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Matthew McConaughey recently shared on Nick Kyrgios’ podcast “Good Trouble” that he left Hollywood, moved his family to Texas when the industry refused to let him branch out of romantic comedies. With “The Wedding Planner,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” McConaughey was the king of the rom-com genre, many of his films clearing or nearly clearing the $100 million mark around the
world.
McConaughey emphasized the importance of saying “no” to offers that didn’t align with his aspirations in the industry. “The devil’s in the infinite yeses, not the nos,” he said. He decided not to return to Hollywood unless he was offered roles outside of romantic comedies, making a pact with his wife that he only accepts work that he wants.
Despite his successful career in romantic comedies, McConaughey yearned for a more wide-ranging collection of different roles. Hollywood resisted the idea of setting him in dramas and other genres. “When I was rolling with the rom-coms, and I was the ‘rom- com dude,’ that was my lane and I liked that lane. That lane paid well, and it was working, he said. ”But Hollywood said, ‘No, no, no. You should stay there.’ So, since I couldn’t do what I wanted to do, I stopped doing what I was doing, and I moved down to the ranch in Texas.
It was not without Its difficulties, and McConaughey did confess that leaving Hollywood during his prime was kind of intimidating. He even thought about other careers, such as teaching in high school, studying to become a conductor, or becoming a wildlife guide. "It was scary. The days are long – the sense of insignificance,” he said. He was resolved, though, not to quit his mission, which was very uncertain at that moment.
Hollywood did try to lure him back with an offer of $14.5 million for his return to the rom- com genre. McConaughey said no, and it sealed his dedication to breaking typecasting. “That was probably seen as the most rebellious move in Hollywood by me because it really sent the signal, He ain't bluffing,’” he explained. That courageous move eventually paid off; soon after, critically acclaimed roles came through, including the Oscar-winning performance in “Dallas Buyers Club.”
The story of McConaughey underlines an important issue: being yourself and saying “no” to certain roles that are not in tune with your aspirations. Leaving Hollywood was a risk, yet that was what gave him the opportunity to further his career in so many different ways.
