James is playing a character named Matt in an upcoming romantic comedy — and a few clues suggest that he’s the same character from the TikToks.

Why is Kevin James posting as a teacher named Matt Taylor on TikTok? Here’s what it could be

James is playing a character named Matt in an upcoming romantic comedy — and a few clues suggest that he's the same character from the TikToks.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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November 14, 2025 8:44 p.m. ET

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Kevin James backstage at 'The Tonight Show' in 2024. Credit:

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

Art teacher Matt Taylor has gone viral several times over on TikTok.

The popularity of his uplifting painting instructional videos might not be because of their actual quality, though, as the vast majority of commenters agree: Matt Taylor is actually actor Kevin James.

The *Paul Blart: Mall Cop* star has seemingly starred in 15 videos in character as the fourth-grade art instructor, who offers painting and drawing tips in addition to sage life advice in each of his videos.

Why the hell is the *King of Queens* star posing as an elementary school teacher? Our first hypothesis: Is this some sort of bizarre attempt at a viral marketing campaign for a movie?

There's no official confirmation that this is the case, but all the clues point toward Matt Taylor's videos being a promotional effort for James' upcoming romantic comedy *Solo Mio*, which is scheduled to release in theaters Feb. 6, 2026.

'Matt Taylor' (Kevin James?) on TikTok.

tiktok/thisismatttaylor

The primary facts: James' character in the movie is named Matt in the movie, according to a press release from distributor Angel Studios, the company behind *Sound of Freedom* and other "faith-friendly" projects. (Representatives for James and Angel Studios didn't immediately respond to **'s requests for comment.)

Perhaps even more importantly, the filmmakers behind *Solo Mio* — the eight-sibling collective known as the Kinnane Brothers — follow the Matt Taylor account on Instagram.

Two of the Kinnanes, Charles and Daniel, are directing the film together, while two *other* brothers, Patrick and John, wrote the screenplay alongside James. The Kinnanes previously worked with James on their *Sound Guy* viral video series during the COVID-19 pandemic, so they have some experience generating attention for videos starring James on social media (though it's not immediately clear if they're directly involved with the Matt Taylor posts).

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Actors Julee Cerda and Julie Ann Emery, who were announced as part of the *Solo Mio* cast, follow the Matt Taylor account as well. The film will also star Kim Coates, Alyson Hannigan, Jonathan Roumie, and Nicole Grimaudo, who do not follow the account.

In the initial press release, Angel described the film's premise. "Matt, a man whose dreams of a picturesque Italian wedding are shattered when his fiancée leaves him at the altar," the studio said. "Matt embarks on his planned honeymoon across Italy alone, immersing himself in the country’s vibrant culture, food, and beauty."

Nothing about that premise immediately suggests that the protagonist is a fourth-grade art teacher, but there are a few details in the Matt Taylor videos that indicate he's the same guy who'll eventually get turbo-dumped in an Angel Studios rom-com.

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In Matt's ninth video, he answers several questions, including one that asks why he always includes couples in his landscape paintings. "When you're painting, you're painting an ideal, I guess," he says. "And for me to see a couple is a completion. And in my life right now, we're working there." He's a big softie!

In his 11th video, Matt talks about how the natural world serves as the inspiration for his art. "This is created by the uncreated. This is the artist," he says. "God creates it for us out there, and this is the stuff we try to recreate." Definitely sounds like something from the studio behind* The King of Kings* and *The Chosen*!

In his 15th (and most recent) video, Matt is speaking to the camera in his classroom when he's suddenly interrupted by a woman walking by, causing him to lose his train of thought for a moment. He seems pretty distracted by the woman's presence, and it's the only time that another person audibly speaks in any of his videos. Perhaps love is in the air?

Something tells us we'll find out soon.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Celebrity”