Matt Shively Talks ‘Lopez vs. Lopez’ Season 3 and Quinten’s Engagement [Interview]

If you are a fan of Lopez vs. Lopez, then you are familiar with the talents of Matt Shively, who plays Quinten, Mayan’s now fiancé and Chance’s father. Now, headed into its third season, the show is ready to shift the family dynamics.

The changes just under the surface for the Lopez family are bound to bring more frustration, humor, and heart. After all, Chance is getting older and starting to push his parents’ set boundaries. All the while, Mayan and Quinten adjust to married life and what that means for their relationship with George.

I recently spoke with Matt Shively to talk about what we can expect from Quinten this season and how this show has changed him as a person. 

Quinten is Getting Married

A big moment for Mayan and Quinten during Lopez vs. Lopez Season 2 was their engagement. These two have been together for many years, co-parenting their son while not tying the knot. 

While marriage can often shake up a relationship and change an entire family dynamic, Matt Shively asserted that isn’t going to be the case with Mayan and Quinten.

“It’s funny. I don’t know if it will really. I think other than in [regards to] security. I think Quinten and also Mayan, especially Mayan, were always afraid that at some point I would just leave because that’s kind of the trauma that she’s dealt with is abandonment and feeling like when things are too good, they’re going to fall apart,” Shively explained.

“I feel like once the marriage happens, there’s a level of comfort that everybody can kind of have; nobody’s going anywhere,” he added.

Despite this assertion that a marriage will be great for Mayan and Quinten, Shively was also quick to mention that there will still be some friction from time to time. However, the couple will meet those challenges together.

“The problems that you have, the things that usually, you wouldn’t talk about because of insecurities, we get to kind of hit those head on even more now because we’re not afraid to talk to each other as much as maybe we were before.”

The Trouble with George

One of the biggest causes of friction on Lopez vs. Lopez is the relationship between George and Quinten. Up to this point, George hasn’t shown much love for the man by his daughter’s side.

However, three years into their shared living arrangement, Shively believes George is finally coming around to Quinten. Not that the proud man would ever admit it.

“He’s coming around to Quinten a lot more. I think he’s really kind of seen that Quinten maybe possesses all of the things that he didn’t possess back in those days. And so, in a way, he’s kind of learning from Quinten,” Shively said.

He even went on to say that he feels George is very close to “saying I love you” to Quinten. However, for now, the two are simply being the friends the other needs. 

“[Quinten’s] a part of the family, and [George] knows that he has another person that he can talk to,” Shively added.

Parenting the Precocious Chance

One of the fun dynamics of Lopez vs. Lopez is that between Mayan, Quinten, and their precocious son, Chance. The two co-parent to varying degrees of success, but now things have to shift as Chance gets older.

It’s a shift that will be especially hard for Quinten because, as Shively stated, “he’s always been a discipliner that’s not very good at disciplining.” He attributes that to Quinten’s desire not to inconvenience others when he can simply inconvenience himself.

“His role as a dad is shifting toward having to stand up to his child, finally, and kind of take a more direct approach with him rather than letting him get away with everything like always,” Shively explained.

“I was the TV dad at first, but I didn’t really have to do anything that a dad really does, and I feel as though I’m starting to have to do that. So [he] has to be a little more stern than he has been because it’s a very formative time in Chance’s life, and he knows that it’s time to make sure that Chance becomes the man that he’s supposed to become.”

Behind the scenes, Shively loves acting out scenes with Brice Gonzalez because the child is very inquisitive and willing to learn.

“I love spending time with him. He’s always asking me questions. He’s always, you know, learning from me, and I’ve never kind of been the big brother type in real life for that. And so that’s been really fun.”

“Any scene that I have with him is my favorite scene because it’s what happens in between that is great. It’s kind of him and I growing together, both on a friendship level and then just as an actor,” Shively said.

What to Expect from Quinten in Season 3

Finally, we got down to the nitty gritty about what makes Quinten such a fun character to play for Shively, especially this season. He credits the writers and director for giving him more moments of physical comedy as a highlight this season.

“You know, there’s a lot of physical comedy that I’ve been able to do this season that I’m very excited for because I think that’s some of the funniest stuff that I’ve gotten to do.”

However, that isn’t all we can expect to see with Quinten this season. Shively also disclosed that we will meet Quinten’s family this season.

“My parents are coming to town. We get to meet my mom. And, that was a very heavy episode for me where I got to kind of play a bunch of different roles at once as I’m trying to juggle both families at the same time,” Shively said.

He also explained how the moments with his parents really allow viewers to witness Quinten’s continued evolution as a person, friend, family member, and father.

“With every episode, we kind of are seeing the evolution of Quinten, and with each new episode, he grows more and more. So, as a whole, there’s a bunch of stuff that I’m just very, very excited about.”

Shively also shared just how much being on Lopez vs. Lopez has changed him.

“This show made me a better person. I believe in myself, finally. I’m confident, for the first time in my life, in my ability. And I feel like I belong. This, again, is something that I think Quinten is always going through in the show, but it has made me a very strong person. Which has made me a better person because of it.”

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Lopez vs. Lopez premieres Friday, October 18th at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

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