Matthew McConaughey is an actor, author, producer, and university professor. He rose to fame in the 1990s and 2000s. This biography covers his early life, career, awards, and work beyond acting.
Who Is Matthew McConaughey?
Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor from Uvalde, Texas. He is 56 years old in October 2026. He is known for Dazed and Confused, A Time to Kill, Interstellar, and Dallas Buyers Club.
Where Did Matthew McConaughey Grow Up?
Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, and moved to Longview, Texas, in 1980. He attended Longview High School. He grew up with his parents and two older brothers, Michael and Patrick.
What Did Matthew McConaughey Study?
Matthew McConaughey earned a degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He enrolled there intending to study law. He left law studies and graduated in 1993 with a degree in film.
How Did Matthew McConaughey Start His Acting Career?
Matthew McConaughey got his first big break in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused. He then appeared in A Time to Kill (1996), Amistad (1997), and Contact (1997). In the 2000s, he became best known for romantic comedies, including The Wedding Planner (2001) and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). People magazine named him Sexiest Man Alive in 2005.
Since 2011, he has preferred dramatic roles, including The Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe, Mud, and Magic Mike.
What Are Matthew McConaughey’s Best-Known Roles?
McConaughey has 7 widely cited roles between 1993 and 2014. Table 1 lists each role by year.
Table 1: Matthew McConaughey key film and television roles, 1993 to 2014
| Title | Year | Format | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dazed and Confused | 1993 | Film | First big break |
| A Time to Kill | 1996 | Film | Played a lawyer defending a Black man |
| The Wedding Planner | 2001 | Film | Romantic comedy |
| Magic Mike | 2012 | Film | Played a male strip-club owner |
| Dallas Buyers Club | 2013 | Film | Played Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS |
| True Detective | 2014 | HBO series | Played Rust Cohle in season 1 |
| Interstellar | 2014 | Film | Dramatic lead role |
What Awards Has Matthew McConaughey Won?
Matthew McConaughey won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Dallas Buyers Club (2013). The film also earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. His Dallas Buyers Club awards include 4 major honors:
- Academy Award
- Golden Globe Award
- Screen Actors Guild Award
- Critics’ Choice Movie Award
For True Detective, he won a Critics’ Choice Award and received an Emmy nomination. Jared Leto won Best Supporting Actor for the same film, making it the first film since Mystic River (2003) to win both acting Oscars.
What Does Matthew McConaughey Do Outside Acting?
Matthew McConaughey works as an author, professor, sports team co-owner, and philanthropist. His activities include:
- Teach as a professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin and serve as its Minister of Culture
- Write the number one New York Times bestselling memoir Greenlights
- Co-own the Austin FC soccer club
- Run the just keep livin Foundation with his wife, Camila, which teaches decision-making, health, education, and active living
- Support schools through the Greenlights Grants Initiative, created after the tragedy in his hometown of Uvalde
Who Is Matthew McConaughey’s Family?
Matthew McConaughey married Brazilian model Camila Alves in 2012. They have 3 children: a son born in July 2008, a daughter born in January 2010, and a son born in December 2012. The children are Levi, Vida, and Livingston. The family lives in Austin, Texas.
People Also Ask About Matthew McConaughey
How Old Is Matthew McConaughey?
Matthew McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969, so he is 56 years old in October 2026.
Where Is Matthew McConaughey From?
Matthew McConaughey is from Uvalde, Texas, and was raised in Longview, Texas.
Which Movie Won Matthew McConaughey an Oscar?
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) won Matthew McConaughey the Academy Award for Best Actor.
What Is Matthew McConaughey’s Book?
Greenlights is Matthew McConaughey’s memoir and a number one New York Times bestseller.
What Is the Summary of Matthew McConaughey’s Biography?
Matthew McConaughey is an American actor born in 1969 in Uvalde, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, broke through in Dazed and Confused (1993), and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Dallas Buyers Club. He also teaches at the University of Texas, wrote the memoir Greenlights, and lives in Austin with his wife and 3 children.