JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017
SPOTLIGHT
Matthew McConaughey
An all American Texan in Hollywood .
Sexy , suave , successful . All words that come to mind when describing 47-year-old Texan superstar , Matthew McConaughey . Named People ’ s Sexiest Man Alive in 2005 , Mc- Conaughey exudes a strong magnetism that attracts all eyes to him . And , as it turns out , his background adds to his enticing demeanor . McConaughey is the golden standard –– a Texasborn all American boy living the American dream .
McConaughey was born in 1969 in Uvalde , Texas . Born the youngest of three boys , little Matthew was raised by his mother , Mary , a former kindergarten teacher , and his father , the owner of an oil pipe supply business . Little known fact : his dad Jim was once drafted to the Green Bay Packers , but was released before the season began . That was the start and end of his NFL career . Another tidbit : McConaughey ’ s parents married one another three times after divorcing twice .
McConaughey , a Delta Tau Delta frat boy , had once planned on attending law school , but instead got his degree in radio-television-film from the University of Texas at Austin . His first notable gig came after graduating college , when he co-starred in 1993 ’ s Dazed and Confused . This appearance was followed by small roles in
Angels in the Outfield , Texas Chainsaw Massacre : The Next Generation , and Boys on the Side . But his big break was in the 1996 flick , A Time to Kill , based on the John Grisham novel of the same name . His co-actors included Sandra Bullock , Samuel L . Jackson , and Kevin Spacey .
McConaughey ’ s road to stardom came with plenty of press and a growing fan base . He made the cover of Vanity Fair in 1996 , scoring big time clout with his famous colleagues . And , he was soon to emerge as the manly king of chick flicks .
In 2001 , McConaughey starred in The Wedding Planner alongside Jennifer Lopez , followed by How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days ( 2003 ) with Kate Hudson . Both movies won the hearts of female viewers . But this lady ’ s man was soon swept away by a female heartthrob , Penelope Cruz , after the two joined forces in 2005 ’ s Sahara .
But that didn ’ t last forever .
In fact , right before his 2008 movie , Fool ’ s Gold , was released , McConaughey made a very special announcement –– he was going to become a dad . And on July 7 , 2008 , he and then-girlfriend Camila Alves gave birth to Levi Alves McConaughey .
8 DALLAS COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017