Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) McConaughey at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Dallas Buyers Club premiere | |
| Born | Matthew David McConaughey November 4, 1969 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Matthew David McConaughey (/məˈkɒnəheɪ/;[1] born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He first gained notice for his breakout role in the coming of age comedy Dazed and Confused (1993), and went on to appear in films such as the slasher Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994), the legal thriller A Time to Kill (1996), Steven Spielberg's historical drama Amistad (1997), the science fiction drama Contact (1997), the comedy EDtv (1999) and the war film U-571 (2000).
In the 2000s, he became best known for starring in romantic comedies,[2] including The Wedding Planner (2001), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), Failure to Launch (2006) and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009). Since 2010 he has moved away from romantic comedies and has had critically acclaimed roles in the films The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), Bernie (2011), Killer Joe (2011), Mud (2012), Magic Mike (2012) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). He achieved further success in 2013 for portraying a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS in the biographical film Dallas Buyers Club, which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Drama and an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination, among other awards and nominations. He is currently a co-star in the 2014 HBO crime drama True Detective, along with Woody Harrelson.
Early life
McConaughey, the youngest of three boys, was born in Uvalde, Texas. His mother, Mary Kathleen "Kay" (née McCabe), was a kindergarten teacher, and later a published author, and his father, James Donald McConaughey, was a gas-station owner who ran an oil pipe supply business and once played NFL football for the Green Bay Packers.[3][4][5][6] McConaughey's mother and late father divorced and re-married each other several times.[7] His ancestry is mostly Irish. He also has Swedish and German.[8] He is a relative of brigadier general Dandridge McRae.[9][10][11] McConaughey had a Methodist upbringing.[12][13][14]
McConaughey moved to Longview, Texas—located east of Dallas—where he attended Longview High School. While in high school, he was voted most handsome in the Longview Lobo Yearbook. He lived for a year in Warnervale, New South Wales, Australia, as a Rotary exchange student in 1988.[15] McConaughey attended the University of Texas at Austin College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, where he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity and lived at The Castilian residence hall.[16] He began in fall of 1989 and graduated in the spring of 1993 with a B.S. degree in Radio-Television-Film.[17]
Career
McConaughey began his acting career in 1991, appearing in television commercials, before being cast in Richard Linklater's film Dazed and Confused, which became a critical success, garnering largely positive reviews.[18] After some smaller roles in Angels in the Outfield, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, Boys on the Side, the television series Unsolved Mysteries, and as the male lead in the Trisha Yearwood music video for the song Walkaway Joe, McConaughey's big break came as the lawyer "Jake Brigance" in the 1996 film A Time to Kill, based on the John Grisham novel of the same name.
In the late '90s McConaughey was cast in leading roles in more movies, including Contact, Amistad, The Newton Boys, EDtv, and U-571. By the early 2000s, he was frequently cast in romantic comedies, including The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, both of which were successful at the box office. During this period, he appeared as a firefighter in the low-budget film Tiptoes, with Rene Russo, in Two For The Money as a protégé to Al Pacino's gambling mogul, and in Frailty, cast against type as a serial killer, with Bill Paxton, who also directed.
McConaughey starred in the feature film Sahara, along with Steve Zahn and Penélope Cruz. Prior to the release of the movie, he promoted it by repeating some trips he took in the late 1990s, including sailing down the Amazon River and trekking to Mali. That same year, McConaughey was named People magazine's “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2005.[19] In 2006, he co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker in the romantic comedy Failure to Launch. McConaughey also provided voice work in an ad campaign for the Peace Corps in late 2006.[20] He replaced Owen Wilson in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder after Wilson's suicide attempt.[21] On January 21, 2008, McConaughey became the new spokesman for the national radio campaign, "Beef: It's What's For Dinner", replacing actor Sam Elliot.[22][23] In June 2010 it was announced that McConaughey is teaming up with Marc Hyman to develop a scripted comedy for TV channel FX based on material from J. R. Reed.[24]
In 2012, McConaughey starred alongside Channing Tatum in Magic Mike, based on Tatum's early life, which was directed by Steven Soderbergh. He returned to his East Texas roots, by working again with director Richard Linklater on Bernie, the story of a small-town funeral director, played by Jack Black, who kills the town's grande dame, played by Shirley MacLaine. McConaughey played real-life district attorney Danny Buck Davidson, who had prosecuted the real Bernie Tiede in 1998. McConaughey's mother, KayMac, played one of the town gossips in the film. The film premiered at the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival and hit theaters in April 2012. In June 2012, McConaughey was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[25]
In 2013 he played Ron Woodroof in the movie Dallas Buyers Club. The film gathered wide critical acclaim and has earned McConaughey many acting awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Drama and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The role in the film required him to lose 38 pounds.[26] During this time, he recorded a public service announcement in Austin, Texas for the LBJ Presidential Library.[27]
He shares star billing with Woody Harrelson in HBO's 2014 series True Detective.[28] In early 2013, McConaughey was confirmed as the lead in Christopher Nolan's upcoming time travel science fiction film Interstellar, which is set for release in November 2014.[29]
Personal life
McConaughey met Brazilian model and television performer Camila Alves in 2006,[30] the couple became engaged on Christmas Day 2011 and were married on June 9, 2012 in Austin, Texas, where they reside.[31][32] Together they have three children: son Levi Alves McConaughey (b. 2008),[33] daughter Vida Alves McConaughey (b. 2010),[34] and son Livingston Alves McConaughey (b. 2012).[35]
McConaughey started a foundation called the j.k. livin foundation, which "is dedicated to helping teenage kids lead active lives and make healthy choices to become great men and women."[36] He also rescued various pets stranded after the flooding of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina.[37] In 2006, in Sherman Oaks, California, he rescued a cat from two youths who had doused it in hairspray and were attempting to set the cat on fire.[38]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Unsolved Mysteries | Larry Dickens | Episode #5.12 |
| 1999 | King of the Hill | Rad Thidbodeaux | Voice Episode: The Wedding of Bobby Hill |
| 2000 | Sex and the City | Himself | Episode: "Escape from New York" |
| 2010–2012 | Eastbound & Down | Roy McDaniel/Texas Scout | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | True Detective | Rustin "Rust" Cohle | 8 episodes Executive producer |
References
- ^ Say How? A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures, Library of Congress
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey: from himbo to highbrow". The Guardian. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ "1953 Green Bay Packers". databasefootball.com. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
- ^ "The 1953 Green Bay Packers". Retrieved May 24, 2013.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey Biography (1969–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
- ^ All in the Family. Austin Woman Magazine (2012-04-26). Retrieved 2013-08-25.
- ^ "Barbara Walters' Oscar Special". ABC7news.com. Retrieved April 15, 2006.
- ^ "Biography for Matthew McConaughey". imdb. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- ^ "60 Second interview: Matthew McConaughey". Metro. Retrieved May 7, 2006.
- ^ Dunham, Chris (July 14, 2009). "Mr. McConaughey's Marriage Problem". genealogywise.com. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
- ^ "Matthew David McConaughey". http://genealogy.kathihill.com/. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "No use putting out the welcome Matt". The New Zealand Herald. May 12, 2001. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ^ "Wedding Planner, The : Interview With Matthew McConaughey". Google. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ^ "Find Articles". Matthew's interview – Matthew McConaughey – Interview. Retrieved April 15, 2006. [dead link]
- ^ "ONE news". McConaughey credits Australian town. Retrieved December 22, 2006.
- ^ "The Castilian Dorm Serving the University of Texas Receives Upgrades (PR.com)". Student Housing Planet. March 26, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
- ^ Degrees and Dates of Attendance: McConaughey, Matthew D.. University of Texas at Austin
- ^ "Dazed and Confused Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ^ "2005 Sexiest Man of the Year". People. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
- ^ Maugh, Casey Malone. Peace Corps in the 21st Century: A Rhetorical Analysis. p. 41.
- ^ Matthew McConaughey to Replace Owen Wilson in Film
- ^ ""Beef. It's What's For Dinner" Advertising Campaign Invites Consumers to Discover the Power of Protein" (Press release). National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. January 7, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
- ^ Shinn, Peter (January 8, 2008). "Iowa beef producers talk ethanol, checkoff, ID and more". Learfield Communications, Inc. Retrieved July 2, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey Teams Up With FX For Scripted Comedy". TV Guide.
- ^ Thompson, Arienne (June 29, 2012). "McConaughey, Spencer invited to join Academy". USA Today. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ Ellwood, Gregory (November 14, 2012). "Matthew McConaughey reveals how he lost 38 pounds and ponders a 'Magic Mike' sequel". HitFix. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Salamon, Jeff. "Matthew McConaughey Has A Presidents' Day Gift For You". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 30, 2012). "HBO Picks Up Matthew-Woody Series 'True Detective' With Eight-Episode Order". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ Goldberg, Matt (April 3, 2013). "Matthew McConaughey Confirmed to Lead Christopher Nolan's INTERSTELLAR". collider.com. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
- ^ Macaluso, Beth Anne (June 10, 2012). "Matthew McConaughey Marries Camila Alves!". Us Weekly.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves Wedding". People. June 9, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ^ Bromley, Melanie; Malkin, Marc (June 8, 2012). "Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves Getting Married in Top-Secret Texas Wedding—This Weekend!". E!.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves welcome son Levi". People. July 8, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves Welcome son, Vida". People. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "Matthew and Camila McConaughey Welcome Son Livingston". People. December 28, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ^ "j.k. livin". Matthew McConaughey. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ^ Toronto Fashion Monitor: "Matthew McConaughey Saves the Pets.". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ San Francisco Chronicle: "McConaughey in Cat Rescue.". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
External links
- Matthew McConaughey Official Site
- Matthew McConaughey at IMDb
- Matthew McConaughey at People.com
- "Walkaway Joe" video Trisha Yearwood, CMT
- Matthew McConaughey's Guest DJ Set on KCRW KCRW Guest DJ Set
- 2008 interview with Bullz-Eye.com
- Matthew McConaughey Jump Roping Challenge
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- 1969 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Male actors from Texas
- American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American Methodists
- American people of Scottish descent
- Living people
- Male actors from Austin, Texas
- People from Longview, Texas
- Longview High School alumni
- People from Uvalde County, Texas
- University of Texas at Austin alumni
- Independent Spirit Award winners
- Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
- American people of English descent
- American people of Irish descent
- American people of German descent
- American people of Swedish descent
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners