Sandra Bullock on why Matthew McConaughey would “change the face” of acting
For some reason, the 1990s was crammed full of young new male actors, many of whom were dubbed as heartthrobs. From Leonardo DiCaprio and Keanu Reeves to Paul Rudd and Will Smith, there was no shortage of male stars who found significant popularity during the decade. Still, that didn’t stop even more from emerging, and for Matthew McConaughey, it wouldn’t be long until he was heralded as one of the most sought-after leads.
After securing a minor role in the negatively-reviewed comedy horror My Boyfriend’s Back, McConaughey found much better success when he landed a part in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. Released in 1993, the actor played David Wooderson, a creepy high school graduate who continued to hang out with teenagers. He spouted the infamously gross line “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age,” and even improvised the catchphrase “Alright, alright, alright,” based on Jim Morrison.
McConaughey earned the role after discovering that the casting director, Don Phillips, was in the same bar as him. He went over to discuss a potential job, and he was lucky enough to be considered for the role, which was meant to be much smaller. However, he was given more screen time due to his natural talents—which impressed Phillips and Linklater. Critics were impressed with the newcomer, who appeared to have much more professional experience than he actually did.
Thus, McConaughey’s career was off to a flier, although some of his early films weren’t exactly the greatest Hollywood had to offer. He appeared in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a poorly received instalment in the horror franchise, and Disney’s Angels in the Outfield, which was not particularly well-received, either.
His career picked up a bit with parts in Boys on the Side and Lone Star, but his first leading role was finally given to him in 1996 with A Time to Kill. He starred alongside Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Samuel L. Jackson, and other acclaimed stars. The movie’s source material was the John Grisham novel of the same name. The writer also produced the movie, which was directed by Joel Schumacher.
It was during filming that Bullock, who, by this point, had worked with many acclaimed stars, recognised something special in McConaughey. She claimed, during an interview with Rolling Stone, “People keep saying, ‘Hollywood is going to take him by storm.’ I think it’s the other way around. And Matthew will do it right”.
The actor clearly knew that McConaughey had what it took to become a Hollywood icon, and soon enough, he became just that. She added: “He’s a character actor in a leading-man’s body, and he’s going to change the face of what we demand from male actors. We’ll demand for them to push themselves more. He’s not just another beautiful face”,
Since the ‘90s, McConaughey has appeared in a string of popular romantic comedies, such as How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner, as well as bagging an Oscar for the drama Dallas Buyers Club. He also played the main character in True Detective, proving himself to be a star of television, too.
