Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey | |
|---|---|
 Matthew McConaughey, 2008 | |
| Born | Matthew David McConaughey |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991 – present |
| Partner | Camila Alves (2007–present) (2 children) |
Matthew David McConaughey (Template:Pron-en;[1] born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s (including his breakout role in Dazed and Confused, director Richard Linklater's second feature film), he appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Sahara, and We Are Marshall. He also played the leading man in several romantic comedies, including The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Fool's Gold and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
Early life
McConaughey, the youngest of three boys, was born in Uvalde, Texas, the son of Mary Kathleen "Kay" (née McCabe), a substitute teacher, and James Donald McConaughey, a gas station owner who ran an oil pipe supply business and once played football for the Green Bay Packers.[2] McConaughey has Irish ancestry[3] and had what he describes as a strict Baptist upbringing.[4] McConaughey's mother and late father divorced and re-married each other several times.[5]
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.[6]
Career
Matthew McConaughey began his acting career in 1991, appearing in television commercials while attending College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, where he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity, before being cast in Richard Linklater's film Dazed and Confused.[citation needed] After appearing in some smaller roles in Angels in the Outfield, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, Boys on the Side, and the television series Unsolved Mysteries, 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.[citation needed]
McConaughey was cast in leading roles in many more movies: Contact, Amistad, The Newton Boys, Edtv, and U-571.[citation needed] 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, opposite Rene Russo, in Two For The Money as a protege to Al Pacino's gambling mogul, and in Frailty, cast against type as a serial killer, opposite Bill Paxton. 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.[citation needed] That same year, McConaughey was named People magazine's “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2005.[7]
In 2006, he co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker in the romantic comedy Failure to Launch, which was reasonably successful at the box office. McConaughey also provided voice work for an ad campaign of the Peace Corps in late 2006. Matthew's production company, j.k. livin, is currently in development on projects with Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. McConaughey starred in the football drama We Are Marshall. He also appeared in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder, replacing Owen Wilson for the role.[8]
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.[9][10]
Personal life
McConaughey lived at The Castilian Residential Hall while attending The University of Texas at Austin. He became a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity while at the University of Texas.[11] McConaughey is an avid fan of the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Redskins.[12]
On October 26, 1999, McConaughey was arrested in Austin, Texas, for resisting arrest following a disturbance in the early hours of the morning and for possession of cannabis.[13] He had been found to be playing music very loudly on bongo drums while nude in his own home.[14] McConaughey denied the drug charges (which were subsequently dropped),[15] but was charged with disturbing the peace. He pleaded guilty and paid a fine of $50.
McConaughey's personal life is the subject of media attention. He has dated actresses Ashley Judd, Sandra Bullock,-with whom he had an onset affair during "A Time To Kill", Penelope Cruz, Salli Richardson and a brief relationship with Janet Jackson.[citation needed]
McConaughey's personal motto is "Just Keep Livin". His foundation is called j.k. livin foundation (all lower-case), which "is dedicated to helping teenage kids lead active lives and make healthy choices to become great men and women."[16]
McConaughey rescued various pets stranded after the flooding of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina.[17] In 2006, in Sherman Oaks, California, he rescued a cat from two youths who had doused the animal in hairspray and were attempting to set it on fire.[18]
Matthew lives together in Malibu, California with his girlfriend, Brazilian model and designer, Camila Alves, whom he met in 2007. The couple have two children together, a son and a daughter. Their son, Levi Alves McConaughey was born on July 7, 2008.[19] Their daughter, Vida Alves McConaughey was born on January 3, 2010 at 12:13am, weighing 7lbs., 7 oz.[20]
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | US Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | My Boyfriend's Back | Teenage Moviegoer | $3,335,984 |
| 1993 | Dazed and Confused | David Wooderson | $7,993,039 |
| 1994 | Angels in the Outfield | Ben Williams | $50,236,831 |
| 1995 | Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation | Vilmer | $600,000 (estimated) |
| Boys on the Side | Officer Abe Lincoln | $23,450,000 | |
| 1996 | A Time to Kill | Jake Tyler Brigance | $108,706,165 |
| Lone Star | Buddy Deeds | $13,269,963 | |
| Glory Daze | Rental Truck Guy | ||
| Larger Than Life | Tip Tucker | $8,289,972 | |
| Scorpion Spring | El Rojo | ||
| 1997 | Amistad | Baldwin | $44,175,394 |
| Contact | Palmer Joss | $100,853,835 | |
| 1998 | The Newton Boys | Willis Newton | $10,297,897 |
| 1999 | EDtv | Ed 'Eddie' Pekurny | $22,362,500 |
| 2000 | U-571 | Lt. Andrew Tyler, Executive Officer | $77,086,030 |
| 2001 | The Wedding Planner | Steve "Eddie" Edison | $60,400,856 |
| 2002 | Reign of Fire | Denton Van Zan | $43,061,982 |
| Thirteen Conversations About One Thing | Troy | $3,287,435 | |
| Frailty | "Fenton Meiks"/Adam Meiks | $13,103,828 | |
| 2003 | Tiptoes | Steven Bedalia | |
| 2003 | How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days | Benjamin Barry | $177,085,826 |
| 2004 | Paparazzi | Himself | $15,712,072 |
| 2005 | Two for the Money | Brandon Lang | $22,862,049 |
| Sahara | Dirk Pitt | $68,642,452 | |
| 2006 | We Are Marshall | Jack Lengyel | $43,532,294 |
| Failure to Launch | Tripp | $88,658,172 | |
| 2008 | Fool's Gold | Ben 'Finn' Finnegan | $70,224,196 |
| Tropic Thunder | Rick Peck | $110,515,313 | |
| Surfer, Dude | Steve Addington | $69,497 | |
| 2009 | Ghosts of Girlfriends Past | Connor Mead | $55,250,026 |
References
- ^ Say How? A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures, Library of Congress
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey Biography (1969-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Metro.co.uk". 60 Second interview: Matthew McConaughey. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
- ^ "Find Articles". Matthew's interview - Matthew McConaughey - Interview. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
- ^ "ABC7news.com". Barbara Walters' Oscar Special. Retrieved 2006-04-15.
- ^ "ONE news". McConaughey credits Australian town. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
- ^ People magazine: "2005 Sexiest Man of the Year" Retrieved May 19, 2008.
- ^ 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. 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ Shinn, Peter (2008-01-08). "Iowa beef producers talk ethanol, checkoff, ID and more". Learfield Communications, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ "The Castilian Dorm Serving the University of Texas Receives Upgrades (PR.com)". Student Housing Planet. 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Q&A: Matthew McConaughey". September 29, 2005. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ "Entertainment | Actor McConaughey arrested". BBC News. 1999-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Bakker, Tiffany (2009-04-19). "McConaughey's reel life | The Daily Telegraph". News.com.au. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey: Headbutting stars and naked bongos - Features, Films". The Independent. 2002-08-11. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ http://www.matthewmcconaughey.com/
- ^ Toronto Fashion Monitor: "Matthew McConaughey Saves the Pets.". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ San Francisco Chronicle: "McConaughey in Cat Rescue.". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves Have a Boy". People.com. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves Welcome Daughter Vida". People.com. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
External links
- Matthew McConaughey Official Site
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
- 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