The Devil All The Time: 5 Ways Drew Starkey’s Tragic Role Foreshadowed His Rise To Fame
Drew Starkey's performance as Tommy Matson in the 2020 Southern Gothic thriller The Devil All the Time is a masterclass in making a small role deeply impactful, showcasing the actor's versatility long before his global breakout as Rafe Cameron on Netflix's *Outer Banks*. As of December 2025, with Starkey's career trajectory soaring thanks to major upcoming projects like *Queer* and *Onslaught*, it’s the perfect time to look back at the dark, interconnected world of Knockemstiff, Ohio, and the pivotal, albeit brief, part Matson played in the film's tragic tapestry. This deep dive explores how his character's fate perfectly encapsulated the movie's grim themes of inescapable violence and the abuse of power, cementing Starkey’s place as a rising star capable of holding his own against a stacked cast including Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson.
The film, directed by Antonio Campos and based on the novel by Donald Ray Pollock, is a grim exploration of faith, sin, and generational trauma in post-war America. Starkey's role is a subtle but essential cog in this complex, violent narrative, providing a crucial link in the chain of events that defines the life of the protagonist, Arvin Russell.
Drew Starkey: A Brief Biography and Filmography Profile
Joseph Andrew Starkey, known professionally as Drew Starkey, has quickly become one of Hollywood's most sought-after young actors, transitioning seamlessly between television and film roles.
- Full Name: Joseph Andrew Starkey
- Date of Birth: November 4, 1993
- Age (as of 2025): 32
- Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina, USA
- Height: 6'2" (1.88 m)
- Breakout Role: Rafe Cameron in the Netflix series *Outer Banks* (2020–present)
- Key Filmography:
- 2018: Love, Simon (as Garrett Laughlin)
- 2018: The Hate U Give (as Nick)
- 2020: The Devil All the Time (as Tommy Matson)
- 2022: Hellraiser (as Trevor)
- 2023: The Other Zoey (as Zach MacLaren)
- Upcoming: *Queer* (Directed by Luca Guadagnino, starring alongside Daniel Craig)
- Upcoming: *Onslaught* (Directed by Adam Wingard)
The Tragic Arc of Tommy Matson in a Southern Gothic Nightmare
In *The Devil All the Time*, Drew Starkey plays Tommy Matson, a young man who finds himself entangled in the spiraling darkness of the film’s ensemble of characters. While his screen time is limited compared to the leads, his character's tragic end serves as a brutal punctuation mark in the story of Arvin Russell.
Matson’s Connection to the Core Violence
The film is structured around several intersecting storylines of morally compromised individuals, all corrupted by a toxic mix of fervent religion and deep-seated violence. Tommy Matson is a peripheral figure who becomes a victim of this environment. He is one of the local bullies who prey on the vulnerable, specifically targeting Lenora Laferty, the adopted sister of Arvin Russell (Tom Holland). This act of cruelty is not just a minor incident; it is the final catalyst that pushes Arvin, already hardened by a lifetime of trauma, toward a violent reckoning.
The encounter is a stark illustration of the film’s central theme: how evil perpetuates itself. Matson's actions, born of small-town malice and a sense of impunity, force Arvin to confront the darkness directly. The moment Arvin decides to protect Lenora is the moment he fully embraces the violent legacy he inherited from his father, Willard Russell (Bill Skarsgård). Starkey’s portrayal of Matson, while brief, effectively conveys the casual cruelty of a young man who believes he is untouchable, making his eventual fate all the more shocking.
Thematic Resonance: Inescapable Fate and the Cycle of Sin
The character of Tommy Matson is a perfect entity for analyzing the Southern Gothic genre elements of the film. His death is not a random act of violence but a necessary consequence in the narrative's cycle of sin and retribution. In this world, no one is truly innocent, and every character's demise is rooted in a complicated web of moral failure. Matson's death at Arvin’s hands is a direct response to the abuse of power—a theme also explored through the predatory Preacher Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson) and the serial-killing couple Carl and Sandy Henderson.
Matson’s role, therefore, is crucial for several reasons:
- Catalyst for Arvin: His actions trigger Arvin's ultimate transformation into a vigilante figure.
- Representation of Local Evil: He embodies the smaller, more mundane forms of evil that fester in the rural towns of Knockemstiff and Meade, Ohio.
- Thematic Echo: His unfortunate end serves as a grim echo of the film's title, suggesting that the "devil" truly is "all the time," consuming everyone in its path, regardless of the size of their sin.
From Tommy Matson to Rafe Cameron: The Rise of Drew Starkey’s Intensity
While *The Devil All the Time* gave Starkey a chance to demonstrate his dramatic range among a critically-acclaimed cast, it was his subsequent role as Rafe Cameron in *Outer Banks* that catapulted him to global stardom. The intensity and unsettling energy he brought to Tommy Matson were refined and amplified in his portrayal of the wealthy, volatile, and deeply troubled Kook, Rafe.
The two characters, though vastly different in setting and scope, share a common thread of troubled youth and a capacity for violence:
- Tommy Matson (The Devil All the Time): A small-town bully, his violence is reactionary and driven by a lack of consequence in a lawless environment.
- Rafe Cameron (Outer Banks): A complex antagonist, his violence is fueled by insecurity, class resentment, and a desperate need for his father's approval.
The ability to convincingly portray such emotionally charged and morally ambiguous characters is a testament to Starkey's talent. His work on the 2020 film showed Hollywood that he had the dramatic chops to handle dark, complex material, which has directly led to his current wave of high-profile projects.
What’s Next for Drew Starkey: Upcoming Projects and Career Trajectory
With the continued success of *Outer Banks* and the lasting impact of his early film roles, Drew Starkey’s career is entering a new, exciting phase in late 2025. His involvement in two major upcoming films highlights his increasing topical authority and demand in the industry:
- *Queer* (2025): Directed by the acclaimed Luca Guadagnino (known for *Call Me By Your Name*) and starring Daniel Craig, *Queer* is perhaps Starkey's most anticipated project. Based on a novel by William S. Burroughs, this film is expected to be a major critical vehicle, offering Starkey a significant dramatic role far removed from the teen drama of the Outer Banks.
- *Onslaught*: Joining the cast of Adam Wingard’s action-thriller *Onslaught* further diversifies his portfolio, proving his ability to navigate different genres, from psychological crime thrillers like *The Devil All the Time* to high-stakes action.
From the dark, dusty roads of Knockemstiff, Ohio, to the glamorous sets of Paris Fashion Week and major Hollywood productions, Drew Starkey's journey is a compelling narrative of a dedicated actor seizing every opportunity. His brief but powerful turn as Tommy Matson remains a crucial bookmark in his filmography, a haunting reminder of his early ability to capture the essence of human darkness and tragedy.
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