Matt Letscher to Obama: ‘Be true to yourself’

Matt Letscher is best known for his roles in the hit TV series “The Carrie Diaries” and “Scandal,” and appeared in two movies released this year: the new Spike Jonze film, “Her” and “Devil’s Knot.” His television credits are wide ranging and include “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Entourage,” “Criminal Minds” and “The West Wing.” Letscher has also acted in the films “Straight-Jacket,” “Identity,” “The Mask of Zorro” and “Towelhead.” 

Letscher began his career in theater, at Jeff Daniels’s Purple Rose Theatre Co., and made his Broadway debut in Neil Simon’s “Proposals” in 1997. He is a member of the Pacific Resident Theater in Venice, Calif., and his play “Sea of Fools” was produced by the Purple Rose in 2007. Letscher currently lives in Los Angeles and New York.

{mosads}Robin Bronk: If you had five minutes in the Oval Office with President Obama, what would you discuss with him? What issue would you like him to know about?

Matt Letscher: I would ask how serious he is about gun control. The ban on assault weapons was a good and necessary law that was allowed to lapse through the influence of special interests. How much more time can he let go by, how many more mass shootings need to happen before he’s willing to put some serious political capital into this issue?

RB: If you could ask the president one question, what would that be?

ML: What or who is the biggest obstacle to enacting any kind of change in this country? Is it Congress? Is it the federal bureaucracy? Is it the disconnect between state and federal government? Is it the big money drenching the political system? Where do we start?

RB: You have a hit television show, “The Carrie Diaries.” Is there some kind of social impact that your viewers can take away from the show?

ML: I don’t know. There’s probably a lot of not very realistic answers to this! If anything, I hope it encourages young women to view themselves as strong and powerful beings, who are capable of so much more than “what’s expected of them.” If that’s a takeaway, “daring to dream,” then we’ve done something good.

RB: What piece of advice would you give the president?

ML: You don’t owe anybody anything anymore. You will never run for reelection again. Be true to yourself on the issues and make one last, unimaginable push to make change happen. Also, keep an eye on those girls! (Ever the TV dad.)

RB: If you were going to send President Obama to one of your favorite places in the United States for one day, where would that be? Why?

ML: Zion National Park, just to be reminded of “America’s Best Idea,” and to take a break by himself, for once, in the middle of grandeur.

RB: What piece of music would you recommend that the president add to his collection? Why?

ML: Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings.” No reason other than I find it moving and contemplative.

RB: Would you ever consider a political career?

ML: Nah. I’ve had enough rejection for multiple lifetimes.

Robin Bronk is CEO of The Creative Coalition — the leading national, nonprofit, nonpartisan public advocacy organization of the entertainment industry. Bronk is a frequent speaker on the role of the entertainment industry in public advocacy campaigns and represents The Creative Coalition and its legislative agenda before members of Congress and the White House. She produced the feature film “Poliwood,” airing on Showtime, and edited the recently published book Art & Soul. Bronk pens this weekly column with assistance from Alex Zaglin.