Mathew Valencia

Mathew Valencia (born December 12, 1983) is an American former child actor and voice artist, best known for voicing the character Robin (Tim Drake) in the animated series The New Batman Adventures (1997–1998).^[1] Born in Fontana, California, Valencia began his career as a young performer, contributing voices to several notable projects in the late 1990s and early 2000s.^[1] His most prominent role came in the DC Animated Universe, where he provided the voice for Tim Drake/Robin across 12 episodes of The New Batman Adventures^[1], as well as in the direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000).^[2] Valencia also appeared in other animated works, including voicing Joaquin Cortez in As Told by Ginger and minor roles in Superman: The Animated Series.^[3] Beyond voice acting, he had live-action credits in films such as Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996) and Deep Down (1998).^[1] After a career primarily active during his childhood and adolescence, Valencia has largely retired from acting but has occasionally participated in interviews reflecting on his contributions to animated Batman media.^[2]

Early life

Birth and family

Mathew Valencia was born on December 12, 1983, in Fontana, California, U.S. He is the older of two brothers, with his younger sibling Joseph Ashton (born November 18, 1986) also pursuing a career as a child actor in the 1990s and early 2000s.^[4] Their father served as an officer in the California Highway Patrol.^[5] The parents reportedly have Cherokee descent. Details about their mother remain limited in public records. Valencia was raised in Southern California during the 1980s and 1990s, in an environment where both brothers developed early interests in acting, supported by their family's circumstances in the region.^[4]

Entry into acting

Mathew Valencia began his acting career as a child in the mid-1990s, debuting professionally at age 11 in the 1994 independent thriller Deep Down. Raised in Southern California, he entered the competitive Los Angeles entertainment scene during this period, where opportunities for young performers were abundant in film and television. His younger brother, Joseph Ashton, provided familial support and also pursued a similar path in acting starting in 1994.^[1][3][4]

Acting career

Early child roles

Mathew Valencia entered the acting profession as a child in 1994, at age 10, securing minor live-action roles in both television and film that marked his initial forays into the industry. His screen debut occurred in the made-for-television movie Midnight Runaround, a comedic action spin-off from the 1988 film Midnight Run, where he played Kid #1, one of several children involved in a small-town bounty-hunting escapade led by characters portrayed by David Birney and Mary Mara. This credited yet noticeable part highlighted his early ability to contribute to ensemble scenes amid a plot centered on a fugitive's pursuit in rural Oklahoma.^[6] Later that year, Valencia appeared in the independent thriller Deep Down, directed by John Travers, taking on the role of Boy in a story of deception and crime involving a con artist (George Segal) and a young drifter (Chris Young).^[7] His brief appearance underscored the film's gritty atmosphere, blending elements of noir with 1990s low-budget production values, and served as an entry point into dramatic cinema for the young actor. In 1995, Valencia expanded his portfolio with a supporting role as Taverner in Tom and Huck, Walt Disney Pictures' family adventure adaptation of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Tom and Brad Renfro as Huck. As one of the townsfolk in the riverside community of St. Petersburg, his character added to the film's vibrant depiction of 19th-century boyhood mischief and moral dilemmas, filmed on location in Missouri to capture an authentic period feel. Valencia's early film work culminated in 1996 with the role of Homeless Kid in Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, the direct-to-video sequel to the 1992 sci-fi hit, directed by Farhad Mann and featuring Matt Frewer as the cybernetically enhanced Jobe.^[8] In this scene, his character encounters the antagonist in a virtual reality narrative exploring technology's dangers, reflecting the era's fascination with digital frontiers amid criticisms of the film's weaker effects compared to its predecessor. That same year, he guest-starred as Patrick in a single episode of the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, further diversifying his television experience in a long-running CBS drama known for its family sagas and rapid production pace. Navigating child acting in mid-1990s Hollywood presented Valencia with typical industry challenges, including adherence to state labor laws that mandated on-set studio teachers for educational oversight—requiring at least three hours of schooling daily during production—and strict limits on work hours, such as no more than 28 hours per week for minors under 12 during school terms, to balance performance demands with childhood development.^[9] These regulations, rooted in California's Coogan Act protections for earnings and welfare, often resulted in short, intense career phases for young performers like Valencia, whose live-action engagements tapered off by age 12 as he shifted toward voice opportunities.^[10]

Voice work in animation

Valencia's breakthrough in voice acting occurred with his portrayal of Tim Drake, the third Robin, in The New Batman Adventures (1997–1998), where he provided the voice for the character across 12 episodes.^[1] Introduced in the episode "Sins of the Father," Tim is depicted as a brilliant young detective who deduces Batman's secret identity and earns his place as the new sidekick, replacing Dick Grayson as Robin.^[11] Valencia's performance captured Tim's intellectual sharpness and emotional growth, evolving from a novice hero facing personal tragedies—like his father's involvement with Two-Face—to a more confident partner in Batman's crusade against Gotham's villains. For his performance, he received a nomination at the 20th Youth in Film Awards in 1999 for Best Performance in a Voice Over (Best Young Actor).^[12][13] He expanded his DC Animated Universe contributions by reprising the role in the crossover episode "Knight Time" of Superman: The Animated Series (1998), voicing Robin as he collaborates with Superman to rescue Batman from the villainous Metallo and protect Gotham City.^[14] Valencia took on a prominent flashback role as young Tim Drake/Robin in the direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), narrating the harrowing past encounter with the Joker that scarred the Bat-family.^[2] In interviews, Valencia has described the recording process as an immersive experience, often sharing the booth with co-stars Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (Joker) to capture the intense emotional dynamics of the scenes.^[15] The film earned strong praise for its mature storytelling and vocal ensemble, with Valencia's youthful delivery adding authenticity to the traumatic revelations. Beyond the DC universe, Valencia voiced Joaquin Cortez, a suave new student sparking romantic interest among the protagonists, in the episode "Love with a Proper Transfer Student" of As Told by Ginger (2002).^[16] These animated roles, particularly his tenure as Robin, cemented Valencia's reputation as a standout child voice actor during the late 1990s and early 2000s, highlighting his ability to convey youthful determination and vulnerability in high-stakes superhero narratives.^[1]

Later projects and retirement

Following his prominent voice work as Robin in the DC Animated Universe during the late 1990s, Valencia's acting credits tapered off in the early 2000s. His final major project was voicing Robin (Tim Drake) in the direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), where he reprised the role from The New Batman Adventures in flashback sequences depicting the character's traumatic past.^[2] This appearance marked a poignant capstone to his tenure as the youthful sidekick, contributing to the film's exploration of Batman's legacy across generations. Valencia's last credited role came in 2002, providing the voice for Joaquin Cortez, a transfer student character, in a single episode ("Love with a Proper Transfer Student") of the Nickelodeon animated series As Told by Ginger.^[16] This guest spot aligned with the tail end of his active years, spanning from his debut in 1994 to age 18. No further acting credits appear after this point, establishing a career duration of approximately eight years primarily in voice animation and minor live-action parts.^[1] Valencia has been described as a former actor since the mid-2000s, with no recorded returns to professional performing.^[2] His brief tenure left a lasting imprint through the youthful energy he brought to Tim Drake, influencing subsequent portrayals of the character in DC media and underscoring the impact of child voice actors in establishing iconic animated personas. Despite the short span, his contributions remain referenced in discussions of the DC Animated Universe's ensemble casts.^[17]

Filmography

Film

Valencia's live-action film roles as a child actor transitioned briefly to voice work in animated features later in his career.^[1]

• Deep Down (1994): Valencia portrayed a boy in this erotic thriller directed by John Travers, where a young musician becomes entangled in a dangerous romantic intrigue involving his neighbors' secrets.^[7][1]
• Tom and Huck (1995): He played the role of Taverner in this family adventure film adapting Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, following the escapades of young friends Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in 19th-century Missouri.^[1]
• Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996): As the Homeless Kid, Valencia appeared in this science fiction sequel, in which a scientist creates a virtual reality utopia while battling corporate exploitation and cyber threats.^[1]
• Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000): Valencia provided the voice for Tim Drake/Robin in this direct-to-video animated superhero film set in a futuristic Gotham, where an elderly Bruce Wayne aids a new Batman against the resurgent Joker and uncovers dark secrets from Robin's past.^[18][1]

Television

Valencia began his television career with a guest appearance in the TV movie Midnight Runaround, portraying Kid #1 in 1994, where a bounty hunter encounters resistance from a rural community while tracking a bail jumper.^[19][1] He had a guest appearance in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, portraying Patrick in the 1996 episode "#1.2282."^[20] He transitioned to voice acting in animation, most notably as the recurring voice of Robin (Tim Drake) in The New Batman Adventures, an animated superhero series that aired from 1997 to 1999.^[13] Valencia provided the voice for the character across multiple episodes, contributing to the DC Animated Universe continuity.^[2] In 1998, he reprised the role of Robin in the single episode "Knight Time" of Superman: The Animated Series, another animated entry in the DC universe that featured a crossover with Batman and his allies. Valencia's later television work included voicing Joaquin Cortez in the 2002 episode "Love with a Proper Transfer Student" of the animated coming-of-age series As Told by Ginger.^[21]

Personal life

Family connections

Mathew Valencia's younger brother is Joseph Ashton, born November 18, 1986, in Cherokee, California, who pursued a career as a child actor in both live-action and voice roles during the 1990s and early 2000s.^[22][4] Ashton is known for his performance as Alfalfa in the 1994 film The Little Rascals and for providing the voice of Otto Rocket in the Nickelodeon animated series Rocket Power from 1999 to 2004.^[22] The brothers share the surname Valencia in some records, reflecting their familial connection.^[23] His father worked as a California Highway Patrol officer, and his parents reportedly have Cherokee descent.^[24] Both Valencia and his brother began their acting careers around 1994, marking a shared family entry into the Hollywood entertainment industry as child performers.^[1][22] This parallel trajectory underscores the familial ties that facilitated their early involvement in acting, with the siblings navigating child stardom in animation and live-action projects during the same era. Details on other extended family members are limited, with no widely documented relatives in the entertainment industry beyond the brothers' pursuits. The family's background includes roots in California, but specific influences on their acting paths remain primarily tied to the siblings' mutual experiences.

Post-acting pursuits

After concluding his acting career with a voice role in the As Told by Ginger episode "Love with a Proper Transfer Student" in 2002, Mathew Valencia has not appeared in any subsequent film, television, or animation projects.^[21] At age 18 upon retirement, he stepped away from the public eye, choosing to lead a private life with no reported involvement in entertainment endeavors thereafter.^[1] As of 2025, now 41 years old, Valencia remains recognized primarily as a former child actor. As of a 2022 interview, he works in government and software development, is married, and has two children.^[25] He maintains privacy regarding his current residence. Occasional retrospective mentions in fan discussions and media highlight his contributions to 1990s animation, but he has avoided high-profile comebacks or media engagements. In a rare 2022 interview, he discussed his voice acting experiences, underscoring a deliberate shift toward personal privacy post-retirement.^[25][2]