{{Short description|Canadian comedian and actor}} thumb|Martin Matte 2017 '''Martin Matte''' (born April 14, 1970) is a Canadian stand-up comedian and actor from Laval, Quebec. He created and starred in the television sitcom ''Les Beaux malaises'', and is the current spokesperson for Quebec grocery store chain Maxi, a position he has held since 2016.<ref name=kelly>Brendan Kelly, [https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/les-beaux-malaises-martin-matte-invites-anglos-to-be-in-on-the-joke "Les beaux malaises' Martin Matte invites anglos to be in on the joke"]. ''Montreal Gazette'', May 12, 2016.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fournier |first=Marie-Eve |date=2016-11-21 |title=Maxi embauche Martin Matte pour redorer son image |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/economie/marketing-et-publicite/201611/21/01-5043518-maxi-embauche-martin-matte-pour-redorer-son-image.php |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=La Presse |language=fr-CA}}</ref>
==Career== Matte studied marketing and administration at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and comedy at the École nationale de l'humour, before beginning his career as a radio host on CKOI-FM and CKMF-FM.<ref name=gaudet>Agnès Gaudet, [https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2015/02/20/martin-matte "Martin Matte"]. ''Le Journal de Montréal'', February 20, 2015.</ref>
===Stand-up comedy=== While working as a radio host he began to perform as a stand-up comedian, winning the award for Revelation of the Year at the Gala Les Olivier in 1999.<ref name=gaudet/>
In 2000 he launched his first solo stand-up comedy show, ''Histoires vraies'', following up with ''Condamné à l'excellence'' in 2007<ref>Pierre O. Nadeau, [https://www.journaldequebec.com/2009/11/19/martin-matte-condamne-a-lenrichissement "Martin Matte condamné. à l'enrichissement!"]. ''Le Journal de Québec'', November 19, 2009.</ref> and ''Eh la la...!'' in 2017.<ref>Véronique Lauzon, [https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/spectacles-et-theatre/humour-et-varietes/201709/20/01-5134927-martin-matte-le-gars-dun-seul-projet.php "Martin Matte, le gars d'un seul projet"]. ''La Presse'', September 20, 2017.</ref> He has won numerous Olivier and Artis awards for his comedy shows, as well as the Félix Award for Best Comedy Album for ''Condamné à l'excellence'' in 2010.<ref>"Le chanteur Maxime Landry gagne deux Félix à l'Autre gala de l'ADISQ: Maxime Landry gagne deux Félix à l'Autre gala". Canadian Press, November 1, 2010.</ref>
Netflix recorded a performance on the ''Eh la la...!'' tour for the comedy special ''La vie, la mort...eh la la..!'', making Matte the first Quebec comedian to get his own Netflix special.<ref>Stéphane Morneau, [https://journalmetro.com/culture/ecrans/2388044/martin-matte-sur-netflix-en-terrains-connus/ "Martin Matte sur Netflix : en terrains connus"]. ''Métro'', October 15, 2019.</ref>
In 2023, Matte became slated to host a short-run prime time talk show on TVA.<ref>Vanessa Hébert, [https://www.7jours.ca/2023/03/24/martin-matte-propose-un-avant-gout-de-son-nouveau-talk-show-et-ca-promet "Martin Matte propose un avant-goût de son nouveau talk-show, et ça promet"]. ''7 Jours'', March 24, 2023.</ref>
===Acting=== [[File:Martin Matte 2016.png|thumb|upright=0.75|Matte at Gala Les Olivier in 2016]] He had early supporting roles in the television series ''km/h'' and ''Les Bougon''.
He had a regular role as Bruno Gagnon in the Quebec version of ''Caméra Café'', playing the role from 2002 to 2006 before returning to the series in 2009.<ref>Dany Bouchard, [https://www.journaldequebec.com/2009/02/23/martin-matte-rentre-au-bureau "Martin Matte rentre au bureau"]. ''Le Journal de Québec'', February 23, 2009.</ref>
''Les Beaux malaises'', which starred Matte as a fictionalized version of himself in a comedy based on his own family life, premiered on TVA in 2014.<ref name=kelly/> It ran for three seasons until 2016,<ref>Marc-André Lemieux, [https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2016/03/14/martin-matte-boucle-iles-beaux-malaises-i "Martin Matte boucle Les beaux malaises"]. ''La Presse'', March 14, 2016.</ref> before ending with a special episode in 2017.<ref>Stéphanie Nolin, [https://showbizz.net/tele/hilarante-bande-annonce-de-la-finale-des-beaux-malaises-presentee-ce-dimanche "Hilarante bande-annonce de la finale des Beaux malaises présentée ce dimanche"]. ''Showbizz'', January 18, 2017.</ref> Matte won two Gémeaux Awards for best actor in a comedy series during the show's original run, in 2014<ref>[https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/684550/prix-gemeaux-gala "Gémeaux : l'émission Les beaux malaises s'illustre"]. Ici Radio-Canada, September 14, 2014.</ref> and 2015.<ref>[https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/739948/30e-gala-des-prix-gemeaux "Un autre triplé pour Les beaux malaises au Gala des Gémeaux"]. Ici Radio-Canada, September 20, 2015.</ref> It then returned for a single new season in 2021.<ref>Marie-Lise Rousseau, [https://journalmetro.com/culture/2605256/de-beaux-et-sombres-malaises/ "De beaux et sombres malaises"]. ''Métro'', January 26, 2021.</ref>
He has also appeared in the films ''Nitro'' and ''Threesome (Le Trip à trois)''.<ref>Éric Moreault, [https://www.lesoleil.com/arts/le-trip-a-trois-debandade-13208b5601964e7768f2a5f79bc52f0e "Le trip à trois: débandade"]. ''Le Soleil'', December 19, 2017.</ref>
In May 2026 Matte produced and starred in a Netflix original series entitled Vitrerie Joyal, The Glass House in English. It is a quasi biographical account of him and his family.
==Fondation Martin-Matte== In 1986, Matte's brother Christian suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, which permanently impaired his short-term memory.<ref>Élisabeth Lepage-Boily, [https://showbizz.net/stars/martin-matte-se-rappelle-laccident-de-son-frere-dans-un-texte-dechirant "Martin Matte se rappelle l'accident de son frère dans un texte déchirant"]. ''Showbizz'', August 28, 2021.</ref> Frustrated by the lack of resources for people in his brother's situation, in 2007 Matte launched the Fondation Martin-Matte, which finances the construction of adaptive housing facilities and other social and recreational projects to improve quality of life for brain injury survivors.<ref>Hugo Pilon-Larose, [https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/nouvelles/201503/24/01-4855098-une-maison-martin-matte-a-blainville.php "Une maison Martin-Matte à Blainville"]. ''La Presse'', March 24, 2015.</ref>
As of 2023, the foundation operates eight Maison Martin-Matte facilities across Quebec, with others under construction.<ref>Mélanie Côté, [https://www.lequotidien.com/actualites/2023/05/26/saguenay-pourrait-avoir-sa-maison-martin-matte-AXRXSKGYEBBXNAWOTRXXJ7LUUM/ "Saguenay pourrait avoir sa Maison Martin-Matte"]. ''Le Quotidien'', May 26, 2023.</ref> Actor and writer Fabien Cloutier, who played the fictionalized version of Christian in ''Les Beaux malaises'', is also a spokesman for the organization.<ref>[https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/tetes-d-affiche/2021-03-06/525-000-en-bougeant-dehors.php "525 000$ en bougeant dehors"]. ''La Presse'', March 6, 2021.</ref>
In 2022, Christian Matte was featured in a rare television appearance, alongside Martin on Télé-Québec's documentary series ''L'Avenir nous appartient''.<ref>Adam Bourbonnière, [https://www.7jours.ca/2022/02/10/rare-et-beau-moment-televisuel-entre-martin-matte-et-son-frere-christian "Rare et beau moment télévisuel entre Martin Matte et son frère, Christian"]. ''7 Jours'', February 10, 2022.</ref>
==Personal life== Matte and his wife, Vicky Pomerleau, split in 2017,<ref>Sandrine Vincent, [https://www.journaldequebec.com/2017/07/26/martin-matte-nest-plus-en-couple "Martin Matte n'est plus en couple"]. ''Le Journal de Québec'', July 26, 2017.</ref> which formed part of the storyline for the 2021 revival of ''Les Beaux malaises''.<ref>[https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/penelope/segments/entrevue/340765/les-beaux-malaises-martin-matte-divorce "Martin Matte : le beau malaise de la séparation"]. Ici Radio-Canada Première, January 26, 2021.</ref> He has more recently been romantically linked with actress Laurence Leboeuf.<ref>Élizabeth Lepage-Boily, [https://showbizz.net/humour/stephane-rousseau-taquine-martin-matte-sur-sa-relation-avec-laurence-leboeuf-et-les-couteaux-volent-bas "Stéphane Rousseau taquine Martin Matte sur sa relation avec Laurence Leboeuf et les couteaux volent bas"]. ''Showbizz'', November 24, 2022.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1042939}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Matte, Martin}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian comedians Category:21st-century Canadian male actors Category:Canadian male comedians Category:Canadian stand-up comedians Category:Canadian philanthropists Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Félix Award winners Category:Comedians from Quebec Category:Male actors from Quebec Category:People from Laval, Quebec Category:Canadian radio personalities Category:Université du Québec à Montréal alumni