Roger Howarth Reflects On His “New” — Yet Very Familiar — Role

Nov 6

3 min read

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Roger Howarth Reflects On His “New” — Yet Very Familiar — Role — Roger Howarth as Mitch Bacall on The Young And The Restless

It’s a homecoming of sorts for Roger Howarth, who’s stepped into one of The Young and the Restless’ most infamous names — Matt Clark, a character with a complicated past and plenty of unfinished business in Genoa City.

In a behind-the-scenes chat, Howarth opened up about rediscovering this layered role, the excitement of reconnecting with old colleagues, and why playing a man with secrets is always a thrill.

Roger Howarth Reflects On His “New” — Yet Very Familiar — Role

“He’s Not Who He Says He Is”

“I get the chance to play Matt Clark — a character rich in history with strong relationships and deep connections to Genoa City,” Roger said, smiling. “I love a character that has a secret, and he is not who he says he is.”

Fans have already seen his alter ego posing as Mitch Bacall, but Howarth hints that Matt’s true identity — and motives — run deep. “There’s a complexity, a self-centered arrogance, and really no limit to the kind of destruction he’s capable of,” he teased. That dangerous unpredictability is exactly what makes playing Matt Clark so satisfying. “It’s thrilling,” he admitted. “There’s this instant set of reactions the people of Genoa City have when they hear the name Matt Clark.”

A Warm Welcome to Genoa City

After years on General Hospital as Franco Baldwin and Austin Gatlin-Holt — not to mention his iconic runs as Todd Manning on One Life to Live and Paul Ryan on As the World Turns — Howarth was quick to note how special it felt to return to the Y&R set.

“I was super happy to arrive here and felt joy at seeing familiar faces,” he shared. “People like Jason Thompson, Michelle Stafford, and Hayley Erin — it’s comforting and exciting to work with people you genuinely like again.”

He also revealed his delight at discovering that Tamara Braun, a former co-star, had joined the cast. “To know I got a chance to work with her again? I just keep getting luckier and luckier.”

On Working With the Y&R Family

Roger spoke fondly of his new co-stars, Sharon Case and Joshua Morrow, praising their natural warmth and authenticity. “When you meet them, you realize why the audience loves them so much. They’re so genuine, so welcoming, and have such a great way of communicating after working together for so long.”

That warmth has made his transition into Genoa City seamless. “To be immediately included by a cast that’s shared so much history together — it’s pretty awesome,” he said.

From Stage Roots to Soap Icon

Howarth’s passion for acting runs deep. “My dad was a high-school drama teacher who directed community theater and summer stock,” he reminisced. “I was always around the stage, sleeping in the curtains as a kid. I’ve been lucky to walk onto sets like this my whole adult life. Being here, surrounded by it all, just makes me happy.”

The Return of Matt Clark

Fans who remember the original Matt Clark storyline know just how much chaos he caused — from framing Nick Newman for attempted murder to dying (or so we thought) decades ago. Now, with Howarth’s version of Matt living under the alias “Mitch Bacall,” Genoa City is once again on edge.

As Roger put it: “Matt Clark… he’s back.”

And judging by his words — and that sly smile — this is just the beginning.