Mat Hayes

Born in Decatur, AL, Mat Hayes is a multi-award winning filmmaker, actor, activist, and musician based in Los Angeles working to expanding artistic access and inspiration to all.

His films Cognitive and Shafted are currently streaming on various platforms and have won awards all over the world. His chart-topping podcast, The Fagnostic Podcast, fosters conversations on faith and sexuality in an attempt to help others heal from religious dogmas and traumas. Before running aground in LA, Hayes was a cruise ship singer, toured with shows, regional theatre productions, performed at Dollywood, and other dinner theatres in the Smokey Mountains.

His dog, Porter Wagger, is named for Dolly Parton’s late singing partner. Hayes and his partner Eliseo both work in the reproductive sphere, focusing on advocacy for LGBTQ family building.

He also serves on the board of The Del Shores Foundation, which exists to elevate the works of queer, southern writers. The most important thing to Hayes is to create space for others, for in doing so, it allows others to create space for others, and so on.

That is how we fix this world. Live truthfully and visibly, and we’ll get through this thing called life. Other Film: ‘With A Whimper’ premiering early 2025, ‘The Counter: 1960’, TV: ‘Jane the Virgin’, ‘911’. Theatre: LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Celebration Theatre’s ‘The Boy From Oz’, Broadway World Awards Best Supporting Performance In A Play for ‘The Red Suitcase’. Original 2023 NYC staged reading production of ‘Runaway Home’. @hayesonit