Matthew McConaughey
On His "Instant" Fame |
| "Friday afternoon, walking through the Third Street promenade, a thousand people there, nobody there is looking at me. That weekend, that Friday night, A Time To Kill comes out. Next Monday, walking down the same promenade, out of a thousand people, 990 recognize me." |
On Being Cast in "Dazed and Confused" |
| Matthew McConaughey ("Wooderson"): It was, like, a Thursday night that summer, man, and I wanted to stay in and watch some flick, but my girlfriend talked me into going out to have some drinks. There was this bartender I knew from film school who worked at the Hyatt and would give us a discount, so we went there. And when we walk in, he's there, and he goes, "Hey, man, the guy down at the end of the bar is in town producing a film." So I went down and introduced myself. That was Don. Don Phillips (casting director): Next thing I know, I'm having a drink with this kid and talking about golf. I think I remember him saying briefly that he was studying to be a director. McConaughey: Gets to be four hours later, and my girlfriend is gone, man, and Don and I are pretty lubricated. We're talking about life and women and some great golf hole he's played, and I guess we got a little rambunctious. Phillips: And a little loud, because some big-muscled, red-shirted, UT-football-player bouncer guy escorts us out of the bar. So Matthew and I went to my room and he said, "How dare they throw us out of the bar, Don. Don't they know who you are?" And I said, "No, and they don't give a damn either." So he said, "You know what I'm doing? I'm calling a manager." And he does. And he demands an apology. Wow. So after all that, I ask him if he's ever acted before. "Naw," he says in that Texas drawl of his. "I've been in a beer commercial and a music video." And I said, "Look, I'm in town casting a movie with Rick Linklater. We have this character, Wooderson, who's a little bit older than the high school kids. He's only got a couple lines, so it's too expensive to bring anybody in from Los Angeles. Why don't you come to my office and pick up the script? Maybe we'll put you on tape to see what you look like." Richard Linklater (director): I thought he was too good-looking. Matthew looked like he'd do fine with college girls; but I needed Wooderson to be a little creepier. But Matthew just sunk into character. His eyes shut to little quarter slots, and he said, "Hey, man, you got a joint?" He just became that guy. I thought, "Okay, don't cut your hair. Can you grow a beard and a mustache?" |
 |
McConaughey: Man, they told me to dirty down. They said that once we got started, I'd get $300 a day. That's a lot more than I made waiting tables on Thursday nights at the Catfish Station. |
On Bongos
| "Look, it's just funny. It is! You've got two zingers: Matthew McConaughey naked - with bongos. I have a good sense of humor about it. I get it. I'm not going to make a joke of the situation, but I'm damn sure going to laugh about it." |  |
Photo from atpictures.com. Dazed & Confused stuff from Texas Monthly and other stuff from elsewhere.
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