Matt de Ganon was born and raised in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. He attended the conservatory program at Purchase College, first as a Theater Design and Technology major but soon auditioned for and was accepted to the school's renowned acting program. Before graduating, Matt was cast as the lead in the NBC television pilot, _I Gave at the Office (1984)_, playing a character loosely based on the early career of television executive Brandon Tartikoff. After leaving college, he joined the classical repertory ensemble of John Houseman's The Acting Company. After touring with the company, Matt made his motion picture debut in the film Nasty Hero (1987).