Matthew Buchanan
Actor History
Steven and Nicholas Towler (1999 to June 2000)
Ian Chandler Sheaffer (July 2000 to May 2001)
Eddie Alderson (May 2001 to December 2008 [recurring]; December 2008 to Present [contract])
Lifeline
Matthew was 15 when he learned he was paralyzed from a car accident in 2009
Other Names
Matthew Hanen Rappaport (from birth until June 17, 2005)
According to the show, Matthew's name was changed on Father's Day.
Occupation
Student
Resides At
Buchanan mansion
Briefly enrolled at International Warwick Academy, London, England
Marital Status
Single/Never Been Married
Past Marriages
None
Relatives
Bo Buchanan (father)
Nora Hanen (mother)
David Vickers (paternal half-brother)
Drew Buchanan (paternal half-brother; deceased)
Rachel Gannon (maternal half-sister)
Asa Buchanan (paternal grandfather; deceased)
Olympia Buchanan (paternal grandmother; deceased)
Lenny Hanen (maternal grandfather)
Selma Hanen (maternal grandmother)
Clint Buchanan (paternal uncle)
Susannah Hanen (maternal aunt)
Ben Davidson (paternal half-uncle; deceased)
Cordero Roberts (paternal cousin)
Kevin Buchanan Sr. (paternal cousin; via adoption)
Joseph Buchanan (paternal cousin; via adoption)
Jessica Buchanan (paternal cousin; via adoption)
Natalie Buchanan (paternal cousin)
Duke Buchanan (paternal first cousin once removed; via adoption; deceased)
Kevin Buchanan Jr. (paternal first cousin once removed; via adoption; deceased)
Megan Buchanan (paternal first cousin once removed; via adoption; deceased)
Brennan Buchanan (paternal first cousin once removed; via adoption)
Zane Buchanan (paternal first cousin twice removed; via adoption)
Children
None
Flings & Affairs
Becca (kissed)
Destiny Evans (flirted)
Danielle Rayburn
Crimes Committed
Bought a joint from a dealer at school [2009]
Maladies and Hospitalizations
Had a seizure as a newborn [1999]
Diagnosed with a rare muscle condition but later cured [2001]
Paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident [2009]
Brief Character History
When Nora Buchanan gave birth to Matthew in 1999, she believed he was the product of an affair she had with hotshot attorney Sam Rappaport while she was married to Police Commissioner Bo Buchanan. Matthew was almost born too early, and Sam carried Nora through the snowstorm to the hospital. He was delivered and after a scare when he had a seizure, he was brought home happy and healthy. Matthew was diagnosed with a rare muscle condition in late 2001 by Troy MacIver, who cured him with a risky medicine still under experimentation, earning the adoration of Matthew for his "Dr. Troy." In late 2003, Matthew and the rest of his family were shocked to learn that he was actually the son of Nora's now former husband Bo Buchanan. Although Matthew began forming a relationship with his newfound father, even after Sam's death, he made it clear that he wanted to remain Matthew Rappaport, in honor of the man he had originally thought was his father. Shortly after his mother's marriage to Daniel Colson fell apart, though, Matthew was thrilled to officially become Matthew Buchanan, which was a wonderful Father's Day gift for Bo.
In the fall of 2008, Matthew entered high school as a freshman and quickly began to feel the familiar pressures of fitting in. Being the son of the town's district attorney and police commissioner didn't make things any easier for Matthew. He liked a girl at school named Becca, but she wouldn't give him the time of day. Matthew decided that portraying himself as a rebel would win him the girl and help him fit in with other kids, so he liked to his friends about doing drugs and even bought a joint to prove he wasn't a goody two-shoes. When Nora found the joint in Matthew's backpack by accident, she went to Bo and told him her fear that Matthew was doing drugs. Nora and Bo confronted Matthew, who at first lied about the joint but then said the joint was his and that he didn't think it was a big deal. Bo was very angry and felt he couldn't understand why Matthew was acting up. Matthew later discovered that his friend Cole, a high school senior who was living with him at the Buchanan mansion, was doing drugs. Matthew confronted Cole, but Cole wouldn't listen to reason and continued to take drugs to escape his life. Cole later took the joint from Matthew and smoked it outside the front door of the house, leaving the remainder of the joint for Bo and Nora to find. When Bo and Nora went to the school to confront their son, Matthew liked to impress his schoolmates and told his parents he smoked it. Cole overheard, but didn't say anything. Bo said he was going to send Matthew to military school, over Nora's objections, but he later reconsidered after having a heart-to-heart with Matthew, who admitted he had a crush on a girl. Matthew made a friend in a feisty girl named Destiny, who appeared to have a crush on Matthew although Matthew didn't realize it.
At a school dance in March 2009, Matthew asked Becca to dance and Becca agreed on a dare. Matthew was then humiliated when another kid named Justin had the DJ dedicate the song to Becca in Matthew's name and Becca rejected him. Everyone except Destiny laughed at him, and Matthew raced out of the school and jumped into the passenger seat of Cole's car. Cole, who had just taken a handful of pills after seeing his ex-girlfriend Starr making out with her teacher, told Matthew to get out of the car but Matthew refused. Cole zoned out while driving and swerved off the road to avoid hitting an oncoming car. The car flipped over, and Matthew was thrown from the car. Bo found Matthew lying on the side of the road and had him rushed to the hospital, where Dr. Michael McBain performed tests and determined that Matthew couldn't feel his legs. Later tests confirmed that Matthew was paralyzed from the waist down and would probably never walk again. Bo and Nora broke the news to Matthew, who felt that his life was over. Matthew also blamed himself for getting in the car with Cole and not wearing his seatbelt. Destiny visited Matthew at the hospital and offered him moral support. With his parents' encouragement, Matthew stopped blaming himself and accepted that his life wasn't over - although it would be forever changed.
Matthew was ridiculed by Justin and Becca when he returned to school, but they changed their tune when Destiny scared them into thinking that they could be arrested for contributing to his accident. Unfortunately, it backfired on Destiny when Becca showed up at Matthew's house and gave Matthew a kiss. Matthew was grateful when his older sister, Rachel, returned to town from Chicago to help him out following his accident. Rachel encouraged Matthew to attend the prom, where Matthew was introduced to the Pussycat Dolls. Matthew continued to get closer to Destiny, although he seemed oblivious to the fact that Destiny liked him as more than a friend.
Matthew was stunned when Clint announced, in front of Nora and Bo, that he had found a doctor who said he could help Matthew walk again. The doctor turned out to be Destiny's older brother Greg Evans. After reviewing Matthew's tests, Dr. Evans told Nora, Bo and Matthew that he could help Matthew walk again. But when Nora learned the surgery could be life threatening, she told an angry Matthew that she refused to let him have the surgery. Matthew shocked his parents when he said he would rather be dead than stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. With Destiny's urging, Matthew hired attorney Téa Delgado to take his parents to court and force them to consent to the surgery. When Matthew spotted his parents kissing on the night before Nora was to marry his Uncle Clint, Matthew attempted to blackmail Nora and Bo into allowing him to have the surgery in exchange for him not telling Clint about the kiss. Nora and Bo called Matthew's bluff, but Matthew decided not to tell Clint because he knew it would hurt Clint, who had been the one to find Dr. Evans in the first place. On the day of his mom's wedding, Matthew leaned in to kiss Destiny but was interrupted by Téa.
Matthew scored a victory in court, but then Greg refused to perform the surgery because his brother Shaun had fallen into a coma after Greg operated on him. Undeterred, Matthew found a doctor in Seattle who would do the surgery and told his parents he was going there. Nora and Bo offered to fly Matthew there on the Buchanan's private jet, but while en route Matthew learned they were really flying to London and he was being enrolled at a boarding school there. Matthew quickly hatched an escape plan with a fellow student, Danielle Rayburn, not realizing that Danielle was the daughter of his attorney Téa and Todd Manning. Destiny showed up in London to see Matthew, just as he was leaving with Danielle. With Destiny's help, Matthew and Danielle escaped the school and flew to Seattle, where Matthew underwent his surgery. There was a brief scare in the operating room, but Greg Evans assisted and the surgery was deemed a success. On Thanksgiving Day 2009, with his parents and the Evans family by his side in the hospital room, Matthew started to regain feeling in his legs. Matthew was shocked when Danielle showed up at the hospital, looking for a place to hide out from her mother. When Ross showed up and took Dani at gunpoint, Matthew was worried sick and refused to return to Llanview until he knew Danielle was okay.
