Image Credit: Andrew Eccles/Oxygen
On this week’s episode of Oxygen’s The Glee Project, viewers said goodbye to Matheus Fernandes. The 4’9” Atlanta singer was eliminated after a special duet final performance, during which he sang “The Lady is a Tramp” with fellow cast mate Damian. “When it comes down to it, it’s a competition and I struggled — I struggled with the song choices,” admits the 20 year-old. “I’m not used to singing Frank Sinatra. That fits Damian better and I’m happy for him.” EW talked to Matheus about his conflicts with Alex and what’s next.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you feel about it? Did you watch it last night?
MATHEUS FERNANDES: I did actually yeah. It’s sad. But to be honest with you, it was a really good experience. I’m thankful for it. When it comes down to it, somebody has to go. It’s something you have to live through but more positive things out of it than negative ones.
You won the first and the third challenges. Were you surprised to be sent home so soon?
Yes and no. I was struggling with some things and some of the stuff that Ryan was asking out of me. Kind of yes and no, man. I was ready for anything. I had already kind of prepared my mindset. During that whole week actually, I was just having a feeling.
Last night, you and Alex really seemed to have issues. What’s your take on him?
I have no problems with him especially now. We’ve kind of mended our ways. Like I said during the show, I really do love Alex. Our personalities just kind of clashed a little bit. It’s sort of his personality and his attitude taken the wrong way, it can seem like a bad thing. He’s a very good guy.
What do you think it was that finally sent you home?
[Ryan Murphy] was always trying to get [me] more confident. I don’t know. Being under the pressure of the competition and everything like that and obviously some of the stuff that was going with Alex and some other people saying things, I don’t know if it was the competition was getting the best of some of them. I kind of showed a little bit of a vulnerable side and I was upset with it.
Do you look back on it as a good experience?
Yeah, I definitely think so. This is gonna open doors for all of us, I hope so at least. There’s always been many No’s, like “You’re too different. The short kid — what’s he going to get?” It’s changed me. Ryan’s criticism, the main concept of it, was kinda right. He told me you have to be more confident and more comfortable in your own skin and who you are as a person. Definitely, I think it was a good thing.
Did you make good friendships with the contenders?
Definitely. They’re like an extended family for me now. I’m in L.A. now and there’s some of them that are out here too.
Who would you say you’re closest too?
I actually got pretty close to Hannah. I got pretty close to Samuel, Damian.
What’s next for you?
I’m definitely going to pursue something in the entertainment industry. Music has always been what I wanted to do. I just want to inspire people. The fanbase I’ve built up I want them to be able to follow my journey and see that’s what this industry is about: you fall and then you pick yourself up and you brush yourself. You just keep going. You get there. You just gotta be positive and go for it.
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Read more:
‘The Glee Project’ Exit Q&A: This week’s eliminated contestant says, ‘I know I did the best that I could’
‘The Glee Project’ Exit Q&A: This week’s eliminated contestant admits, ‘I had a breakdown’
‘The Glee Project’ Exit Q&A: Ellis talks about tension with her fellow castmates
I hated this twerp. So glad he’s gone! Hopefully Alex is next…
I wasn’t expecting him to leave but for Alex to. I thought Murphy would see Matt’s stature as his redeeming quality and overlook everything else. Also thought he would criticize Alex more harshly for what he said, but he kind of went easy on him this time.
what did Alex say? Why was this little guy always challenging him? He was such a diva, especially last week
Alex simply said “No you can’t hit high notes like me” when they were waiting together. Back and forth between them they were singing high notes and Matt’s didn’t sound so good. Damian then told the judges about this little incident.
Oh no! He was cute! Get rid of the fat black kid.
His name is Alex! NOT “fat black kid” Ugh.
Me too! Should been gone last week when the shirt came off, Down Down Down
Totally agree. Corny, corny, corny.
I read somewhere that he sang the song twice, and RYAN asked him to go crazy and take his shirt off. But that got edited out.
This episode was okay. The whole Alex issue was blown out of proportion. Yes Alex is a diva but in this situation he was just stating a fact. Mattheus can’t go high like him, so what? Why did Matt take this as a point of discouragement? I’m kind of glad he’s gone. He wasn’t confident at all and it showed by this situation. Cameron just creeps me out. He tries to hard to play the geeky role and it makes him appear as an “old man creeper.” (Just look at the beginning of this ep when they were doing their duets. ) If you got it, you got it. No need to try so hard. What Ryan said about him crying to his mother was true. He needs to grow up, it was only one little kiss. I don’t find even the mightiest bible thumpers who would find that one little kiss to be that big of a deal. It was all for the show, he was still faithful
The smallest things are always blown out of proportion on this show. Why didn’t they toss that big redhead girl when her version of Fireworks melted my ears!? Now THAT would have been a good reason to kick someone off; not that they didn’t rock out enough to a 80s hairband song not one teenager now can possibly understand.
4’9”? MAYBE 3’9″
So…he’s short. What’s your point?
Phew, I was worried that you guys had stopped interviewing the eliminated contestants! Matheus was one of my favorites, and I was really sad to see him go. He had a lot of charisma, and I felt he was the victim of bad song choices. Alex was just such a diva, I’m hoping he goes home next week.
Boy, people are incredibly rude. Does that make you feel better? Glee is about coming together and lifting up each other, not tearing them down. Shame.
I find it to be more about “stories of the week”, poor storytelling, terrible continuity, and just complete ridiculousness, but that’s just me. Signed, former fan.
LOL! As much as I love “Glee” I had to agree with Brett here.
Preach. I used to be a fan, but once Ryan Murphy ran the show into the ground, it was hard to focus on what the show was supposed to be about. It’s already peaked in a matter of two seasons. Rough.
I agree with Joe G. People are so mean. Is it easier to say something nasty rather then nice? I don’t get it. I think everyone on that show brings something different and that’s why I m watching. Everyone is interesting in his/hers on way.
Cameron has been my favorite so far, but he totally bugged this episode. How does he expect to be on Glee and never have to act like he is into a girl (or guy). They change their “duet partners” almost as often as they change their sexual preferences. Now I don’t know who to root for. Damien really grew on me this week (both his performance and his personality). Before I just found him bland. Maybe Marissa will too…
I felt the same way. Cameron is talented, but he must have known what he was signing up for when this began. The “I’m too good of a Christian to kiss someone in a scene” is actually offensive to many Christians actors.
Exactly. I think Cameron and a few others need help with character direction. His attempts at Murphy’s picture of a nerdish teen isn’t working. He tries too hard and it comes off as creepy and awkward.
I’m glad he’s gone. It was cringeworthy when he took off his shirt in that last performance and danced around like a Chip and Dales dancer.. UGH!
It does feel like this show is extra cheesy. Ryan and the judges find the stupidest reasons for putting people in the bottom 3 – “She fell out of character in between takes” (uhh, ok, and that matters because..?) “He didn’t show enough vulnerability in that silent section of the one line he was on camera”. It’s just so odd.
Agreed–I absolutely abhor Ryan Murphy. He can’t seem to relate to anyone who hasn’t been through significant emotional trauma, and he just doesn’t get people like Cameron, who are confident and well-adjusted–he only seems to like them when they show “vulnerability”.
I hope the show starts putting them through legitimate acting challenges soon–after all, Glee is a TV show, not one giant music video, and it’s not going to matter if the winner is a fabulous singer if he or she can’t act at all.
Yes. He said he could write for Matteus because he saw that he has a setback with his height. He could never write for a normal, confident, funny, smart high school character. (Like me and so many of the kids I was friends with in high school – who also enjoyed singing and Choir.)
This is exactly what I commented on the last Q and A, the contestants have not been tested with acting assignments.
‘chip and dales dancers’? LOL!
You’ll find them at Disneyland, the word your looking for is ‘Chippendale’.
It all looks the bestest when it s wore by the one who is the one they say these typo s about , have a great day from the chase a direct cut , who s the direction of N s E W coastal went to one way out&in
I think the misspelling was deliberate. Either way, it was pretty funny.
Chip and Dales…LOL
I can’t stand Cameron and I think Ryan Murphy can’t either – regardless of his comment of creating a “Christian character” on Glee. It’s the other two who are Cameron fans. He looks like a clumsy giraffe and he is not at all convincing as any sort of character – least of all as himself. Get rid of Cameron now!!!
“Glee” has already jumped into religion pool. Rachel is Jewish, but has made a vow to not have have sex before marriage. The kids prayed for Kurt’s father when he was sick, and Mercedes took Kurt to church even though he’s an atheist. An uber-Christian character will not add anything new to “Glee,” and since Cameron can’t act at all, he doesn’t belong on the show.
Even though I really dislike Cameron completely I think an uber christian character would add a new viewpoint. One being the whole gay teen issue. Glee just spotlights bigotry but not understanding behind those who don’t approve with gay and lesbian relaitonships. Maybe this christian character can explain his beliefs without coming off as a bigot. > Even though I believe a christian character would add something new I think RM would just mess it all up by having every episode filled with this character going on about his religion, which would get annoying. I see him kind of creating a naive type character which no one would like.
I think Ryan’s issue with Cameron is that he’s normal and comfortable with himself. God forbid someone self-confident and secure step in front of Ryan Murphy!
Cameron was a favorite of but every week it becomes clear to me that he doesnt belong on glee. He should stick to being a great musician though. Love his voice.
Still pulling for Damian, Marissa and Lindsay.
Samuel i cant see being on Glee at all. if he wins his character better be great or else he will just fade into the background, i used to like him at first but he doesnt stand out to me anymore.
Samuel is talented, but he seems too mature to play a h.s. student. Damian would fit in, as would Hannah. No need for Lyndsay. The show already has a ficitonal Rachel Berry. It doesn’t need a real one.
It’s Chippendales dancer, not the two Disney chipmunks…LOL! Yes, Matteus’ striptease was indeed cringeworthy and just icky to watch. Guess he went overboard with trying to be sexier. The only reason Cameron is making such a fuss is the kiss probably excited him…he liked it a bit too much, so that’s why he feels like he’s cheated on his GF. It was a bit much. I’ve always thought he’s kind of gawky though he has a good singing voice. The producers at Glee really like him, though Ryan Murphy is rather ambivalent.
@ jewel64: Yeah, I think you are right… Cameron felt guilty about the kiss because he liked it… This reminded me of Chris Colfer’s interview in which he gave the impression that his feelings were not much influenced by his kiss scene with Darren Criss because he had to repeat it about 16 time… But he did jokingly say that after the first take of that kiss, “he needed a cigarette “…
This shows better than the one they are competing to get on.
This show is better than the one they are competing to get on.
No way, not in any shape or form.
Am I the only one who find the second kiss by Cameron and Lindsay to be a bit tasteless? She only did it because she seen the previous group do it, so originality points should have been lost. SIde note: I sometimes forget these are adults, are that, adults because they act bit immature at times.
It was just a bad idea on her part. She didn’t know Marissa had been asked to kiss Samuel, and she also should have known it would make Cameron uncomfortable. That said, I can understand why she would have felt she needed to do it.
Pretty much everything Lindsay did during “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was inappropriate for the song. She was trying to be a sex kitten and Cameron looked like he was afraid of her. Perhaps they should have switched parts. Then it might have worked.
I love Damian. I didn’t realize he was part of Celtic Thunder until just recently. I didn’t watch at the beginning, so I missed that tidbit. I went back and watched some of his performances with the group on YouTube and he was great.
I got nauseous when Cameron freaked out by the surprise kiss, and crying to his mother about it.
Does he really equate that kiss with cheating on his girlfriend?
“Ooh! I’m a Christian! I’ve sinned!” Shut up already, and join the real world.
Hah, surprisingly I don’t know any Christians who would really think that’s so bad. Cam was just using his religion as a crutch for his emotions. This guy is, I believe, 20 something years old. Its not like he was asked to sleep with the girl, it was just one kiss.
Go Damian. I saw him with Celtic Thunder when he was a boy. He has gown up to be such a nice young man and I love how he is confident but slightly awkward. He’s really the only reason I watch. Cameron’s calling and crying to his mother – grow up!