Perry Mattfeld is an American actress and former ballet dancer best known for playing Murphy Mason in In the Dark and Ricky in Hulu’s Chad Powers.
She has also appeared in Shameless, Wizards of Waverly Place, The Idea of You, and Mending the Line.
At the same time, her marriage to former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez has brought additional attention to her life outside television.
Perry Mattfeld Biography
She was born on March 29, 1994, in Los Angeles County, California, and was raised in Long Beach, California. Perry Mattfeld developed an interest in performance at a young age and began ballet training when she was five.
Her early experience in dance eventually expanded into theatre and other forms of performance. Mattfeld has explained that her mother is Hispanic and her father is white.
She has also said that she does not come from an immediate family of people working in the entertainment industry.
Her family supported her creative interests as she developed her skills in dance, music, and performance. Her first major professional performance opportunity came when she was 12.
A friend’s mother encouraged her family to take her to an audition for an American Girl production.
Mattfeld won roles as Kit and Kirsten and subsequently performed in the American Girl revue for three years. She told the Golden Globes that the production involved 169 performances and became her first professional job with Mattel.
Mattfeld later attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School before enrolling at the University of Southern California.
At USC, she studied acting through the School of Dramatic Arts and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
She graduated cum laude with acting as her major and film theory as her minor. During her university years, she was also a member of the USC Song Girls.
Her education became an important part of her transition from performing as a dancer to building a career in television and film.
Career
Mattfeld’s acting career developed through television appearances, theatre experience and supporting roles before she landed the part that established her as a leading actress.
One of her early television appearances came on Wizards of Waverly Place, where she played FrankenGirl in two episodes in 2009. She later appeared in productions including Shameless, where she played Mel, and Homecoming.
Her breakthrough came with In the Dark, which premiered in 2019. Mattfeld played Murphy Mason, a young blind woman whose life changes after she becomes involved in the investigation surrounding the disappearance and presumed death of her friend.
The role required Mattfeld to portray a character with blindness while balancing comedy, drama and the show’s crime story.
Mattfeld discussed the challenge with CBS, explaining that she was attracted to Murphy because the character was complicated, imperfect and different from the roles she had previously encountered.
The production also worked with blind consultants and writers to improve the representation of blindness. Mattfeld spent time learning about guide dogs and visiting guide dog schools as part of her preparation for the role.
In the Dark ran from 2019 through 2022, with Mattfeld appearing in 52 episodes. She also received producer credits on the series during its later seasons.
The series became the defining role of her early television career and established Mattfeld as a lead performer capable of carrying a network drama across multiple seasons.
Other Movies and TV Shows
Mattfeld has continued working across television and film after In the Dark. Her credits include Mending the Line, where she played Lucy, and The Idea of You, in which she appeared as Eva. She has also appeared in Who Invited Them and other productions.
Her career took another prominent turn in 2025 when she joined the cast of Hulu’s Chad Powers.
The series stars Glen Powell as Russ Holliday, a former college quarterback who disguises himself as Chad Powers in an attempt to revive his football career.
Mattfeld plays Ricky, one of the central characters around the fictional college football program. The role also gave Mattfeld an opportunity to draw on her familiarity with football culture.
Her USC background and marriage to a former NFL quarterback added another connection to the sporting world.
Mark Sanchez’s Wife
Perry Mattfeld is married to former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez. The couple met in 2017 through their mutual friend Scotty McKnight, who had played with Sanchez on the New York Jets.
Their relationship began when Sanchez was playing for the Chicago Bears, and Mattfeld was filming Shameless in Chicago. Mattfeld later recalled that their first date took place at Au Cheval in Chicago.
The relationship became long-distance during its early years. Mattfeld was working in Los Angeles and elsewhere while Sanchez continued his professional football career.
The couple became engaged in May 2022 during a trip to Anguilla in the Caribbean. Sanchez proposed at Belmond Cap Juluca, where he arranged a private concert and intimate dinner.
Mattfeld later told PEOPLE that Sanchez had personalised several elements of the proposal, including her engagement ring and the music. They married on May 28, 2023, in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Their wedding ceremony took place at a monastery and was officiated by their mutual friend Scotty McKnight.
Sanchez’s son Daniel, from a previous relationship, participated in the wedding as a groomsman and ring bearer.
The couple celebrated afterward at Casa dos Lagos, a private estate and butterfly sanctuary in Oaxaca. Mattfeld wore a custom Karen Sabag wedding dress.
Children
Mattfeld and Sanchez became parents to twins in March 2025. The couple announced the pregnancy in February 2025 with photographs showing Mattfeld’s baby bump and later confirmed that the twins had arrived.
They have kept the children’s names, genders and exact birth dates private. Sanchez also has a son named Daniel from a previous relationship, meaning the family includes Sanchez’s older son and the couple’s twins.
Perry Mattfeld’s Net Worth
Perry Mattfeld’s net worth is estimated to be $2 million. She has not publicly disclosed her annual salary or total career earnings. Her established income sources include acting and producing work across television and film.
Her career includes a four-season lead role on In the Dark, additional television and film appearances, producer credits, and her role in Hulu’s Chad Powers.
Her husband, Mark Sanchez, has also built substantial wealth through his former NFL career and subsequent broadcasting work.
