History of Matthew McConaughey in Timeline
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor who gained significant attention with his role in the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused (1993). He transitioned to leading roles starting with the legal drama A Time to Kill (1996). McConaughey's career continued to flourish with prominent parts in the science fiction film Contact (1997), the historical drama Amistad (1997), and the war film U-571 (2000).
1929: Birth of James Donald McConaughey
James Donald McConaughey, father of Matthew McConaughey, was born in Mississippi in 1929. He would later become an oil pipe supply business owner.
1953: James Donald McConaughey Drafted by NFL
In 1953, James Donald McConaughey was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 27th round of the NFL draft, although he was released before the season began.
November 4, 1969: Birth of Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969, in Uvalde, Texas. This marked the beginning of the life of a future prominent American actor.
1980: Moved to Longview, Texas
In 1980, Matthew McConaughey moved to Longview, Texas, where he would later attend Longview High School.
1988: Exchange Student in Australia
In 1988, McConaughey went to Australia as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. He spent a year in Warnervale, New South Wales, attending Gorokan High School and working as an assistant for an attorney and as a bank teller for ANZ.
1989: Started University at UT-Austin
In the fall of 1989, McConaughey began his studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
1992: Music Video and TV Appearance
In 1992, McConaughey was cast as the boyfriend in the music video for Trisha Yearwood's "Walkaway Joe" and acted in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.
August 6, 1993: First Big Screen Appearance
On August 6, 1993, McConaughey made his first big screen appearance in Bob Balaban's My Boyfriend's Back.
September 24, 1993: Dazed and Confused Release
On September 24, 1993, the film Dazed and Confused premiered, featuring McConaughey in the role of Wooderson, which became a significant breakthrough for his career.
1993: Breakthrough Role in Dazed and Confused
In 1993, Matthew McConaughey achieved his breakthrough with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused.
1993: Graduated from UT-Austin
In the spring of 1993, McConaughey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film.
1994: Roles in Multiple Films
In 1994, McConaughey acted in Angels in the Outfield, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Daniel Johnston's music video "Life in Vain."
February 3, 1995: Boys on the Side Premiere
On February 3, 1995, the film Boys on the Side premiered, featuring McConaughey in a supporting role.
1996: First Leading Role in A Time to Kill
In 1996, Matthew McConaughey's first success as a leading man came in the legal drama A Time to Kill.
1996: Success with A Time to Kill and Lone Star
In 1996, McConaughey gained significant recognition for his roles in the films A Time to Kill and Lone Star.
1997: Lead Roles in Contact and Amistad
In 1997, Matthew McConaughey played lead roles in the science fiction film Contact and the historical drama Amistad.
1997: Leading Roles in Contact and Amistad
In 1997, McConaughey starred in the science fiction film Contact and played a leading role in Steven Spielberg's historical drama Amistad.
1998: Release of The Newton Boys
In 1998, Matthew McConaughey starred in The Newton Boys, a film co-written and directed by Richard Linklater. It was based on the true story of the Newton Gang, a family of bank robbers from Uvalde, Texas.
1999: Release of EDtv
In 1999, McConaughey acted in EDtv, directed by Ron Howard. The film was an adaptation of the Quebecois film Louis 19, King of the Airwaves. Unfortunately, EDtv was a box office bomb, grossing only $35.2 million against an $80 million production budget.
2000: Leading Role in U-571
In 2000, Matthew McConaughey took on a leading role in the war film U-571.
2000: Starred in U-571
In 2000, McConaughey starred in the submarine film U-571, directed by Jonathan Mostow.
2001: Role in The Wedding Planner
In 2001, Matthew McConaughey starred in the romantic comedy The Wedding Planner, further establishing himself as a leading man in this genre.
2003: Starred in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
In 2003, McConaughey starred in the romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, cementing his status as a romantic comedy star.
2005: Release of Sahara and Named Sexiest Man Alive
In 2005, McConaughey starred in the feature film Sahara and was named People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive'.
2006: Co-starred in Failure to Launch and We Are Marshall
In 2006, McConaughey co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker in the romantic comedy Failure to Launch. He also portrayed Marshall head football coach Jack Lengyel in We Are Marshall, and provided voice work for a Peace Corps ad campaign.
2006: Role in Failure to Launch
In 2006, McConaughey starred in the romantic comedy Failure to Launch, continuing his successful run in the genre.
2008: Release of Fool's Gold
In 2008, McConaughey continued to solidify his status as a leading man in romantic comedies with the release of Fool's Gold. The film further established him as a sex symbol.
2008: Became Spokesman for Beef: It's What's for Dinner
In 2008, McConaughey became the new spokesman for the national radio campaign, 'Beef: It's What's for Dinner', replacing Sam Elliott.
2008: Role in Fool's Gold
In 2008, Matthew McConaughey starred in the romantic comedy-adventure film Fool's Gold.
2009: Release of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
In 2009, McConaughey starred in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, adding another successful romantic comedy to his filmography.
2009: Starred in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
In 2009, McConaughey starred in the romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, continuing his series of romantic comedy roles.
December 25, 2011: Engagement to Camila Alves
On December 25, 2011, McConaughey became engaged to Camila Alves.
2011: Beginning of the McConaissance
In 2011, McConaughey began a shift in his acting career, moving away from romantic comedies and seeking more dramatic roles. This period, known as the 'McConaissance', lasted until 2014.
2011: Return to Dramatic Roles with The Lincoln Lawyer
In 2011, after a two-year hiatus from film acting, McConaughey began to appear in more dramatic roles, starting with the legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer.
June 9, 2012: Marriage to Camila Alves
On June 9, 2012, McConaughey married Camila Alves in a private Catholic ceremony in Austin.
June 2012: Invited to Join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
In June 2012, McConaughey was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, marking a significant recognition of his contributions to the film industry.
2012: Starring in Magic Mike and Mud
In 2012, McConaughey starred alongside Channing Tatum in Magic Mike, directed by Steven Soderbergh. He also received praise for his role as a fugitive in the film Mud.
2012: Roles in Magic Mike and Mud
In 2012, McConaughey gained wider praise for his roles as a stripper in Magic Mike and a fugitive in Mud.
2013: Starring in Dallas Buyers Club and The Wolf of Wall Street
In 2013, McConaughey portrayed Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club, a role that required him to lose nearly 50 lb. The film earned him numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. He also appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street as Mark Hanna.
2013: Acclaimed Role in Dallas Buyers Club
In 2013, McConaughey's portrayal of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, in the biopic Dallas Buyers Club earned him widespread critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actor.
April 2014: Included in Time 100 Most Influential People
In April 2014, Time magazine included McConaughey in its annual Time 100 list as one of the 'Most Influential People in the World'.
August 2014: Collaboration with Lincoln Motor Company
In August 2014, the Lincoln Motor Company signed a multi-year collaboration with McConaughey for an ad campaign. The commercials significantly boosted Lincoln's sales.
September 2014: Debut of Lincoln Commercials
In September 2014, the Lincoln commercials featuring McConaughey debuted and were widely parodied. The ads boosted Lincoln's sales by 25% within a month.
2014: End of the McConaissance
By 2014, McConaughey had successfully reinvented his career, completing the 'McConaissance' with a series of critically acclaimed performances in more dramatic roles.
2014: Roles in The Wolf of Wall Street and True Detective
In 2014, McConaughey had a supporting role in The Wolf of Wall Street and a starring role as Rust Cohle in the first season of HBO's True Detective, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
2014: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and True Detective
In 2014, McConaughey received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and co-starred with Woody Harrelson in HBO's True Detective, earning critical acclaim and several award nominations.
2014: Starring in Interstellar
In 2014, McConaughey received critical acclaim for his role as Cooper, a widowed father and astronaut, in Christopher Nolan's epic science fiction film Interstellar.
2015: Completion of The Sea of Trees
After finishing Gus Van Sant's film The Sea of Trees with Ken Watanabe in 2015, McConaughey continued to expand his acting portfolio.
February 25, 2016: Creative Conscience Award
On February 25, 2016, Matthew McConaughey received the Creative Conscience award from unite4:humanity for his work with the just keep livin foundation. The foundation is dedicated to helping teenage kids lead active lives and make healthy choices.
2016: Voice Work in Kubo and the Two Strings and Sing
In 2016, McConaughey provided voice work for the films Kubo and the Two Strings and Sing.
2016: Multiple Film Releases and Wild Turkey Campaign
In 2016, McConaughey starred in Free State of Jones and Gold, and voiced leading characters in Kubo and the Two Strings and Sing. He was also hired as the creative director and celebrity spokesman for Wild Turkey's latest campaign.
2017: Starring in The Dark Tower
In 2017, McConaughey starred as Walter Padick in the Stephen King adaptation The Dark Tower, which received negative reactions from critics.
2018: Starring in White Boy Rick
In 2018, McConaughey starred in the true-life gangster drama White Boy Rick, which gained mixed reviews.
March 29, 2019: Release of The Beach Bum
On March 29, 2019, McConaughey headlined the comedy film The Beach Bum, also featuring Zac Efron and Jonah Hill.
2019: Professor of Practice at UT-Austin
In 2019, Matthew McConaughey officially became a professor of practice for the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the Moody College of Communication at UT-Austin. He had previously served as a visiting instructor since 2015.
2019: Starring Role in The Gentlemen
In 2019, McConaughey starred in the film The Gentlemen, continuing his diverse acting career.
2019: Became Minority Owner of Austin FC
In 2019, McConaughey became a minority owner of Austin FC, a team in Major League Soccer which began play in 2021.
November 2020: Denial of Political Aspirations
In a November 2020 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Matthew McConaughey denied any interest in running for governor. The Texas Tribune highlighted his lack of involvement in politics, noting he had not voted in a primary race since at least 2012 and had never donated to a political campaign at the state or federal level up through 2021. Despite this, McConaughey voted in the 2018 and 2020 elections.
2020: Publication of Memoir Greenlights
In 2020, McConaughey published his memoir, Greenlights, offering insights into his life and career.
March 2021: Consideration for Texas Gubernatorial Race
In March 2021, Matthew McConaughey confirmed he was considering running in the 2022 Texas gubernatorial election. This marked the beginning of his contemplation about entering politics.
October 2021: Vague Political Stance in NPR Interview
In an October 2021 Twitter Spaces interview with NPR, McConaughey was asked about running for governor of Texas. He replied, "I am not – until I am," and remained purposely vague about political issues such as voting rights and abortion.
2021: Austin FC Began Play
In 2021, Austin FC, a team in Major League Soccer partially owned by McConaughey, began its inaugural season.
2021: Voice Work in Sing 2
In 2021, McConaughey returned to voice acting for the sequel Sing 2.
June 2022: Advocacy for Gun Control at White House
In June 2022, Matthew McConaughey joined the White House press briefing to advocate for commonsense gun laws. During his 20-minute speech, he spoke passionately about the Robb Elementary School shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, calling for responsible gun ownership, background checks, raising the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21, and implementing red flag laws.
2022: Withdrawal from Gubernatorial Race
In 2022, just over two weeks before the Texas primary candidate filing deadline, Matthew McConaughey released a video on his official Twitter profile declaring he would not compete for the office of governor.
February 6, 2023: Voiced Animated Elvis Presley
On February 6, 2023, it was announced that McConaughey voiced an animated version of Elvis Presley in the Netflix series Agent Elvis.
March 17, 2023: Release of Agent Elvis
On March 17, 2023, the Netflix animated series Agent Elvis, featuring McConaughey as the voice of Elvis Presley, was released.
May 8, 2023: Announced Role in Yellowstone Spin-off
On May 8, 2023, it was announced that McConaughey would star in a new series related to Yellowstone, following Kevin Costner's departure from the original series.
September 2023: Wax Figure Unveiling at Madame Tussauds
In September 2023, Madame Tussauds New York unveiled a new wax figure of Matthew McConaughey. The figure was inspired by his 2021 appearance on The Tonight Show. This event coincided with McConaughey's visit to The View to promote his children's book, Just Because.
2023: Potential Family Revelation with Woody Harrelson
In 2023, Matthew McConaughey revealed that he and his longtime friend Woody Harrelson might be brothers. This speculation arose after McConaughey's mother claimed she had been intimate with Harrelson's father, Charles Harrelson, around the time of McConaughey's conception. The revelation adds an intriguing layer to their relationship in 2023.