Matthew Settle Biography: Wife, Age, Height, Parents, Net Worth, Children, Movies, TV Shows

Biography

Jeffrey Matthew Settle (born September 17, 1969) is a celebrated American former actor renowned for his versatile roles in film and television.

He gained early recognition as Will Benson in the 1998 horror sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, starring alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.

Settle earned critical acclaim for portraying the enigmatic Captain Ronald Speirs in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, produced by Steven Spielberg, and later became a household name as the charming yet flawed Rufus Humphrey, father to Dan and Jenny, on The CW’s Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012.

Other notable credits include the Emmy-winning miniseries Into the West (2005) and a guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Born to theologian Dr. Robert E. Settle and concert organist Joan Settle, he has lived internationally in cities like Rome, London, and Los Angeles, but primarily resides in New York with his daughter.

Settle was previously married to Israeli actress Naama Nativ from 2006 to 2011.

American former actor
Matthew Settle
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Jeffrey Matthew Settle
Stage Name:	Matthew Settle
Born:	17 September 1969 (age 56 years old)
Place of Birth:	Hickory, North Carolina, United States
Nationality:	American
Education:	N/A
Height:	1.78 m
Parents:	Robert Settle, Joan Settle
Siblings:	5
Spouse:	Naama Nativ Settle (m. 2006–2011)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Maria Alfonsin (2011), Kelly Rutherford, Ashley Judd, Cassidy Rae, Kaylee DeFer
Children:	Aven Angelica Settle
Occupation:	Actor • TV Personality
Net Worth:	$1 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Matthew Settle, born Jeffrey Matthew Settle on September 17, 1969, in Hickory, North Carolina, USA, grew up in a devout Baptist household as the youngest of six children.

His family relocated to Sevierville, Tennessee, in 1983 when he was about 14 years old, after his father accepted a new pastorate at a local church, where his parents continue to reside.

Raised in this religious environment, Settle experienced a childhood influenced by his family’s faith and community involvement. His ethnicity is primarily English and Scottish, with other unspecified European ancestry, based on documented family lineages tracing back to Tennessee and earlier generations.

He was raised in the Baptist faith, stemming from his father’s role as a Baptist minister, with no public information indicating a departure from this upbringing. His father, The Rev. Dr. Robert Settle, is a Baptist minister and theologian who has led congregations, including the one in Sevierville, since 1983.

His mother, Joan Settle, supported the family in their religious and community life, with some accounts noting her involvement in church music as a concert organist. As the youngest, Settle has five older siblings: two sisters and three brothers, though details about their individual lives or relationships with him are not extensively publicized.

He likely attended school in Hickory, North Carolina, during his early years and then in Sevierville, Tennessee, after the family’s move. Still, no specific institutions or degrees are mentioned in the available sources. Later, at age 19, he pursued acting classes in New York after leaving home, borrowing money from friends to fund his training before relocating to Los Angeles to launch his career.

Career

Matthew Settle began his acting career in the mid-1990s, moving to New York City at age 19 to study acting before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in film and television. His early roles included minor appearances, such as in the TV movie Shaughnessy (1996).

However, his breakout came two years later when he starred as Will Benson in the 1998 horror sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. — a performance that marked his entrance into mainstream Hollywood.

In 2001, Settle gained critical acclaim for his portrayal of Captain Ronald Speirs in the acclaimed HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

His powerful performance as the stoic yet intense WWII officer showcased his dramatic range and established him as a respected talent in television drama. He continued this momentum with a leading role as Jacob Wheeler in the Emmy-winning miniseries Into the West (2005), a sweeping historical epic that further demonstrated his versatility.

Settle’s most iconic role came when he joined the cast of The CW’s Gossip Girl (2007–2012), portraying Rufus Humphrey, the charming and down-to-earth father of Dan and Jenny Humphrey. Appearing in 112 episodes, he became a fan favorite and one of the show’s emotional anchors throughout its six-season run.

His other notable credits include appearances in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2002), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), and The Celestine Prophecy (2006). In later years, he took on roles in TV movies such as A Sister’s Nightmare (2013) and Ouija (2014), often playing emotionally layered or character-driven parts.

Outside of acting, Settle briefly explored music, performing with a band during his early years in Los Angeles, though his passion and primary focus remained acting.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Matthew Settle
• Instagram: Matthew Settle (@matthewrufussettleofficial)
• IMDb: Matthew Settle
• Facebook: Matthew Settle
• Twitter: Matthew Settle (@matt_settle) / X

Personal Life

Matthew Settle, born Jeffrey Matthew Settle on September 17, 1969, is 56 years old.

He stands at a height of 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters).

Settle has been married once, to Israeli actress and model Naama Nativ (Naama Nativ Settle), with whom he eloped in 2006; the couple divorced in May 2011 after about four to five years of marriage, depending on sources.

He has one child from that marriage, a daughter named Aven Angelica Settle, born on March 5, 2009.

Settle‘s dating history includes a long-term relationship with Maria Alfonsin (sometimes spelled Alforsin), whom he began dating around 2011 following his divorce, with the partnership lasting over 14 years as of recent reports; they appear to remain together based on 2025 coverage, though details about her background are limited.

He has also been linked romantically to several others, including rumoured relationships with his Gossip Girl co-star Kelly Rutherford during the show’s run (fueled by their on-screen chemistry as a married couple and off-screen photos), as well as earlier connections to actresses like Ashley Judd and Cassidy Rae. However, these are less substantiated and may stem from on-screen pairings or unconfirmed speculation.

Other names, such as Kaylee DeFer, appear tied solely to on-screen matchups rather than real-life dating.

Settle tends to keep his personal life private, with no confirmed additional marriages, children, or recent breakups noted in public records.

Net Worth

Matthew Settle‘s net worth is estimated at $1 million, primarily accumulated from his acting career spanning over two decades in film, television, and stage.

Key earnings stem from breakout roles like Will Benson in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), Captain Ronald Speirs in Band of Brothers (2001), and his long-running portrayal of Rufus Humphrey on Gossip Girl (2007–2012), which appeared in 112 episodes and remains a significant contributor to his finances.

Additional income has come from miniseries like Into the West (2005), guest spots on shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Broadway performances, including Chicago: The Musical (2010), though his post-Gossip Girl projects have been more sporadic, reflecting a selective approach to work.

Filmography

Movies

• Shaughnessy (1996) – Tommy Shaughnessy
• I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) – Will Benson
• Crime in Connecticut: The Story of Alex Kelly (1999) – Alex Kelly
• Attraction (2000) – Matthew
• The In Crowd (2000) – Matt
• U-571 (2000) – Ensign Keith Larson
• Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) – Jack
• Until the Night (2004) – Michael
• Rancid (2004) – James Hayson
• The Celestine Prophecy (2006) – John
• Beneath (2007) – John
• ExTerminators (2009) – Dan
• Ouija (2014) – Anthony

TV Shows

• Band of Brothers (2001) – Capt. Ronald Speirs (Miniseries, 7 episodes)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2002) – Jackson Zane (Episode: “Storm”)
• ER (2002) – Brian Westlake (2 episodes)
• CSI: Miami (2003) – Art Pickering (Episode: “Death Grip”)
• The Practice (2004) – Russell Bakey (Episode: “Police State”)
• Into the West (2005) – Jacob Wheeler (Miniseries, 2 episodes)
• Brothers & Sisters (2006) – Jonathan Sellers (2 episodes)
• Gossip Girl (2007–2012) – Rufus Humphrey (112 episodes)
• A Sister’s Nightmare (2013) – Matt (TV Movie)
• Paper Angels (2014) – Kevin Morrell (TV Movie)
• The Offer (2022) – Joseph Colombo (Miniseries, 1 episode)

Stage

• Chicago: The Musical (2010) – Billy Flynn (Broadway production)