Matteo Firth is a London-based drummer and the younger son of actor Colin Firth and Italian producer and environmental advocate Livia Giuggioli. Born in 2003, he grew up between England and Italy and chose music rather than acting as his main path. He has played in bands, toured in Europe, worked as a freelance drummer, taught students, and studied at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford.
In this article, you’ll learn about Matteo’s family, early start on drums, Strange Child years, Isle of Wight Festival shows, work with other artists, ACM studies, and current career. You’ll also see how he fits into the Firth family while building a working life that is centered on music rather than film.
A Childhood Between England and Italy
Matteo Firth is one of Colin Firth’s three sons. His older half-brother, Will Firth, was born in 1990 during Colin’s relationship with actress Meg Tilly. Luca Firth was born in 2001 to Colin and Livia, and Matteo followed in 2003.
PEOPLE reports that Luca and Matteo were raised between England and Italy. Colin later said both boys were born in Rome and had dual citizenship from the beginning.
That gave Matteo a family life tied to both countries. London became important to his music work, while Italy remained part of the family’s home life and identity.
The brothers also grew up around different kinds of creative work. Colin built an international acting career. Livia worked in film, sustainability, and environmental projects. Luca moved toward songwriting and performance. Matteo found his place behind the drum kit.
He Started Playing Drums at Six
Matteo’s professional website says he began playing drums when he was six years old.
That early start became more than a childhood interest. As he grew older, he moved into bands, live shows, studio work, and formal music study.
Drums also gave him a clear role of his own inside a well-known family. His father’s work is built around acting. His brother Luca writes and performs songs. Matteo’s public career has centered on rhythm, live performance, and session work.
Strange Child Gave Him His First Long Run in a Band
Matteo spent five years playing with Strange Child, the first band listed in his professional biography.
The group gave him steady experience before he moved deeper into freelance work. His website says Strange Child played O2 Academy Islington and appeared on the Hard Rock stage at the Isle of Wight Festival three times.
PEOPLE also identified Matteo as the drummer in Strange Child and noted the band’s place on the 2022 Isle of Wight Festival lineup.
The band released “Hours and Hours” in 2022, adding recorded music to the live shows that had already become part of Matteo’s early career.
Those years matter because they show that his music path developed through repeated live work rather than a single family connection or one public appearance.
The Isle of Wight Festival Became an Early Career Marker
Playing the Isle of Wight Festival gave Strange Child a larger stage than a local club date.
Matteo’s current professional biography says the band played the festival on three occasions. PEOPLE also documented the group on the 2022 lineup.
By then, Matteo had already spent years playing drums. The festival dates added a more visible part to that experience and placed him in a professional live setting while he was still early in his career.
He Moved Into Freelance Drumming
Matteo now describes himself as a London freelance drummer.
His website lists Benchwarmer, Luca Firth, and Huw Lloyd among the artists or projects he plays with. That mix shows a shift away from one fixed band and toward work with different performers.
His public work now includes band performances, touring, studio sessions, teaching, and playing alongside his brother.
A Tour With Beatrich Took Him to Lithuania
One of Matteo’s most notable freelance jobs took him to Lithuania.
His professional biography says he toured there with pop artist Beatrich. The job placed him outside the UK live circuit where much of his earlier work had taken place.
The same site includes a testimonial from Beatrich praising his work on stage.
The Lithuania dates stand out because they show Matteo moving from a young band setup into professional support work for another artist.
His ACM Studies Support the Career He Is Building
Matteo has also combined live work with formal music study.
His current professional biography says he is studying Drumming Performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. The same biography says he is completing a BA in Music Industry with a specialization in drums.
His website names Toby Drummond, Paul Geary, Brian Henry, and Joe Yoshida among the musicians who have taught or mentored him at ACM.
That education fits the direction of his career. His work moves across artists, live settings, teaching, and the wider business side of music.
Matteo and Luca Firth Make Music Together
Music is also part of Matteo’s relationship with his older brother Luca.
Luca is a singer and songwriter, while Matteo plays drums. Matteo’s website lists Luca among the artists he currently works with.
PEOPLE has also covered both brothers as musicians, showing how they each moved toward music while their father remained best known for film.
The brothers have different roles. Luca works from the front of the song as a writer and performer. Matteo supports the music from the drum kit.
Colin Firth Has Three Sons
The family structure around Matteo is simple once the different relationships are separated.
Colin Firth’s eldest son is Will Firth, whom he shares with Meg Tilly. Will went into acting.
Colin later married Livia Giuggioli. They had Luca and Matteo. Luca built a path in music, and Matteo became a drummer.
That means all three sons have worked in creative fields, but their careers are different. Will followed acting more closely. Luca developed as a songwriter and performer. Matteo has built his identity around drums.
Born in Rome and Raised Across Two Countries
Matteo’s connection to Italy is not just through his mother.
When Colin Firth became an Italian citizen in 2017, he said his two sons had been born in Rome and had been dual citizens from the beginning. The Guardian reported his statement at the time.
The family continued to live in Britain while keeping strong ties to Italy. PEOPLE later described Luca and Matteo as having been raised between the two countries.
For Matteo, that background places his life across two cultural settings. His current work is based in London, but Italy has remained part of the family story since childhood.
The Family Farm Added Another Side to His Life
Matteo and Luca have also appeared in family posts connected to Quintosapore, the sustainable farm linked to Livia’s family in Umbria.
PEOPLE has described the brothers helping with farm work and food there.
That part of Matteo’s life sits far from stages and studios, but it fits the family’s long connection with Italy and sustainability.
Teaching Drums Is Now Part of His Work
Matteo’s current website also offers one-to-one drum lessons in London and online.
The lessons are aimed at players with different levels of experience. His site lists in-person teaching in London as well as online sessions.
That gives his music career several parts at once: performance, freelance work, formal study, and teaching.
His Public Image Stays Focused on Music
Matteo has a famous surname, but his public presence is not built around celebrity coverage.
His own website is centered on drumming. It highlights bands, live work, touring, teaching, education, and testimonials from people who have worked with him.
He has not built a public acting career like Colin or Will. His professional profile is focused on music rather than his family name.
A Career Built Behind the Kit
Matteo’s career has developed in clear stages.
He started playing at six. Strange Child gave him five years in a band. O2 Academy Islington and the Isle of Wight Festival brought larger live stages. Freelance work connected him with Benchwarmer, Huw Lloyd, and Luca Firth. The Lithuania tour added international experience. ACM added formal study, and teaching gave him another professional role.
Those steps already show a young musician building a practical career around one instrument.
That is the strongest part of Matteo’s story. He is not simply Colin Firth’s youngest son. He is a drummer with documented live, touring, teaching, and academic experience.
Matteo Firth in 2026
In 2026, Matteo Firth remains a London-based drummer with a career built around live music and collaboration.
His professional biography continues to list Benchwarmer, Luca Firth, and Huw Lloyd among his current work. It also lists his studies at ACM, his five years with Strange Child, his Isle of Wight Festival appearances, his Lithuania tour with Beatrich, and his drum teaching.
His family background will always connect his name to Colin Firth. Yet the clearest picture of Matteo today comes from what he does himself.
He has spent years behind the kit, moved from a first band into freelance work, studied the industry, played abroad, and started teaching. That gives him a music story that stands on its own.
If you enjoy stories about young performers building careers outside a famous parent’s field, read our profile of Freya Skye next.
