Matt Clark (The Young and the Restless)

Matt Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.

Matt was known as an antagonistic villain who created problems for Nick and Sharon Newman, beginning when they were teens in high school.

Hearst was familiar with the soap opera genre, having played Alan-Michael Spaulding on Guiding Light for several years prior.

[5] However, due to Hearst's popularity with viewers, the actor returned for several recurring guest appearances beginning July 2001 as a vision being seen by the insane Tricia Dennison after his character's death.

"[7] Matt has been characterized by Soaps In Depth as the show's previous "bad boy",[8] and a "cocky jock-turned rapist" by Star-News.

Nick's father Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) tracks down Amy in a mental institution, who has been suffering from PTSD.

[9] In 2000, Matt Clark resurfaces in town under the alias of Carter Mills, having had plastic surgery to change his appearance, and begins working at Nick and Sharon's coffeehouse.

Carter uses Tricia Dennison (Sabryn Genet), a woman he slept with, to frame Nick for selling drugs.

Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) begins searching for Matt Clark, realizing that he may have had plastic surgery.

A message published in the newspaper by a viewer named Andrea P. described the character of Matt as "a real rat", but with the observation that Cibrian "played it so well".

[13] When Lawrence was cast in the role, Toby Goldstein of TimesDaily noted that Matt was "likely to bring misery to Nick and Sharon's lives".