Matt Barats

Matt Barats is an American comedic actor, writer, and filmmaker known for his work in experimental and alternative comedy, including the feature film Cash Cow and the trilogy Reveries. His acting credits include appearances on HBO, Netflix, and various independent films. Barats has garnered attention for his unique storytelling, blending elements of comedy, satire, and personal reflection.

Early life and education Barats was born in Boise, Idaho, and attended the University of Colorado Boulder.

Career Barats lived in Chicago and performed regularly at the Annoyance Theatre, iO, The Second City, and Upstairs Gallery, and was a cast member in the long-running Holy Fuck Comedy Hour.

Barats was named a New Face at the 2015 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. and sketch group Postmen.

In 2017 Barats' Improv is Love was described by The New York Times as "a brutal, concise sendup of the ‘do what you love’ philosophy of life" and was the first of several shorts made in collaboration with director Doron Max Hagay.

Barats co-created the Reveries series with comedian Anthony Oberbeck, including the films Reveries (2018), Reveries: Going Deeper (2020), and Reveries: The Mind Prison (2025) directed by Graham Mason. Reveries was described by Vulture as "…like an Ayahuasca session conducted by Mitch Hedberg…an endorsement for unbridled creativity and experimentation and a marvel of artistic devotion."

Barats wrote, directed, and starred in the 2023 feature film Cash Cow, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival. The film appeared on Esquire's list of the Best Movies of 2023 and was released by Cartuna.

Additional work Barats has appeared in numerous television projects including HBO's High Maintenance, White House Plumbers, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Fantasmas, TBS's The Last O.G., Search Party, and Netflix's Partner Track. He starred in the indie comedy feature Inspector Ike and appears in Cole Escola’s TV pilot Our Home Out West and Hulu's Never Change!.

Selected filmography Improv is Love (short) (2017) Reveries (2018) Here We Have Idaho (2020) Reveries: Going Deeper (2020) Inspector Ike (2020) Cash Cow (2023) Reveries: The Mind Prison (2025) Never Change! (2026)