When people envision Matthew McConaughey, the familiar image of Wooderson in 1993's Dazed and Confused drawling out an "Alright, alright, alright" at a stoplight may come to mind. For most, however, his most memorable early turn would happen a decade later as ad man Ben Barry alongside Kate Hudson in 2003's How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days. This was the role that allowed him to show off his real acting chops, stretching his legs in a role in the spotlight that didn't involve a bit character with a drug habit. This was classic McConaughey, and soon roles in movies like the hilarious Tropic Thunder and the quirky Bernie followed to pad out his rise to the top.
How to Lose a Guy... and Gain a Career
Why was How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days so successful? Many film critics point to McConaughey’s easy chemistry with Hudson as the root of his later rise to fame. Without needing to force the authenticity of the connection between the characters, he was free to add depth and empathy to the character of Ben Barry, which gave him a solid role to reel in fans. Of course, it never hurts to have a good, challenge-filled love story to win over the female fans either,! His portrayal of Barry likely had at least a little to do with one of his crowning non-cinematic achievements: in 2005, he was named People's Sexiest Man Alive.
Chasing a Different Kind of Love
Playing the title character in 2012's Mud earned McConaughey a different set of fans, albeit still champions of love. As a fugitive on the run, he was able to inject some frenetic energy into his performance, as well as working with young actors, an interesting contrast. This was one of the movies where he was able to let his southern drawl shine unimpeded, adding a believable layer to a complex character. Arguably, this accent is one of the actor's most memorable features, and it continued to win him hearts that same year playing Dallas in the exotic male dancer movie Magic Mike, alongside Channing Tatum.
Matthew McConaughey in screen adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower
Today, McConaughey's star continues to burn bright, whether in voiceover work for animated features like Sing and Kubo and the Two Strings, or through roles in powerful pieces like the upcoming cinematic adaption of Stephen King's The Dark Tower. If you were to ask the man himself how he feels about his long and impressive film career, he'd likely grin and channel his first ever character, drawling out a trademark "alright" or three.
Matthew McConaughey – Alright, alright, alright
