By skyforbes 
…Never be the one to tell yourself no. Let somebody else tell you no. Don’t look at a breakdown for a 16-year-old and count yourself out. I’m not 16, but I’ve booked a bunch of those roles. I’ve seen some that are like, “needs to be able to professionally sing.” I’m not a trained singer, but hey, I booked this thing that worked out for me. Let someone else tell you no…
We had the pleasure of talking with Nicole Mattox, an actress who has found a unique and powerful niche in modern media. At a time of shrinking attention spans, she has become the undisputed queen of “verticals,” the bite-sized, soapy dramas filmed specifically for your phone screen. It’s a world she stumbled into, but one she has since come to dominate with a surprising blend of professional grit and genuine heart.
Mattox’s story begins not in the neon glow of Hollywood, but in the small, military town of Schertz, Texas. “It’s the German Schertz, not like a shirt you wear,” she clarifies with a laugh. With a fighter pilot father and a news anchor mother, she grew up in a world of discipline and public-facing life. “I always grew up around cameras and public events,” she recalls. “I knew that was an option for me, but I loved the stage.” The acting bug bit early. Her mom put her in a play at five years old, and the effect was immediate. “She said you could just see me light up the second I started acting. I immediately fell in love with the craft.”
For years, she thought Broadway was her destiny, but a self-aware assessment of her singing voice shifted her focus. “I can carry a tune, but I’m not a Broadway-level singer,” she admits. Instead, she turned toward the camera, deciding to first learn the ropes from the other side. She enrolled in the film program at the University of Texas, a decision she’s still grateful for. “It gave me a whole new appreciation for how to be an actor that’s easy to work with, not just knowing the craft, but also knowing the formalities of being on set and how to make other people’s jobs easier.”
Her first professional role came before she even left Texas, a part in a low-budget feature film she booked from her very first audition. The experience solidified her path. “As soon as I did that, I knew I couldn’t do anything else,” she says. But the initial ease of that first booking was quickly replaced by the harsh reality of Los Angeles, where success was far from guaranteed. The auditions piled up, and the industry was grinding to a halt due to the pandemic and subsequent strikes.
Then came the “verticals.” Her agent sent her an offer for a one-day role as a “supportive sister character” in something called a “mobisode.” Mattox had been avoiding these projects, not quite understanding the format. “I went, even though I had been actively avoiding submitting to those because I didn’t get it,” she explains. But what she found on set changed her perspective entirely. “I got on that set and realized it was a legit production. There was a whole crew, script supervisors, wardrobe, makeup. People were taking the craft very seriously.”
She started auditioning for them and quickly booked the lead in a series called The Unwanted Bride of Aus Fan. At first, she was hesitant to even tell people about it. “I thought, ‘Oh man, I don’t know if I should even tell people I’m doing this. Some of the names are weird, and it’s a soap opera, so it’s really cringey acting,’” she confesses. “On set, they’re always saying, ‘Give me more, more soapy, go bigger,’ which is not my style of acting at all. So I thought, ‘Oh no, maybe I shouldn’t tell anybody about this. No one will see it, it’s fine.’ And it blew up. Everyone saw it.”
The world of verticals is a wild one, defined by fast-paced production and dramatic flair. Mattox has stories that sound like battle-tested memories from a cinematic bootcamp. She recalls filming a rain scene for one of her first projects, standing under a hose for five hours on a cold November night while every other character had an umbrella. “It was so 2023-vertical of, ‘This is what we have to work with, let’s go,’” she laughs. But through the shivering, she felt nothing but joy. “Everybody was asking, ‘Oh my God, are you okay?’ and I was like, ‘I’m having the best time of my life freezing in the rain.’”
It’s this attitude, a mix of gratitude and resilience, that seems to fuel her. She’s learned to navigate the industry’s challenges by staying grounded. One of her biggest lessons came from an acting coach who told her to stop hiding behind characters. “Finally, my coach was like, ‘Stop. Just stop trying to do these things that you’re not. Act from yourself first and foremost,’” she shares. It was a breakthrough. “Since I started just living the circumstance as if these things were happening to me, I’ve booked significantly more.”
Now, with dozens of projects and millions of views to her name, Nicole Mattox is looking forward. She recently wrapped a vertical series that involved recording original music and has a zombie action film called Red Days on the horizon. She sees her platform as more than just a career; it’s a chance to connect. She often receives messages from young women who find strength in her characters. “The biggest thing I would want to inspire, especially with young women, is that you’re enough, and being yourself is the most important thing,” she says passionately. “I would like to inspire a confidence movement.” From a small town in Texas to the vertical screen in your pocket, Nicole Mattox is proving that great stories, and great careers, can come in any size.
Yitzi: Nicole Mattox, it’s such a delight to meet you.
Nicole: It’s a delight to meet you, too. I’ve heard really good things about you. My publicist, Mia, said the best things. She said, “You’re gonna love him.”
Yitzi: Oh, thank you. I’m so glad. It’s my goal now to exceed those expectations.
Nicole: I believe in you. I think you can do it. (Laughs)
Yitzi: Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share a story from your childhood, how you grew up, and what planted the seeds for the amazing work that has come since?
Nicole: My origin story, I like that. What has made me? I love that question. I grew up in a small town in Texas called Schertz, S-C-H-E-R-T-Z. It’s the German Schertz, not like a shirt you wear. It was a small, military community; my dad was a fighter pilot in the Air Force. My mom was a news anchor, though, so I always grew up around cameras and public events. I knew that was an option for me, but I loved the stage. My mom put me in a play when I was five years old, and she said you could just see me light up the second I started acting. I immediately fell in love with the craft.
My whole life, I loved the stage. I thought I was going to end up on Broadway, but then I heard myself sing and found out Broadway might not be for me. I can carry a tune, but I’m not a Broadway-level singer. Since my mom was around cameras, I figured I would give that a try, but I wanted to learn the production side of things first. The University of Texas has a phenomenal film program, so I decided to go there and learn production. I’m so thankful for that because it gave me a whole new appreciation for how to be an actor that’s easy to work with, not just knowing the craft, but also knowing the formalities of being on set and how to make other people’s jobs easier. I produced a show for a year and then moved out to LA and said, “Time to just do it.” So that’s the condensed version of how I got to where I am.
Yitzi: Please tell us the next chapter. Tell us about your first breaks and how your career evolved from the beginning.
Nicole: I got my very first paid professional role while I was still in Texas. A director was shooting a commercial for my mom’s work. My mom mentioned to someone on set that I was about to move to LA in the next three months to pursue acting. He came up and said, “Hey, I’m actually casting a feature film I’m directing right now. Do you mind if I get your daughter’s information? I’d love for her to come audition before we lose her to LA.” I booked the role.
I was one of those stories; the very first audition I ever did, I booked. It was a super low-budget movie, but it was so much fun. As soon as I did that, I knew I couldn’t do anything else. This is all I want to do. I did that movie, had the best experience, and then came to LA, where I had a harder time booking. Instead of booking every one, I was booking one in every 15 to 20 auditions. It was also still kind of the end of COVID when I moved, so nothing was really happening, and then the strike happened, so really nothing was happening.
And then came verticals. I had done five or six feature films and a handful of short films, but nothing well-known or high-budget. Then my agent sent me a booking offer for a day player on something called a “mobisode” at the time. He was looking at my schedule and said, “Hey, you’re free this day. It’s acting. I honestly don’t know what this is, but if you want to go do it, go do it. It’s one day, low commitment, super easy role.” I was the supportive sister character.
I went, even though I had been actively avoiding submitting to those because I didn’t get it. But I got on that set and realized it was a legit production. There was a whole crew, script supervisors, wardrobe, makeup. People were taking the craft very seriously. I was very fortunate that all the actors on that set were phenomenal and cared deeply about what they were doing. I realized, “Whoa, wait, no, I could do this.”
After that experience, I started submitting to them and booked the lead in the first one I auditioned for, called The Unwanted Bride of Aus Fan, back in 2023. I just haven’t stopped working in them since. At first, I thought, “Oh man, I don’t know if I should even tell people I’m doing this. Some of the names are weird, and it’s a soap opera, so it’s really cringey acting.” On set, they’re always saying, “Give me more, more soapy, go bigger,” which is not my style of acting at all. So I thought, “Oh no, maybe I shouldn’t tell anybody about this. No one will see it, it’s fine.” And it blew up. Everyone saw it. Now I’m really thankful that I did it, and I don’t hide that I do them because I’m so thankful for them. They’re a blast and have become my whole life.
Yitzi: You probably have some amazing stories from all the different sets and projects you’ve worked on. Can you share one or two that most stand out in your mind?
Nicole: From my vertical experiences, absolutely. On the first one I ever did, we had to do a classic vertical series rain scene. It’s so dramatic. This was the beginning of verticals, keep in mind. It’s nighttime in November, so it’s pretty cold, and it’s a three-page scene outside in the rain. We didn’t have the finances we do now. Now, a lot of them will be under a rain rig. Back then, it was just one guy with a hose standing over me.
I had to stand under this hose for probably five hours, freezing. It was written in the scene that every other character has an umbrella except for me. So it’s just me getting monsooned on by a hose while everybody else is dry and happy. It was so 2023-vertical of, “This is what we have to work with, let’s go.” I was just so happy to be there and so happy to be working. Everybody was asking, “Oh my God, are you okay?” and I was like, “I’m having the best time of my life freezing in the rain.” That story definitely stands out.
Another one: I went to Italy to film a project recently called Dungeons of Ecstasy. That whole experience was insane because the director owned a castle in Italy, and we all got to live in that castle. It was like a summer camp where we filmed this fun vertical series. We would all wake up in the same house, have breakfast together, and go to work together. We got to run around Italy filming this fun project with our friends. At night, we all just got to hang out, drink amazing wine, and create in this inspiring place. That was just an amazing experience overall.
A lot of my stories are about fighting the elements, creating where we can, and laughing about the situations that happen. I always remind myself how few people are actually full-time actors. It’s a blessing that I’m in this situation. So, how cool is it? Yeah, it’s cold, but I’m doing my dream job. I can’t be that mad.
Yitzi: So, why is it called a “vertical”?
Nicole: Because it’s filmed in a 9:16 aspect ratio, filmed vertically for your phone, versus horizontal projects which are 16:9. When you’re on set, the monitors are all flipped vertically. It’s really cool. Some of them, like the one in Italy, will film horizontally in a 16:9 aspect ratio but crop it to be vertical so they can release it as a feature film or as a vertical series, or both. As it’s evolving, people are doing more with that.
Yitzi: Aside from being good for TikTok clips, is there an advantage to that aspect ratio?
Nicole: I feel that verticals are best for when people are on the go, doing something else, or in bed at night and just want to watch something and turn their brain off. It’s the exact same framing for your phone. Whenever you’re out, you always have your phone with you and you’re used to holding it vertically. If you just want to be watching something at the airport or in bed, it’s perfect for that. It’s perfect for the way this new generation’s brains are being trained. We’re used to having our phones all the time; we don’t always have a big TV in front of us or the attention span to sit in front of it. You can walk around and watch these.
Yitzi: Why are they more soapy and over-dramatic than other features?
Nicole: I’m not sure why it started that way. I think it helps because you’re watching it on a smaller screen, so being bigger keeps people’s attention. I also think the content of the shows is just what people want right now, something that’s cheesy, not real life, where you can just turn your brain off. They are getting a lot more grounded, though. They’ve allowed my characters, especially, to be a lot more grounded, which is awesome. Typically the mean girl or the villain still has to be a little over the top, but they are moving more towards realistic acting. I don’t know how long that’s going to last; they’re testing it out.
Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a funny mistake you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from it?
Nicole: I don’t feel like I’ve made any major mistakes yet in my acting career. Most of my mistakes are just mess-ups on screen. I’m very much the kind of actor who listens and reacts, so sometimes I’ll say or do something out of the blue that was not in the script, and a lot of times they’ll just use those takes.
Yitzi: Do you have any lessons that you’ve learned from a mess-up?
Nicole: Because I went to film school, I learned a lot of things not to do. I’ve learned how important it is to show up prepared. In acting class, I guess the biggest lesson I learned is to just act from myself. I had the preconceived notion that to be a good actor, you have to do all of these different characters and have as much range as possible. I was in this acting class, and I spent about two years religiously going to this acting school. I would go into every class trying out these different characters.
Finally, my coach was like, “Stop. Just stop trying to do these things that you’re not. Act from yourself first and foremost, and then you can add little characterizations to it. You’re not going to book if you’re just trying to be these things that you don’t understand.” That was probably a mistake that I really learned from. Since I started just living the circumstance as if these things were happening to me, I’ve booked significantly more and gotten significantly bigger auditions. That would be my biggest learning curve.
Yitzi: You have so much impressive work now. Can you share with our readers any exciting new or upcoming projects?
Nicole: I just wrapped on a new vertical series that’s different because we got to record original music for it. We went into this sound booth, I think they record a lot of Paramount’s music there. It was very intimidating because, like I said earlier, I’m not a singer. They gave me the music, and I went in and had to sing this song that was written for the project. It was amazing and a challenge. I got to act and sing and find little parts of myself there. I’m really excited for that one. It should come out in a couple of months.
I also have a feature film, a zombie action film, that’s coming out, I believe, early next year. I don’t have an official date yet, but I’m excited for that because I love anything where I get to use my body. It was an action movie, so I was getting to do stunts and sword fighting. I would say those are the two big things coming up. The feature film’s name might change, but as of right now, it’s called Red Days. The vertical series is called Lyrics of My Heart.
Yitzi: What’s been the most challenging project or role you’ve taken on so far?
Nicole: From an acting standpoint, a role I did in a series called Twisted Minds was very emotionally challenging. It’s a dark piece. I’m kidnapped by the mafia, tortured, locked up, and then I start falling in love, Stockholm syndrome vibes. It was a very complicated piece, which I loved. Every single day of filming, I was having a full emotional breakdown. It took everything to go from a full breakdown, switch into real life, switch into a happy scene, and back again. It was very emotionally exhausting and difficult.
The Freaky Exchange was difficult in a different way because it was a body swap, a Freaky Friday situation. That one was difficult because I had to break down the script from both characters’ points of view, since I was technically both characters. It was a lot more work. And Wings of Fire was difficult just because of the snow we were in. We were in a new location in Boston. Everybody put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into that one. I also had a family member die while I was shooting that one, so that was difficult for its own reason. I would say those are the top three.
Yitzi: I see you have 83 episodes of Faded at First Sight. What are the lessons you think society takes from the motifs of that series?
Nicole: That one has a special place in my heart forever. I loved that show. Honestly, the biggest thing I feel the audience takes away is that you can be independent, and it’s important to be yourself, be self-sufficient, and fight for your beliefs, but it’s okay to let someone else in. It’s okay to allow somebody to be on your side. Sometimes you’re stronger with someone you love who loves you back. That’s what I took away from it, at least. I think that’s the strongest motif at its core.
Yitzi: This is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back from when you first started, can you share five things you’ve learned that you wish you knew when you first started?
Nicole: Absolutely.
- Number one, and the most important, is that it is a team sport. Let people help you, and help other people. Someone else’s success is not going to diminish yours. Everybody moving up is good for everybody. So let yourself have a team and find good people for that team.
- Number two, you’re going to hear “no” a lot. That doesn’t mean you’re bad; it just means there are a million roles and a million people. So be okay with “no.”
- Three, keep acting. Even if you’re not booking things at the moment, get into class. Keep that muscle going, because it is a muscle. The more you use it, the better you’ll be, and you want to be in shape for when you do book that big thing.
- Number four, don’t be afraid of something even if it sounds a little silly, like the vertical series. I could have very easily been like, “Oh, these names are a little odd, I’m not going to do it,” but it changed my life.
- And five, never be the one to tell yourself no. Let somebody else tell you no. Don’t look at a breakdown for a 16-year-old and count yourself out. I’m not 16, but I’ve booked a bunch of those roles. I’ve seen some that are like, “needs to be able to professionally sing.” I’m not a trained singer, but hey, I booked this thing that worked out for me. Let someone else tell you no.
Yitzi: Can you share the self-care routines that you do to help your body, mind, and heart thrive?
Nicole: Yes, because that is so important as an actor. Number one, I stretch every morning, no matter what. Even if I have 10 minutes, I do a little stretch to get into my body and give myself time to just breathe. Skincare is also important, and just having a routine is helpful. And if I’m having a big feeling of some sort, I always try to either journal about it or sit and think about where it’s coming from, instead of just trying to rush through my day. As an actor, it’s important to understand when and why you’re getting big feelings so that you can recreate them authentically, but it’s also just good not to store up un-processed feelings. Those are my big three self-care things.
Yitzi: We’re very blessed that prominent leaders in entertainment and business read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you would like to collaborate or have coffee with? We could tag them on social media and maybe connect you.
Nicole: That would be amazing. I don’t know if there’s just one person. I’d have to think about that. Anybody who’s a prolific figure in entertainment, especially women. I’d like to know how a lot of women have gotten to where they are. Shonda Rhimes, for example. She’s one of the most prolific female producers. I would love to know how she did that. Actor-wise, Florence Pugh is somebody that I respect so immensely. I guess those would be the two that pop into my head right away. But I’m a person who wants to collaborate with anybody and everybody. So, anybody who will listen to me, I’d love to work with you.
Yitzi: This is our final, aspirational question. Because of your amazing work and the platform you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Nicole: I get a lot of messages from young women in high school saying that watching something I’ve been in has helped them get through a dark place. So the biggest thing I would want to inspire, especially with young women, is that you’re enough, and being yourself is the most important thing. I would like to inspire a confidence movement of being confident in who you are, being kind, and just being good, especially for young women, because it’s so tough. Just love yourself.
Yitzi: Nicole, it’s been a true delight to meet you. I hope we can do this again. I wish you continued success, blessings, good health, and a lot more bookings. I look forward to interviewing you again when you’re nominated for, and win, an Emmy.
Nicole: Thank you. Yeah, let’s put that out there. Let’s manifest that. I love it. Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure.