August Maturo talks Disney Channel, newest movies, and the importance of food-allergy awareness

August Maturo is a seasoned actor well beyond his years at only thirteen years old. In his early developmental years, Maturo was in a distinct position seeing that he began to read and write at just two years old.

"I was so obsessed with the alphabet and learning to read, he acknowledged, "Instead of playing with action figures, cars, or dinosaurs like most kids', I carried letters around me everywhere."

Subsequently, the blossoming actor showcased his knowledge on stage at his church's talent show Are You Smarter than a 4-Year-Old where he challenged an adult to name all of the state capitals. Spoiler alert: he knew them all by heart.

Matt Kallish

But August is not the only sole actor in the family. His little brother, Ocean whom he also shares a birthday with, was the antichrist baby in the first season of American Horror Story when he was 3 months old. Most kids are down in the dumps about sharing a birthday with their sibling, especially a younger sibling but that is not the case in the Maturo household. He confessed, "It's actually great. In our family, I have triplet cousins, and another pair of twin cousins as well. So we are used to group birthday parties. But my brother and I always make sure we agree on what we want to do, and we always have our own cakes and our own candles to blow out. Luckily my brother and I are also into the same things, so we always agreed on the theme."

Maturo's first professional role was CBS's Applebaum as "Isaac" and best known as Auggie in Girl Meets World. His audition ended up being quite of a funny story, one that really turned out in his favor. 

He declares, "I was five years old when I booked that role. A funny thing that happened was at the Disney Channel callback. I was just getting over the stomach flu and had cramps, so I was stuck in the bathroom when it was my turn to audition. When I finally felt better and went into the audition room, it was full of Disney executives, including all the writers of the show. The producer Michael Jacobs asked me if I was ok, and I said “Yeah, I’m ok. I just had a little bit of diarrhea.” The entire room busted out laughing and Michael Jacobs said, “Just cast him. I don’t even need to see the audition!” But I did the audition, and obviously, I booked the job.

On May 28th, Maturo’s feature film Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog, based on Asher Kravitz’s book of the same title, will be premiering in select US theaters. It was the first major role that the young actor filmed after Girl Meets World. He plays ‘Joshua,’ a nine-year-old Jewish boy, who is growing up in the bosom of 1930’s Nazi Germany. Directed by Lynn Roth, and co-starring Ken Duken and Ayelet Zurer, the film illustrates Joshua and his German Shepherd ‘Kaleb’ who lamentably has to be handed over when the Nuremberg Laws were enacted. Those laws banned  Jewish individuals from owning any pets. ‘Kaleb,’ the dog, is employed by a SS Soldier at a concentration camp where ‘Joshua’ is prisoned. The duo rekindles their connection as ‘Kaleb’ vows to protect his best friend. 

Maturo comments on his view of the main takeaway of the film: “I think the biggest takeaway will be that dogs are amazing loyal creatures and that they are our protectors. I also hope this movie opens people’s eyes to how terrible Jewish people were treated during the war, and how all their basic rights were slowly stripped away, like the ability to own pets. Taking away smaller human rights opens the door to taking away bigger human rights. It’s important to tell these stories so history is never repeated.”

In addition to Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog, Maturo picked up American indie-horror film Slapface debuting this fall. Written and directed by Jeremiah Kipp and produced by Mike Manning, Maturo plays ‘Lucas’ who is a bullied boy whom attracts a monster from the woods who terrorizes everybody around the young boy. Mike Manning doubles as producer and Lucas’s older brother ‘Tom.’ 

On the difference of filming a show like Girl Meets World and a horror film like Slapface:

“Yes, it’s completely different. It’s kind of like going from running to walking. In Girl Meets World it’s television and there was a live audience, and the show moves really fast. When you perform you get an immediate reaction but when you film a dramatic movie everything is slow and thoughtful. You have to internalize everything. The pace is completely different.”

Matt Kallish

Matt Kallish

Food allergy education is very near and dear to the Maturos. In the past, he has been a spokesperson for Epipen and F.A.R.E. He was also the national captain for the Teal Pumpin Project for years on end. The Teal Pumpkin Project works to provide a safe zone for kids with a life-threatening food allergy on Halloween night. The organization asks participating households to place a teal-colored pumpkin out on their doorsteps and to offer things such a little toys for kids with allergies who do not want to feel left out on Halloween when trick-or-treating with their friends. Currently, the actor is a spokesperson for F.A.A.C.T. (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team). The organization presents a food allergy camp every year as well an an annual teen retreat. 

“Food allergies are such a misunderstood condition, so as an actor with life-threatening food allergies I love that I could use my platform to raise awareness and educate others,” he says, “I love connecting with other kids and families dealing with this condition. I think it’s important for them to know they aren’t alone and that food allergies don’t have to stop you from having a wonderful life or stop you from following your dreams.”

On May 20th Maturo celebrated #InternationalRedSneakersDay in support of a young boy Oakley who had a nut-allergy passed away due to consuming a cake that contained walnut extract. The little boy loved red sneakers which have now become a symbol for food-allergy awareness and education. 

Catch Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog in select theaters on May 28th. 

Meet the Author

Brianna Vacca is a Philadelphia-based writer. She has an unhealthy addiction to true crime documentaries, celebrity gossip, and writes overly dramatic sad songs.