Matthew McConaughey recently opened up about why he decided to take a significant break from sharing details of his life with his mother. In an interview with PEOPLE, the acclaimed actor revealed that he had to limit his interactions with his mom, Mary Kathleen ‘Kay’ McConaughey, for eight years.
Despite crediting his 93-year-old mother as a key influence in his success, McConaughey explained that maintaining a relationship while being in the spotlight wasn’t always straightforward. The actor, known for his role in Interstellar, mentioned feeling ‘closer’ to his mom now, but previously he had to be cautious in sharing too much personal information because of her inclination to divulge it.
“I’d say we’re closer now,” he noted. “We had about an eight-year period where I had to have short conversations with her on our Sunday phone calls because she was sharing a lot of that information.”
Kay acknowledged the pause in their conversations, stating: “We were on a hiatus.”
Over time, McConaughey became more at ease with his celebrity status and less concerned about media coverage. “About eight years after that I got stable enough with my own position and fame that I was like, ‘You know what? My mom can say whatever the hell she wants.’ It’s much more fun now,” he shared.
This insight into their relationship coincides with an exciting professional collaboration. Matthew McConaughey, his mother, and his 17-year-old son, Levi, are set to appear in the upcoming Apple TV+ film, “The Lost Bus,” marking a new chapter for the family.
The movie, directed by Paul Greengrass, is a survival thriller based on the 2018 Camp Fire, one of the most catastrophic wildfires in California’s history. In the film, McConaughey plays a bus driver who saves 22 schoolchildren, while his mother returns to the screen after a 14-year hiatus, following her role in the 2011 film Bernie. Levi makes his acting debut, portraying his father’s character’s son, and Kay plays the mother to McConaughey’s character.
McConaughey has two other children with his wife Camila Alves: Vida, 15, and Livingston, 12. He mentioned that Levi got the role based on his own abilities, having removed the family name from his audition tape. Levi shared that he had to “badger” his dad to be a part of the project.
Initially reluctant about his children entering the film industry, McConaughey had a change of heart. He explained, “The first 15 years in Hollywood I was like, ‘I’d never want my kid to grow up in the business’. And when I hit about 40, right about the time we had Levi, I looked around at how many special people I’ve met in my life, how much travel and what an awesome, healthy, cool experience that’s been for me in my life.”
Ultimately, he recognized it as a ‘privilege’ if his children chose to follow his path. Reflecting on his role in the film, Levi noted that there was one challenging scene involving a fight with his dad, which was unlike their real-life rapport. “But I’m enjoying it more and loving it,” Levi added.
“The Lost Bus” is available to stream on Apple TV+ starting October 3.