Zach Gilford

Zach Gilford (born January 14, 1982) is an American actor best known for his role as Matt Saracen on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights. Career Gilford graduated from Northwestern University and Evanston Township High School. He serves as a Trip Leader for Adventures Cross-Country. He has led wilderness and adventure trips for teenagers to California, Hawaii, Alaska, the South Pacific, and British Columbia. Gilford worked as a staff member for YMCA Camp Echo in Fremont, Michigan. In 2005, he appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2006, he landed a regular role in Friday Night Lights in which he played the role of Matt Saracen for nearly five seasons until the show ended in 2011. He made his feature film debut starring in The Last Winter. In 2009, he starred in Post Grad opposite Alexis Bledel and in Dare opposite Emmy Rossum. Personal life Gilford was born in Evanston, Illinois. In the spring of 2010, Gilford began dating actress Kiele Sanchez, whom he met on the set of the television pilot for The Matadors. The couple became engaged in November 2011, and married on December 29, 2012.