The hit movie Matthew McConaughey accepted because of a fortune teller
Actors often select their projects based on a wide variety of factors, ranging from thorough research about the source material to fleeting attacks of intuition that guide them towards their eventual destination. For Matthew McConaughey, it took an unexpected conversation with a fortune teller to convince him to accept a project. Although such an impulsive decision can go wrong in so many ways, it definitely worked out for McConaughey.
Although McConaughey has delivered serious dramatic performances in works like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and the acclaimed HBO show True Detective, the actor made his initial breakthrough as a dependable leading man in romantic comedies. As he established himself as an instantly recognisable icon in the industry, McConaughey accepted a string of rom-coms like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past to boost his stock.
In the case of one such romantic comedy, McConaughey had to talk to a random fortune teller before he decided that he was going to do it. Titled How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, McConaughey stars opposite Kate Hudson as the two of them begin their journeys from completely antithetical positions to find that they have a common interest. Although the film received mixed reviews, it inevitably became a huge commercial success.
During a conversation with Vanity Fair, McConaughey recalled how a fortune teller approached him on the street and read his mind. The actor began: “I remember considering whether I was going to do it or not one night while on a walk down Sunset Boulevard when suddenly, this guy comes up out of nowhere to me—he was a fortune teller guru [and] goes, ‘Can I tell you your fortune real quick?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, man. Sure.'”
McConaughey added: “He immediately goes, ‘There’s a movie you’re considering right now. It’s a romantic comedy. You have to do this, or it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. It is going to be a blast, it is going to be an incredible experience, and it is going to make a bunch of money.’ I remember thinking, ‘Did the studio hire this guy?’ I laughed at the thought, but I also remember taking a more serious consideration. I think I even accepted the offer the next day.”
While How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days failed to deviate from Hollywood’s tired formula for rom-com success, McConaughey and Hudson maintained an engaging on-screen chemistry that undoubtedly contributed to its success. Thankfully, both of them eventually branched out into more diverse roles, which has resulted in more fascinating additions to their respective bodies of work.
