Matthew McConaughey Biography

Matthew McConaughey is an American actor who attained his breakthrough when he played a supporting role in the comedy, Dazed and Confused. In the 2000s, he attained fame for appearing in romantic comedies like The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Fool’s Gold, and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

Matthew McConaughey Education

McConaughey relocated to Longview in 1980 so that’s could enroll at Longview High School. In 1988, he moved to Australia thinking that he could study in Sydney as a Rotary Youth Exchange student but he instead studied at Gorokan High School in Warnervale, New South Wales for a year. Further, he worked as an attorney and as a bank teller for ANZ.

McConaughey joined the University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1989 where he was involved with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. In the spring of 1993, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film.

At first, he wanted to study at Southern Methodist University until one of his brothers informed him that the school fees would be a burden on his family. After graduating college, he wanted to attend law school but he didn’t since he lacked any interest in being a lawyer.

Matthew McConaughey Career

McConaughey attained his breakthrough when he played a supporting role in the comedy, Dazed and Confused in 1993. His career then continued with lead roles in Contact, Amistad, and  U-571. In the 2000s, he attained fame for appearing in romantic comedies like The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Fool’s Gold, and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. His roles in the films earned him the title of a sex symbol.

He took a hiatus for two years before he started appearing in more dramatic roles in 2011 like The Lincoln Lawyer. In 2012, he received praise for appearing in Magic Mike and Mud. In 2013, he portrayed a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, Ron Woodroof, in Dallas Buyers Club. For the role, he lost 47 pounds. For his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, he received praise and many awards such as the Academy Award for Best Actor.

After his success in Dallas Buyers Club, he starred in The Wolf of Wall Street and in SN 1 of HBO’s True Detective. For his performance in True Detective, he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Moreover, he appeared in Interstellar, and The Gentlemen and provided voice-over in Kubo and the Two Strings, Sing, and Sing 2.

2015 to present;

After starring in The Sea of Trees in 2015, McConaughey appeared in two films, Free State of Jones and Gold, in 2016. Also, he voiced voiced leading characters in the animation, Kubo and the Two Strings and Sing. In 2016, McConaughey worked as a creative director and celebrity spokesman for Wild Turkey’s latest campaign, to bring in more women and more international customers.

In 2017, McConaughey played the role of Walter Padick in The Dark Tower. The following year, he appeared in the role of Richard Wershe Sr. in the film, White Boy Rick. Next, he starred in  Serenity, The Beach Bum, and The Gentlemen. In 2020, he published a memoir named Greenlights. On February 6, 2023, he was announced to voice Elvis Presley on Netflix’s animation, Agent Elvis. After Kevin Costner left Yellowstone, an announcement was made that McConaughey would star in a series related to Yellowstone in a new titular role.

Awards

During his career, McConaughey has received numerous awards and praise such as an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Critics’ Choice Awards, an MTV Movie Award, and a People’s Choice Award. Moreover, he has received nominations for five Teen Choice Awards and two Emmys.

For his role in A Time to Kill, he received the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. His roles in Contact and  U-571 earned him two nominations for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award. He appeared in The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days which earned him four nominations for a Teen Choice Award. Additionally, he received two more nominations for a Teen Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Action Star for his performance in Sahara.

For his roles in Bernie and Magic Mike, he earned the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also received the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for his role in Magic Mike. Moreover, he received the Saturn Award for Best Actor for his performance in Killer Joe. For his role in Mud, he attained the Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award. For his portrayal of Ron Woodroof, he attained the Academy Award, Critics’ Choice Movie Award, Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. 

In 2014, he attained a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Actor for his role in Interstellar. The same year, he served as an inductee of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He received nominations for the Critics’ Choice Television Award and a Golden Globe award for his role in True Detective.

McConaughey also received two Primetime Emmy nominations for his acting and executive producing. Moreover, he received a nomination for a Producers Guild of America Award. In 2016, he received a nomination for the Women Film Critics Circle Award for his role in Free State of Jones. The same year, he received a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Actor for his role in Gold.

Matthew McConaughey Age

McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969, in Uvalde, Texas, U.S.A. He is 54 years old as of 2023. McConaughey celebrates his birthday every November 4th.

Matthew McConaughey Height

McConaughey stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 11¾ inches.

Matthew McConaughey Family

McConaughey was born to Mary Kathleen McCabe and James Donald “Jim” McConaughey. His parents exchanged vows thrice after divorcing twice. Aside from McConaughey, they have two elder sons, Michael and Patrick. Patrick was adopted. Michael appeared in CNBC’s  West Texas Investors Club and A&E’s Rooster & Butch. Also, he’s a millionaire who’s nicknamed “Rooster.” They raised McConaughey in the Methodist church. 

Mary, his mother, is a published author who previously worked as a kindergarten teacher hailing from Trenton, New Jersey. James, his father, was born in Mississippi in 1929 and grew up in Louisiana. While in Louisiana, he ran an oil pipe supply business and played football for the Kentucky Wildcats and the Houston Cougars. The Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) chose him in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL draft. However, he was released before the season started and thus didn’t play an official league game in the NFL. McConaughey is related to Dandridge McRae, a Confederate brigadier general.

Matthew McConaughey Wife

McConaughey married Camila Alves on June 9, 2012, in a private Catholic ceremony in Austin. They met in 2006 and he proposed to her on December 25, 2011. They have three children, Vida, Levi, and Livingston.

Camila was born on January 28, 1983, in Itambacuri, Minas Gerais, Brazil. She is 40 years old as of 2023. She works as a model and designer. During her career, she has appeared on many magazine covers including Ocean Drive, the Brazilian edition of Men’s Vogue, Town & Country, ES Magazine, Maxim, People, and Bella. Further, she has walked the runway at fashion shows for Valentino, Mango, The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection, Carolina Herrera, and TCN. On August 4, 2015, she became a U.S. citizen through naturalization.

Matthew McConaughey Net Worth

McConaughey has an estimated net worth of $160 Million which he has earned through being an actor according to celebritynetworth.com.

Matthew McConaughey Dazed and Confused

In September 1993, McConaughey played the role of David Wooderson in the film, Dazed and Confused. Originally, he was cast in a small role for budget reasons. At the time of casting, he approached casting director Don Phillips at the Hyatt Hotel bar when he was out with his girlfriend.

Richard Linklater initially didn’t like McConaughey because he was too handsome. His character gained a larger role after a character named Pickford’s screen time was cut. In the film, Wooderson is known as a party boy who acts like he’s 18 even though he’s older.

Matthew McConaughey Yellowstone

After Kevin Costner left Yellowstone, an announcement was made that McConaughey would star in a series related to Yellowstone in a new titular role.

Matthew McConaughey Woody Harrelson

In 2023, McConaughey said that he and Woody Harrelson, a longtime friend and actor, could possibly be brothers. This happened after his mother revealed that she had intimacy with Woody’s father around the time of McConaughey’s inception.

Lufthansa Flight Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey was involved in a Lufthansa flight 469 that endured extreme turbulence during his en route from Austin, Texas, to Frankfurt, Germany, with his wife, Camila Alves. As a result of the turbulence, the flight made an emergency landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Further, 7 people were hospitalized due to the injuries sustained during the flight.

Greenlight Matthew McConaughey

In 2020, McConaughey published a memoir named Greenlights. He ostracised himself in the desert for 52 days without electricity so that he could write the book. The story came from his diaries and journals which he started writing at the age of 14. The book comprises insights and stories from his life in sequential order.

Matthew McConaughey Magic Mike

In 2012, McConaughey starred in the role of Dallas in the film, Magic Mike. Dallas is a previous stripper who owns Xquisite. Also, he works as the boss of Mike.

Just Because Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey authored the children’s picture book, Just Because. The book seeks to display the contradictions within people, with each other, and understanding human relations. He got the inspiration for the book from one of his favorite Bible verses, Mathew 6:22.

Matthew McConaughey True Detective

In 2014, he played the role of Rustin “Rust” Cohle in HBO’s True Detective. Rustin is a homicide detective for the Louisiana State Police (LSP). He alongside his partner, Marty Hart, has been hunting for a serial killer in Louisiana for 17 years. For his role, he attained the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Also, he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film.

Matthew McConaughey The Wolf of Wall Street 

In 2013, McConaughey starred in the role of Mark Hanna in The Wolf of Wall Street. Mark works as the senior stockbroker at L.F. Rothschild and previously worked with Jordan Belfort.

Matthew McConaughey Religion

McConaughey is Christian and often speaks about his faith in public. He attends a non-denominational church and said that he received private personal objections and critiques for his beliefs from some people in Hollywood. Also, he revealed that he knows people who are Christian but are afraid of showing their belief for fear of judgment.

Matthew McConaughey Ethnicity

McConaughey is of English, German, Irish, Scottish, and Swedish ancestry.

Matthew McConaughey Movies and TV Shows

McConaughey has starred in a number of films and TV shows during his career such as

• The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Larger than Life
• Unsolved Mysteries
• Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D
• Sex and the City
• The Paperboy
• We Are Marshall
• Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
• The Lincoln Lawyer
• Between Two Ferns: The Movie
• Eastbound & Down