Matthew McConaughey, 55, has opened up about why he stepped away from Hollywood at the peak of his acting career, a move that led him to settle in his home state of Texas over a decade ago with his wife, Camila Alves, and their three children.
The Oscar-winning actor, still living in Austin with his wife and their children, Levi, 15, Livingston, 11, and Vida, 14, explained that staying true to himself was key to the longevity of his career. Speaking on the “Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios” podcast, McConaughey shared his philosophy: “The devil’s in the infinite yeses, not the nos… No becomes more important than yes.”
He elaborated, reflecting on how overcommitting to too many opportunities can lead to dissatisfaction. “We all look around and see we’ve over-leveraged our life with yeses and go, ‘Geez, I’m making C minuses in my life because I said yes to too many things,'” he said. “I’ve had many times in my life where I’m going through autopilot.”
McConaughey had become a household name through a string of successful romantic comedies, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Wedding Planner, Failure to Launch, and Fool’s Gold. While he was enjoying success in that genre, McConaughey knew he wanted to diversify his career by taking on more dramatic roles—something Hollywood was initially resistant to.
“They said, ‘No, no, no, no, you should stay there,’” McConaughey recalled of Hollywood’s resistance to his desire for new challenges. That pushback led him to move his family to Texas, where he told his wife that he would only return to California if offered roles he truly wanted to take on....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
McConaughey’s decision marked a turning point in his career. “Luckily, Camila got pregnant with our first child, so there was purpose coming to look forward to,” he said, though he also admitted, “Making chimes and working in the garden wasn’t cutting it.”
Refusing to compromise, McConaughey turned down a $15 million offer, instead choosing a different project that appealed to him more. “I think that was the one that was probably seen as the most rebellious move in Hollywood,” he said. “It really sent the signal, ‘He ain’t f–king bluffing.’”
This move signaled to Hollywood that McConaughey was serious about his career direction. Soon after, he starred in Dallas Buyers Club, a role that earned him an Oscar and a modest $200,000 payday. His career continued to flourish with acclaimed roles in Interstellar, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Mud.
