Matthew McConaughey was the youngest amongst the three sons of an oil pipeline supplier and a teacher. He first desired to pursue a degree in law but ultimately changed into studying film production and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1993.
McConaughey has been featured in several commercials and has played a role as a lothario in Richard Linklater’s high-school comedy Dazed and Confused. With his excellent performance in his first supporting role in a film, McConaughey earned himself much more exposure time in supporting roles in films like, Angels in the Outfield (1994), Boys on the Side (1995), and Lone Star (1996).
But did you also know that he left some of his marks in the country music industry through Trisha Yearwood’s 1992 music video?
“Walkaway Joe”
Matthew McConaughey’s success could well be attributed to country music. Long before he won an Academy Award and becoming one of the most well-known personalities in Hollywood, McConaughey appeared in the hit single, “Walkaway Joe” by Trisha Yearwood. This was the first time for McConaughey to appear in a music video, despite the several stints that he had in different television shows and commercials.
A 23-year-old Matthew McConaughey was a year away from the break to the stardom when he starred in Yearwood’s music video. His first big-screen role was in “Dazed and Confused” where McConaughey delivered his signature line, “Alright, Alright, Alright.”
McConaughey nearly was not able to reach out to that very particular role that had changed his career forever. He was not in the original cast for the film, but thanks to a few sips at a bar of Radisson in Austin, Texas, he met Don Philips. The bartender recognized Philips and he pointed at him to McConaughey. McConaughey immediately went down and talked to Philips.
But Philips was hesitant to give Matthew McConaughey the role because he thinks that he was just too handsome for the role. Eventually, Philips cast McConaughey. After attaining his first big-screen role, Matthew McConaughey has continued to build on his legacy and has been one of the most loved actors in the south.
McConaughey is also often seen in several country music awards where he was the one presenting the awards. His story about George Strait’s boots during the 2009 ACM Awards, where he awarded Carrie Underwood with the entertainer of the year trophy, was still one of the most talked-about until today.
Trisha Yearwood on Matthew McConaughey
In an interview with the radio host Bobby Bones, Trisha Yearwood provided a statement full of humor about the stardom that McConaughey has achieved in his career. Yearwood jokingly said that she takes the full credit for the stardom of McConaughey. She added that at the time that they cast McConaughey for the role in “Walkaway Joe,” he was just an aspiring actor
Watch the young McConaughey in Trisha Yearwood’s music video.
Also a Versatile Actor
Hitting the peak of his career, Matthew McConaughey assumed the leading role of a lawyer who was defending a black man played by Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson was accused of murdering two white men who had raped his daughter in “A Time to Kill” (1996).
In the years that follow, McConaughey proved that he was an actor that could play different roles for different genres. Other than the usual serious roles, he also starred in romantic comedies including “The Wedding Planner” (2001), “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (2003), “Fool’s Gold” (2008), and “Ghost of Girlfriends Past” (2009). This had him working with several leading ladies including Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
McConaughey lately appeared in several films in 2018 and 2019. He starred with Anne Hathaway in“White Boy Rick, Serenity” and in the crime dramedy, “The Gentlemen” which was about a drug kingpin trying to sell his marihuana empire.
Throughout the years that his handy works were seen in both the television and on the big screen, Matthew McConaughey has earned several awards. This includes his first Oscar Award in 2014 for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Buyers Club. In the same year, he was also handed a Golden Globe award for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture.