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Cue up ringtones. I run to my phone and pick it up.
"Hello?"
"Is this the right extension? It's Matt."
"Why, Matt, I've been expecting you..."

HEY! Who dropped the - oh, oops, I'm doing it again. Sorry about that. What can I say? Smart guys get to me. And let me tell you, this one is really smart. And athletic. And, well...  

MATT CZUCHRY

 , the heartthrob on the WB's "Gilmore Girls," works hard at what he does, always, as long as it's what he loves. It's just one of the things that makes him so interesting. So, if there are any self--proclaimed "Rorys" out there, read on. You won't be disappointed.

How do you like being the new love interest on "Gilmore Girls"?
It's a great opportunity. The show's doing really well this year. The stuff they're giving me for my character every week is just great.

Is portraying "Logan" interesting to you?
Yes... [I enjoy] the sense of freedom [I] have with his character. He just comes in at the right time, and says whatever he wants. It's kind of that attitude you have in college - untouchable or immortal - whatever you want to call it. [There's the] sense of freedom to be able to play someone different than I am. I always think before I speak.

Is the "Gilmore Girls'" backdrop of college relatable to you?
I went to the College of Charleston (Charleston, WV) and graduated in 1999. Now that I'm out of school, I can look back and have a good sense of where this character is coming from, since I've had those college experiences. To me, that's a big advantage... I'm able to relate to what Logan may be thinking during certain situations since I've been there.

We hear you were a tennis star in school.
I don't know if I'd use the word "star..." [but I did] go to school on a scholarship. In my senior year of high school, I won the Tennessee State Championship, so that was pretty special to me. I played varsity all four years, and was the captain of my team the last two years.

Tennis was a huge part of my life in college. It taught me so much about discipline. I double--majored in history and political science, and then played tennis on top of that. It was a great experience for life.

I'd play a match all day, finish at 10 p.m., and [though] I was exhausted, I'd have a paper due the next morning. I could win a huge match and feel great, but I still knew [I had] to get that paper done in the morning.

So you were a good student with all of that going on?
I was! I won the highest award you can win when you graduate from the College of Charleston - the Bishop Robert Smith Award. It combines academics and extracurricular activities. The day before graduation, they have a ceremony where that's the first award presented and everyone has to stand... it was a big deal.

I remember the day my political science teacher asked me to stay after class, and I thought, 'Oh no, what's going on? Am I in trouble here?' He said to me, 'The political science department wants to
ominate you for the Bishop Robert Smith Award,' and I was completely floored. All the hard work I had done in academics and in athletics was being recognized. I just did it because I love to learn, and it was being recognized by my professors whom I looked up to.

Oh, you geek!
My family always [told me], just do what you love. I love history and political science, and it was a lot of hard work, papers, and the extra stuff double--majoring, but I love to learn. It wasn't like, I've gotta get an A in this class, I've gotta get an A on this test, it was just a matter of [my] enjoying what I was doing. I think that's key at any phase in your life - to just do what you enjoy.

Personally and professionally, who would you say are your biggest influences in life? My family has been a great model for me. I have both my parents, and three siblings. They're all older than I am so it's kind of like having five parents. And within my family, there are teachers - both figuratively and literally. I had a great base from my family as far as educating me about life, academics, and professional aspects.

Are you where you want to be right now in your career?
It's an exciting time for me to be on a show that's doing well, and [to be] working with people I enjoy. And also, "Gilmore Girls" has such a different tone with the pace of the dialogue that it's different, and I'm learning so much.

Just like with academics, I love to learn, and I have so much to learn about acting. I feel like I'm improving and learning all the time with each job I do.

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