List of The Young and The Restless Characters (1990s) - Matt Clark

Matt Clark first appeared in June 1994 as a high school student alongside of Nicholas Newman and Sharon Collins. The role first portrayed by Eddie Cibrian from June 1994 to January 1996. The character returned in 2000, initially portrayed by Russell Lawrence before Rick Hearst assumed the role. In April 2001, it was announced that Hearst would exit, and the character died onscreen the following month. However, due to Hearst's popularity with viewers, the actor returned for several recurring guest appearances as a ghost after his character's death.

History
Matt Clark dated Sharon Collins and acted as an adversary to Nicholas Newman while in high school. He raped Sharon as well as Amy Wilson, and allowed Nick to take the blame after Amy shot him. Afterward, Matt fled from Genoa City, only to return years later with a new face constructed by plastic surgery. He sought revenge against his old enemies by framing Nick for a crime he did not commit, and he planned to rape Sharon again. His unwitting accomplice, Tricia Dennison, turned on Matt after realizing he had drugged and raped her and purposely crashes a car they were in, putting Matt in the hospital. Matt killed himself and framed Nick for it. Nick was later found innocent. For sometime afterward, Matt appeared as a figment of Tricia's imagination until she was finally institutionalized after shooting and killing her ex-husband, Ryan McNeil.