A native of Evanston, IL, actor Zach Gilford attended the prestigious college of his hometown, Northwestern University. Eager to try his hand at professional acting after graduating, he started his career out strong when he was cast in the role of Matt Saracen on the popular series Friday Night Lights, a show based on the movie of the same name, about a small town in Texas where high-school football is among the most important things in life. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide