Papi Chulo's BLOG proudly presents an exclusive interview series titled "In Bed with Papi Chulo." This series will feature the hottest stars in mainstream and adult media.
Matthew Rush (Born: September 22, 1972) is a popular gay porn star who is about to celebrate his tenth year in the adult industry. The 36-year-old performer started off his career in porn after finding himself without a personal training job. Falcon Studios instantly signed him to a Lifetime Exclusive contract, and Matthew Rush became a star with the release of his debut performance in Bounce.
Born to an African-American father and German mother ... Matthew Rush has headlined several titles for Falcon. Throughout most of his career, Matthew starred as a strict top. He bottomed for the first time on-screen for Rob Romoni in Taking Flight, Part 2. Rush has also bottomed for Ethan Kage and Erik Rhodes.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Matthew Rush would be leaving Falcon Studios. Rush ended his contract with the production company. He ended his Lifetime Exclusivity to pursue other projects in the gay porn industry. Standing 6' and weighing 215 lbs. ... Rush's final project for Falcon was the Best Men two-parter. In the Best Men, Part 1, Rush is featured in gay-for-pay Zeb Atlas' "first" on-screen gay oral sex scene.
After ending his contract with Falcon, Matthew Rush instantly found work with Pantheon Productions. His first non-Falcon porn scene is featured in Brief Encounters: Real Men Volume 17. Rush is paired up with Tim Kelly. First Rush is serviced by Kelly, then Rush gets a chance to use his 8 inches on Kelly.
Besides hardcore erotica, Matthew Rush has starred in mainstream productions. Rush has been featured in Third Man Out and Another Gay Movie. He has also acted in the theatrical productions "Making Porn," "10 Naked Men," "Psycho Beach Party" and "CellboQ".
I sat down with Matthew to chat about how he got into the adult industry ... his departure from Falcon Studios ... the Zeb Atlas "controversy" ... his work in mainstream media ... and his life after Falcon ...
Papi Chulo: How long have you been in the adult industry?
Matthew Rush: I've been in it for nine years.
PC: How did you get into the adult industry?
MR: I had met a Falcon rep in a bar one night. I had no interested in doing porn when I was approached. I was like, "No no no. That's not my thing. I'm fine." He was a cool guy, so we kept in contact over the years. It just so happened I was working at a gym. I get to work one day and there's chains on the door. The owners had sold the gym. I had no job. I was like, "What the heck am I gonna do?" I needed to do something and something fast. That day the Falcon rep I had met in the bar called me up. He asked me what was going on and I told him that I had lost my job. He said he could send me a ticket if I could come out and meet with the company and see what it was all about. I thought, "What have I got to lose? If I can't find another personal training job, I'm going to need to do something." Plus it was a free trip to San Francisco. I toured the studios, met a couple directors and by the end of the day they threw down this contract. I was like, "What the heck?" The
contract was for five movies in a year. I planned on fulfilling the contract and going on my merry way. But it snowballed into something else. Something that I would have never expected in a million years.
PC: How did you come up with your porn name?
MR: Actually Falcon came up with it. I'm not that creative when it comes to creating names and that was the first name they threw at me. They were like, "How about Matthew Rush?" I said, "It works. It fits."
PC: What was your first day on a porn set like?
MR: It was Bounce. It was a three-way scene with Hans Ebson and Hans Hintern. I was petrified. It was actually my first three-way ever.
PC: Who has been your favorite scene-mate to work with?
MR: Everybody I've worked with has be en great. But, I think my faves ... the ones that have stuck out in my mind ... Jake Andrews, Ken Browning and Jason Ridge.
PC: What do you enjoy most about filming scenes?
MR: I think the coolest thing is being on the set. I like to observe and I just like to watch what goes on behind-the-scenes. It's so fascinating. I find it interesting just what goes into creating scenes. Shooting it. I'm so technical. I love the tech aspect of it. They are long days. Conditions on the set aren't all that appealing sometimes. It's fascinating sometimes to see all the movie-making magic happen.
PC: You have been featured on the cover of several of your movies ... Does it ever get old to see yourself on a film's cover? And what was it like to see yourself on the cover the first time?
MR: Yes, it gets very old. (LOL) In fact, it gets annoying sometimes. When you try to flip through a magazine or go to a video store, and there's your face. You kind of want to just duck and hide. I remember my first time on a cover. I was flattered and in awe. I was like, "Wow. I made a cover." (LOL) That's cool.
PC: For most of your career you were a strict top ... What led to your first bottoming scene in Taking Flight Part 2?
MR: I held out for as long as I could, because I wanted to get the amount of money I wanted to bottom. So, I held out. And I had promised Chi Chi LaRue she would be the first to shoot my bottoming. She was supposed to shoot Taking Flight, but she had a heart attack and couldn't do it. Chris Steele ended up directing it. I had to bottom for a second time for Chi Chi in Heaven to Hell. So that's what led to my first two bottoming scenes.
PC: You recently departed from a Lifetime exclusive contract with Falcon Studios ... How long were you with the company?
MR: I was with them for eight years.
PC: What led to your departure from Falcon?
MR: I wasn't being used as much, and I wanted to do more things. I wanted to redevelop my character so to speak. I mean, granted Falcon is a great company and has been around for a long time, but there were other things I wanted to do and the opportunity never came up. In all the movies I was in, it seemed I was doing the same thing over and over again. And it was getting old. I wasn't ready to leave the adult industry yet. I thought it would be a good time to take advantage of the opportunity and just see what happens if I would venture out on my own.
PC: Your final film with Falcon was the two-parter Best Men ... The film was also historic because it was to feature gay-for-pay performer Zeb Atlas' first on-screen oral and sex encounter with a man ... A bit of controversy occurred prior to the film's release when you publicly condemned Zeb's appearance on JakeCruise.com ... Jake Cruise released scenes featuring Zeb in oral and full on sex ... What is your opinion on gay-for-pay performers? And looking back ... would you have handled the situation differently?
MR: I don't have a problem with gay-for-pay performers. It was what it was. There were a lot of other things that had happened with the scene. There was a lot of drama around it. With the Jake Cruise thing, really I was hurt. We had meetings and such that we had to keep the scene with Zeb hush hush. We were not to say anything about the movie. But right before it was shot, my roommate Parker Williams calls me up. He was at IML last year. He told me that Zeb already did that for Jake Cruise. It was kind of a slap to the face for me for a couple of different reasons. I'm not a big fan of Jake Cruise and it was kind of an insult to me. I hate to say that, but I'm going to tell you the truth. It was a slap in the face. At least if you are going to sell out to someone, sell out to someone who is hot. I wouldn't have minded that. But sloppy seconds to Jake Cruise. No. That's not happening. (LOL) Then, you know, there were some other issues.
PC: The internet was also a buzz when a video of you popped up that had you claiming Zeb infected you with the parasite Giardia ... The apparent video shortly disappeared from the web ... Is this a web rumor or did this really happen?
MR: It actually did happen. I will explain exactly what happened. It wasn't proven that I had gotten Giardia from Zeb. I just want to throw that out there. I could have gotten it anywhere. From food or whatever. But, to go back just a little bit, before the shoot, I had tore my ACL and I was on painkillers (Vicodin) for my ACL. And then, when I got back from the shoot, I was on antibiotics for Giardia. When we were in Vegas shooting, I got bed bug bites all down one side of my body. And with everything that was going on, I had to do a webcam show one night. And I remember being in front of the mirror, two or three minutes before the webcam show, and looking at the side of my body. It looked like hell. I'm on Percocet, antibiotics and I had one drink. And it fucked me up. When I saw my reflection, I started crying. And because there was a lot of stress with the shoot and everything. Everything that was going on. I had a meltdown. I was like, "I can't
do this." I tried to compose myself and I was fine. I logged on, ready to do the webcam show. Someone in the chat asked if I had been crying and I broke down again. It was a stressful time and I'm very sorry it happened. I didn't think it would be recorded. I certainly didn't record it. The next day I called Falcon and I told them I had a breakdown. I was like, "I'm so sorry. I think we're fine." But, I don't know. There was a lot of controversy over that. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. I shouldn't have had a drink. I should have been more composed and in control than I was. I fucked up. And since then, Zeb and I have made amends. And it's fine now.
PC: Your first post-Falcon porn shoot was with Pantheon Productions in San Francisco on January 23, 2009 ... The film is Brief Encounters: Real Men Volume 17 ... In it you seem a bit more uninhibited ... I'm getting a rougher sexual vibe from you on screen ... Do you feel your sexuality has evolved a bit now that you are a free agent?
MR: Yeah, and that's one of the reasons I left Falcon. I wasn't allowed to be so wild, and I was just paired with someone younger than me. So, I wanted to do the movie, just because it was with a "daddy" type. I knew the sex would be more uninhibited. And I thought that's a side people haven't seen yet. So, that's why I jumped on the opportunity to do it.
PC: You get a rough pounding from Tim Kelly and then return the favor ... Tell me a little bit about the filming of Brief Encounters: Real Men Volume 17.
MR: It was a little crazy. First, my scene partner is Tim Kelly, and we are very good friends. Very close. So, it was a little weird to do the scene and not start cracking up. (LOL) But, I mean overall it was a good scene. I thought it went well and it was fun.
PC: Do you see yourself working with Pantheon Productions in the future?
MR: Oh yeah. I would definitely like to work with them again. They were so easy going and everyone was just so nice. The shoot was probably one of the fasted shoots I've ever done. It was a couple of hours and that was it. I would definitely work for them again.
PC: How and when did you lose your virginity?
MR: I was 19 and I had just moved down to Miami. I met a guy when I was on Ocean Drive walking around. He came up to me. Of course I was pretty inexperienced. I was still a virgin. But, he asked me if I was a top or a bottom. I didn't know what that meant. But, I quickly found out. (LOL). Yeah. That was it.
PC: What do you enjoy doing sexually?
MR: I just enjoy sex period. I love to have it. Especially if you have a really good connection with somebody and the chemistry is there. For me, that's hot. I love that.
PC: Do you get into any kinds of fetishes?
MR: No. You know what? I'm pretty vanilla.
PC: You have a pretty good physique ... How often do you work out?
MR: I work out four times a week, for about an hour.
PC: You have participated in the Gay Games and are a personal trainer by trade ... Have fitness always been a part of your life?
MR: Oh yeah. Ever since I set foot in the gym, it's always been a priority.
PC: How many tattoos do you have? And describe them for me.
MR: I have six. I have Woody Woodpecker on my ankle. That is my very first tattoo. I got him when I was 21. After thirteen shots of Jägermeister, Woody was on my ankle. I have tribal tattoos on both shoulders. Koi fish on my shoulder. A dragon tattoo on my chest and a tribal just below the belly button.
PC: Describe one of your hottest sexual encounters.
MR: Probably one of the hottest was during White Party last year. I was on the dance floor with friends and all of a sudden I thought someone had pushed me. There was this huge guy behind me. All I could see is chest and abs ... and a really hot guy. I'm like, "Whoa." He had tripped and fallen into me. We kind of chitchatted and before you know it, there we go having sex. And now he's currently my boyfriend.
PC: What is your favorite place to shoot your load?
MR: If I can just shoot my load anywhere, that's fine. It's just great. As many times as possible.
PC: You have topped and bottomed on camera ... Do you consider yourself as being versatile?
MR: Yeah.
PC: In a scene ... which do you enjoy the most? Oral, topping or bottoming?
MR: Probably topping.
PC: You have appeared in a few mainstream roles ... Most notably in Third Man Out and Another Gay Movie ... Is this something you want to pursue more?
MR: If the opportunity came up, I would definitely do it. I had fun working on both movies. I've done a lot of theater work and traveled with the play "Making Porn" for five years. Acting is a lot of fun and it's challenging. Oh yeah. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
PC: In RVD Productions' Private Party 3: The Mystery Bottoms ... You are paired up with Robert Van Damme ... What was your experience like on that set?
MR: Robert is such a great guy. He's so sweet and genuine. I had a good time. I enjoyed working with him. It was a hot scene and I'm hoping to do more with Robert. He's really such a great guy. I've followed his career for such a long time and I'm just happy he asked me to be a part of it.
PC: What upcoming projects can we expect to see you in?
MR: I have actually just completed a shoot with the Visconti Triplets. It was their movie, but I was in a scene with Jake Dragon.
PC: What are your future plans in the industry?
MR: I would really like to direct more. I did a movie for Falcon (Rush and Release). I directed some scenes for OnTheHunt.com. It was a lot of fun. I want to do more. There are things I want to create. Fantasies I would like to capture. I would love to do more of that. I would like to do more theater and more mainstream acting as well.
PC: Now I am going to ask you 7 questions that I like to call ... "Papi Chulo's LIST" ... These seven questions have been asked to all of my interview subjects ... What are your Top 5 favorite television shows?
MR: Ghost Hunters. Paranormal State. Top Design. Project Runway. The Biggest Loser.
PC: McDonald's Big Mac or Burger King's Whopper?
MR: McDonald's Big Mac.
PC: Disney or Warner Bros?
MR: Warner Bros.
PC: What's your favorite color?
MR: Blue.
PC: What's your favorite sexual position?
MR: If I can get sex, I like all the positions. (LOL) But, I would have to say my favorite is doggy.
PC: What's your favorite curse word?
MR: It's like all the curse words. Shitdamnpisshellfuck.
PC: If you could be anywhere right now ... Where would you be?
MR: Honestly, I would be with my boyfriend right now. He lives in L.A. If I'd be anywhere, I'd be with him.
PC: Well this brings us to the end of our interview ... Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?
MR: Thank you for 10 years of support and everything. It's still so surreal to me. I do it for the fans. Basically they have kept me going for this long and I honestly can't put into words how much I appreciate it and how much I love my fan base.
~Papi Chulo~
