Matt Cornett is an American actor and singer best known for playing E.J. Caswell on Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
He spent four seasons in that role before stepping into his biggest part yet as the lead of Prime Video’s romantic drama Every Year After in 2026.
What makes his story stand out is how far he has come from a small town in Arkansas, winning awards before he even hit his twenties.
Who is Matt Cornett?
Matt Cornett is an award-winning American actor from Rogers, Arkansas. He grew up far from Hollywood, but his talent and drive brought him to Los Angeles at just 14 years old.
Since then, he has built a career that spans Nickelodeon, Disney+, and now Prime Video.
Most people first noticed him through Bella and the Bulldogs on Nickelodeon, where he played the recurring role of Zach Barnes.
That performance earned him a Young Artist Award and opened the door to bigger opportunities.
His Disney+ run as E.J. Caswell in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series turned him into a genuine fan favorite.
He appeared in all four seasons of the show, from 2019 to 2023, and showed off his skills as an actor, singer, and performer.
In 2026, Cornett took on the lead role in Every Year After on Prime Video, based on the bestselling novel Every Summer After by Carley Fortune.
The series premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2026, and dropped on streaming two days later.
He is also one of the protagonists of the Disney Channel film Zombies 3, released in 2022.
Early Life of Matt Cornett
Matt Age / Birthday
Matt Cornett is 27 years old as of 2026, born on October 6, 1998. His birthday falls in October, so his 28th birthday has not yet arrived this year. He was born and raised in Rogers, Arkansas, under the star sign Libra.
Rogers is a city in the northwest corner of Arkansas, known for its small-town atmosphere and wide open spaces. Cornett has spoken fondly of his upbringing there, and returns to visit family when he can.
He was born to Art and Rhonda Cornett and is the youngest of three siblings. He has an older brother and an older sister. The family lived in Rogers throughout his childhood.
Matt Cornett Ethnicity and Nationality
Matt Cornett is American by nationality, born and raised in the United States. He comes from a mixed ethnic background.
He grew up in a family environment that was grounded and close-knit, which he has credited for keeping him focused through the ups and downs of early Hollywood life.
His roots in Arkansas shaped who he is. In interviews, he has described himself as someone who brings a lot of his real personality into his characters, which points to a genuine self-awareness that his upbringing helped form.
Matt Cornett Height and Weight
Matt Cornett stands at 6 feet 0 inches tall, which is approximately 183 centimeters. His weight is reported to be around 65 kg, or 143 pounds.
His height and lean build have served him well in on-screen roles that call for a physically confident but approachable presence.
He has described himself as a goofball at heart, and his natural ease on camera suggests he keeps active without making it a big deal publicly.
Matt Cornett Education
Cornett attended school in Rogers, Arkansas, before making the move to Los Angeles at age 14 to pursue acting. He also trained at acting studios, which helped him build technical skills early.
Detailed information about his formal academic history beyond high school has not been made public.
Matt Cornett Career
Matt Cornett’s acting career began the same year he arrived in Los Angeles. He got his start after hearing a casting announcement on the radio while in the car with his grandmother.
He made her call the number on the spot, and that phone call set everything in motion.
Early Roles and First Recognition
Cornett’s first on-screen credit came with the television series Nightmare U, where he played the character Daniel.
He then starred in the short film Family Treasure in 2012 and took the lead role of Diego in the adventure film Can.
His guest role as Lou in the crime drama Southland quickly put him on the radar. That performance earned him a 2014 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series, Guest Starring Young Actor (ages 14-16). It was a significant early signal that his talent was real.
In 2015, he appeared in the television film The Dunes Club and took on a role in the comedy film I Think My Babysitter’s an Alien.
Breakthrough: Bella and the Bulldogs
Cornett landed the recurring role of Zach Barnes in Nickelodeon’s sports-themed sitcom Bella and the Bulldogs, and it became his first real breakthrough.
The show ran from 2015 to 2016, and his comedic timing stood out throughout. His work on the series earned him a second Young Artist Award in 2016 for Best Performance in a TV Series, Recurring Young Actor.
During the same period, he made guest appearances on Criminal Minds, CBS’s family sitcom Life in Pieces, Nickelodeon’s Game Shakers, and ABC’s The Goldbergs.
His guest role on The Middle in 2016 was especially well received, earning him a 2017 Young Entertainer Award for Best Guest Starring Young Actor in a Television Series.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
In 2019, Cornett was cast as E.J. Caswell in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. The role was a turning point. E.J. could have been a simple jock character, but Cornett played him as a layered, evolving young man dealing with self-doubt and family pressure.
The performance earned wide praise from fans and critics over the show’s four seasons, which ran through 2023.
He also appeared in Zombies 3, the third installment of the popular Disney Channel original movie franchise, released in 2022. In that film he played the character A-Lan.
Recent Work
In late 2025, Cornett was cast as the lead in Every Year After on Prime Video, an adaptation of Canadian author Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel Every Summer After.
He plays Sam Florek, a warm-hearted man reconnecting with his childhood love years after a painful split. The series premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2026, and began streaming on June 10, 2026.
He also starred in the indie film Buster Brooks, which premiered at the Zions Indie Film Fest on February 27, 2026.
These back-to-back projects mark his most active year yet as a leading man in streaming drama.
Matt Cornett Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Family Treasure | Lead | Short Film |
| 2013 | Can | Diego | Film |
| 2013 | Nightmare U | Daniel | TV Series |
| 2013–2014 | Southland | Lou | TV Series (Guest) |
| 2015 | I Think My Babysitter’s an Alien | Glenn | Film |
| 2015 | The Dunes Club | Carter | TV Film |
| 2015–2016 | Bella and the Bulldogs | Zach Barnes | TV Series (Recurring) |
| 2016 | The Middle | Duncan | TV Series (Guest) |
| 2016–2017 | Criminal Minds | Austin Settergreen | TV Series (Guest) |
| 2018 | Perfect Citizens | Lead | Film |
| 2019 | Stressed to Death | Alston Garrett | TV Film |
| 2019–2023 | High School Musical: The Musical: The Series | E.J. Caswell | TV Series (Main) |
| 2022 | Zombies 3 | A-Lan | Film |
| 2026 | Buster Brooks | Lead | Film |
| 2026 | Every Year After | Sam Florek | TV Series (Lead) |
Matt Cornett Awards and Recognition
Cornett has won three competitive awards and earned one additional nomination over the course of his career, all before the age of 19.
- 2014 Young Artist Award: Best Performance in a TV Series, Guest Starring Young Actor (14-16) for Southland
- 2016 Young Artist Award: Best Performance in a TV Series, Recurring Young Actor (14-21) for Bella and the Bulldogs
- 2017 Young Entertainer Award: Best Guest Starring Young Actor, Television Series for The Middle
- 2017 Young Entertainer Award Nomination: Best Recurring Young Actor, Television Series for Bella and the Bulldogs
All three wins came from different shows, which reflects the range he showed even in his teen years.
Matt Cornett Girlfriend
No. As of 2026, Matt Cornett is single. He confirmed in May 2025 that he had nothing to share about his love life.
He was previously linked to model and actress Brookelynn Elizabeth around 2019, but that relationship is no longer public and the related posts have since been deleted.
Fans following his chemistry with Every Year After co-star Sadie Soverall have speculated about a possible off-screen connection, but neither has confirmed any romantic relationship.
Matt Cornett Net Worth
Matt Cornett’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026. His income comes from a combination of acting fees across television and film, national commercial campaigns, and brand partnerships.
His work on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series across four seasons would have been his most sustained and significant source of income before Every Year After.
Landing the lead role in a Prime Video original series marks a significant step up in his earning potential. Major streaming platforms at this level typically come with considerably higher fees than cable or network television.
His indie film work, while less lucrative, adds to his overall profile and keeps him active between larger projects.
Matt Cornett Social Media
Cornett is active on Instagram under the handle @mattcornett, where he shares personal photos, project updates, and behind-the-scenes glimpses from his work.
He is also on X (formerly Twitter) at @Matt_Cornett_, where fans can find updates and occasional interactions.
His IMDb page keeps a full and updated record of his credits and awards.
Conclusion
Matt Cornett spent the first decade of his career steadily building credibility, one award and one role at a time. He never relied on a single big break.
Instead, he showed up in drama, comedy, and musicals alike, and kept getting better at each one.
Every Year After on Prime Video is the biggest platform he has stepped onto yet. It is the kind of role that can shift a career permanently, and by all early signs, he has handled it well.
He is 27, still early in what looks like a long career, and showing no signs of slowing down.