ITV soap Emmerdale saw the arrival of Matty Barton (played by Ash Palmisciano) last year after he returned to the village to retrieve his birth certificate as he prepared to legally change gender. Matty was previously Hannah Barton (Grace Cassidy) before transitioning with his mother Moira Barton (Natalie J. Robb) instantly recognising her child. Despite a fraught relationship between mother and son, Matty returned to Emmerdale to be with his family.
However, Matty has found himself making friends with a group of males who don’t have his best interests at heart.
Matty has also fallen out with Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) after he snubbed her for his new friends.
The storyline is the first big one for Matty since he came back to the Yorkshire Dales, leading many viewers wanting to know about soap star Ash.
Emmerdale: Matty Barton is the first trans character on the soap (Image: ITV)
Who plays Matty Barton in Emmerdale?
The character of Matt is played by up-and-coming actor Ash Palmisciano.
Ash is 28-years-old and had had a number of roles before joining the ITV soap.
He previously featured in BBC series Boy Meets Girl and Mum.
Ash is also a spoken word artist and features in a short film called The Lady That Dances by Joppe Rog.
Emmerdale marks Ash’s biggest role to date and his casting makes him the first transgender character as well as the first trans actor on the soap.
Ash ended up joining Emmerdale after he was initially brought in to consult on the transgender storyline.
Emmerdale: Matty Barton is played by Ash Palmisciano (Image: GETTY)
Speaking on This Morning, Ash explained: “I was an actor, I was doing bits and bobs in theatre. But you know what it’s like, I was collecting tickets, I was a full-time peasant at Warwick Castle, it was getting the point where my parents were like, ‘Maybe you should focus on getting something else’.”
He continued: “It’s been just over a year [on Emmerdale], I have to constantly remind myself I can’t believe how amazing it is.”
Reflecting on the toxic masculinity storyline Matty will get caught up in, he said: “It’s been amazing to do.
Emmerdale: Matty and Moira Barton have a fraught relationship (Image: ITV)
“I guess Matty is going through what a lot of lads go through a little bit younger in life. He’s going through it a bit later where he’s got this pressure to – what sort of a man is he going to be? Is he going to be a Jack the Lad? Is he going to try and compete with them?
“He puts himself through quite a lot of pressure because he wants to be liked, he wants to fit in. He meets these friends who are proper, typical Jack the Lads, disrespectful to women, love a good beer or two, they’re violent, they don’t talk about their emotions. He tries to be like them to fit in. He thinks this is going to help him.”
Ash went on to say: “He’s a cheeky chappy, he’s a sensitive soul. For me to play, it’s been a real difference in character.
Emmerdale: Matty Barton will be caught in a toxic masculinity story (Image: ITV)
“I think Emmerdale have been amazing from off. We want to tell an authentic story and if there’s anything we do that you think needs to be more authentic, let us know. They’ve been really open to that. I’ve been able to advise as I’m going.”
Going forward, he hoped Matty would become his own character and his gender would be incidental to the storyline.
When asked about his own experience as a trans person, he revealed he’d suffered abuse while walking home alone and even being physically attacked.
He previously told the Mirror he had been subjected to verbal abuse, saying: “I didn’t reply, I just looked down at my feet, to which he said it again, this time with intent and on repeat.”
Emmerdale: Matty Barton is set for a big storyline (Image: ITV)
Ash said because of his job he couldn’t respond but admitted he was sick of being treated like a “second-class citizen”.
“For all you haters and bigots and the ones that just ignore me. There’s nothing you can do that’s ever going to break me. I’ve been crueller to myself than you’ll ever be,” he stated.
Adding: “But I promise I’ll never give up, because I know I’ve got others relying on me.”
Emmerdale continues on ITV tonight at 7pm
