Austin, please join us in wishing local legend, all-rounder and Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey a happy 55th birthday.

We would like to celebrate him by honoring his life with 55 facts – one for each year of his life. We did the same Willie Nelsonso we thought it was time to talk about one of the city's biggest celebrities.

1. McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969 in Uvalde, Texas.
2. His family moved to Longview, Texas in 1980, where he studied Longview High School.
3. He has two older brothers: Michael, also known as “Rooster”, and Patrick, who was adopted.
4. After graduating from high school, McConaughey spent a year abroad in Australia with his local Rotary Club.
5. His Australian host family originally told him that they lived on the outskirts of Sydney, but when he arrived, the host family revealed that their home was in Warnervale – over an hour from Sydney.
6. McConaughey enrolled at UT Austin in the fall of 1989 and graduated in the spring of 1993 with a bachelor's degree in radio-television-film.
7. During his studies he began directing and appearing in small short films.
8. McConaughey met casting director and producer Don Phillips – who later introduced him to director Richard Linklater – in a hotel bar in 1992.

9. Linklater originally thought McConaughey was too arrogant for the role of David Wooderson, so he asked him to do it Let him grow his mustache.

   

10. McConaughey's most iconic Dazed and Confused quote – “alright, alright, alright” – was spontaneously improvised and inspired by Jim Morrison.
11. After that famous line, Wooderson went from three scripted scenes to one greatly expanded role Filming lasted three weeks.
12. McConaughey's father, James Donald McConaughey, died of a heart attack Five days after filming began “Dazed and confused.”
13. After starring in “Angels in the outfield” And “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next GenerationIn 1994, McConaughey moved to Hollywood.
14. He starred alongside fellow Austinite Renée Zellweger in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.”
15. After moving, he slept on the Philips couch for a while and said the casting director fed him filet mignon and vanilla ice cream every night.
16. Shortly after his move, McConaughey secured a top spot in “A time to kill“ alongside Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey.

17. When I rented a house in Austin's Tarrytown neighborhood in 1999, McConaughey was arrested. Officers found him naked, smoking marijuana and playing bongos in his home. No charges were filed and he was released after a night in jail.

18. From 2001 to 2009, McConaughey starred in romantic comedies such as “The Wedding Planner,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Failure to Launch.”
19. People magazine called McConaughey his “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2005.

    

    Photo by Keith Hinkle, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

20. McConaughey met his current wife, Camila Alves McConaughey – a model from Brazil – in late 2006 at the Hyde Club on Sunset Boulevard. He invited her to his house for a drink that same evening.
21. The couple welcomed their eldest son Levi in ​​2008 and their daughter Vida in 2010.
22. The McConaugheys did it married in June 2012, and their youngest son, Livingston, was born the same year.
23. McConaughey was tired of starring in romantic comedies almost gave up the business because they made up most of his offerings. Instead, he took a break from acting from 2009 to 2011.
24. His return to the screen came in “The Lincoln Lawyer,” followed by titles like “Bernie” and “Magic Mike.”
25. McConaughey joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which votes for the Oscars, in 2012.
26. For his role in Dallas Buyers Club in 2013, McConaughey Lost 50 pounds appear sickly. His diet consisted of egg whites, fish, tapioca pudding and wine.
27. McConaughey won an Oscar for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” and a Golden Globe for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” for his performance in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

28. McConaughey's Chest pounding, money singing The scene in “The Wolf of Wall Street” was also improvised with the help of Leonardo DiCaprio.

29. In April 2014, McConaughey was named one of the “Most Influential People in the World.” Time 100.
30. McConaughey was featured in an episode of “South Parkin September 2014.
31. The episode referenced McConaughey's popular episode Lincoln advertising campaign.
32. That same year, McConaughey appeared in eight episodes of “True detective.”
33. 2014 was a big year for McConaughey's “McConnaisance.” This year he starred in “Interstellar,” which was nominated for five Oscars.
34. Also in 2014, McConaughey received a star Hollywood Walk of Fame.

35. Shortly after welcoming its star, the McConaughey family withdrawn Full time to Austin.

36. The move became even more permanent when they sold their Malibu home in 2020.
37. McConaughey signed as Professor of Practice from UT Austin's Moody College of Communication in 2015, although he has not taught a course since fall 2019.
38. McConaughey's role as Moondog in 2019's The Beach Bum was originally offered to Gary Oldman.
39. McConaughey joined as Minority owner in April 2019 at Austin FC – the first season started in 2021.
40. He serves the football club as a “Minister of Culture“, which makes him responsible represents Austin at the games.
41. McConaughey is also the “minister of culture” for Longhorn football and the school as a whole and is frequently spotted on the field in games.

    

42. In 2020, McConaughey released his memoir, “Green light.”
43. In his memoir, McConaughey calls Woody Harrelson his “brother from another mother.”
44. In fact, the two A-listers might be related by blood, but neither of them are DNA testing to confirm.
45. McConaughey briefly considered running for office Governor of Texas in 2021, but ultimately decided against it.
46. Yet he remains get involved in politicsbut refuses to reveal the party with which he is most closely associated.
47. Kay “K-Mac” McConaughey – McConaughey's mother – has lived in his house since at least 2021.

48. McConaughey famously sang an improvised song: “Bless the mood“At the grand opening of the Moody Center on April 19, 2022, both City Editor Figi and Managing Editor London were in the audience.

49. The construction of the Moody Center was privately financed partly by McConaughey.
50. McConaughey founded a tequila company with Camila. Pantalones organic tequilain October 2023.
51. Of course, the couple appears wearing no pants Advertising of the brand.
52. McConaughey published a children's book called “Just because“ in 2023.

    

53. City Editor Figi met McConaughey at a tailgate in Longhorn on his birthday in 2023.

54. In the role of Cowboy poolMcConaughey appeared briefly in Deadpool & Wolverine.

55. McConaughey has two confirmed new films in the pipeline: “Amziah King's Rivals“, which is currently in post-production, and “The lost bus“which is currently being filmed.

Which local celebrity would you like to see a birthday post from next? Let us know.