School and attended college at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting in 2016. [3] [4] She participated in cheerleading at both schools. [5]

Career

In her first starring role, in The CW crime comedy-drama, In the Dark (2019–2022), she plays a blind woman. For this part, she learned skills for coping with blindness such as using a guide dog and sending text messages with voice commands. She shadowed a blind person, on whose life the show is based, to observe how she did ordinary things. [4] Fans have reportedly believed that she was blind herself. [6] [7] Although the show has received criticism for not using an actual blind actress, the producer says she was "best for the role" despite having auditioned blind actresses. [7]

Mattfeld next played an assistant football coach Ricky Hudson in the comedy Chad Powers , which began airing on Hulu in September 2025. She described playing Hudson a “dream role” to The Hollywood Report because of her connection to football through cheerleading and through her husband, who is a former NFL player. [8]

Personal life

Mattfeld and former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez got engaged in May 2022. [9] The couple married in Oaxaca, Mexico on May 28, 2023. [10] Mattfeld gave birth to twin daughters with Sanchez in March 2025. [11]

Filmography

Film

List of films and roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2007AmazoBoy!SamanthaShort film
2011 The Girl in the Flammable Skirt AimeeShort film
2012My Mind the Love StoryAlexShort film
2022 A Little White Lie LaylaFeature film
Mending the Line LucyFeature film
Who Invited Them SashaFeature film
2024 The Idea of You EvaFeature film

Television

List of television appearances and roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2008The Norton Avenue All-StarsAmanda Hammerschmidt

'The Hammer'

Television film
2009 Wizards of Waverly Place FrankenGirl (Frankie Stein)2 episodes [1]
20114th and ForeverHerself - Cheerleader4 episodes
2012Secret Diary of an American CheerleaderSuzieEpisode: "Angels in the Area" [1]
2013Escape from PolygamyBonnieleeTelevision film [1]
2017 Stitchers Monica ChamberlainEpisode: "Kill It Forward" [1]
2017–2018 Shameless MelRecurring role [1]
2018 Homecoming Makeover AssociateEpisode: "Helping"
2019CarrierPam2 episodes
2019–2022 In The Dark Murphy MasonLead role
2025-present Long Bright River Paula
2025-present Chad Powers Ricky

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Perry Mattfeld Goes "In The Dark"". goldenglobes.com. May 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  2. "ViacomCBS Press Express | in the Dark".
  3. Bokan, Medeleine (June 25, 2020). "How Perry Mattfeld Went From USC Student To CW TV Star". Her Campus. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Raga, Pippa (July 17, 2019). "For What It's Worth, 'In the Dark' Auditioned Plenty of Actresses with Visual Impairments Before Landing on Perry Mattfeld". Distractify. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  5. Radloff, Jessica (2025-09-30). "'Chad Powers' Breakout Star Perry Mattfeld Was Born for This Role". Glamour. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  6. "Perry Mattfeld finds ways to handle demands of 'In the Dark'". June 22, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Leland, Andrew (July 1, 2021). "Is There a Right Way to Act Blind?". The New York Times.
  8. Carson, Lexi (2025-09-30). "For 'Chad Powers' Star Perry Mattfeld, Football Is a "Full-Time Job"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  9. Jakiel, Olivia (May 13, 2022). "In the Dark Star Perry Mattfeld and Mark Sanchez Are Engaged — See the Stunning Photos!". People .
  10. Esquibias, Liza; Strohm, Emily. "'Shameless' Actress Perry Mattfeld Marries Mark Sanchez in Mexico: 'Better Than I Ever Imagined' (Exclusive)". People. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  11. Graham, Matthew (2025-10-05). "Who is Mark Sanchez's wife Perry Mattfeld?". The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. Retrieved 2025-10-15.