Matthew McConaughey Turned Down A $14.5 Million Role

Matthew McConaughey’s name is all over the headlines these days, following his exit from Dallas Stint, a soccer film based on a true story which was only six weeks away from production.

Details as to why are still unknown, however, the reason should be revealed sooner rather than later, likely with controversy to be attached.

Current career dilemma aside, there is no denying Matthew McConaughey is among the most versatile actors in Hollywood. Though in truth, that came with some major risks on his part.

We’ll take a look at the massive offers Matthew McConaughey turned down, and how his phone went completely silent for a year.

Looking back, it was a bold decision but one that ultimately worked out.

Matthew McConaughey will be the first to admit, films like How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, The Wedding Planner, Fool’s Gold and Failure To Launch are just some of the rom-coms that not only changed his career, but also created lots of wealth for the actor.

“I’m living in a pad in Malibu surfing on the beach shirtless. I’m shirtless romcom McConaughey and I’m like, ‘You damn right I am, those romcoms are paying for these houses that I’m renting on the beach, baby. Guilty. Come on.’ I’m fully happy with that,” the actor admitted alongside The Independent.

In truth, Matthew could have continued down this road for the rest of his career, without any problems. However, after the birth of his child, things started to change career wise.

“I found the love of my life in Camila [Alves]. We had a newborn coming. I had more things to get angry about, laugh about, have more joy about and be sad about. The ceilings and basements had more depth and height to them, and I wanted to do work that reflected my personal vitality,”

It was a huge decision and as expected, McConaughey’s phone went completely silent for a bit of time…

Matthew McConaughey Sent A Message To Hollywood That He Was Done With Rom-Coms, Turning Down Offers Worth Millions

For quite some time, things dried up for McConaughey. This came with a lot of courage from his part, turning down multiple offers worth millions to do yet another rom-com type flick.

““They started at an $8m offer,” he said. “I said no. They [went to] $10m. I say no. They go to $12.5, I said, ‘No, thank you.’ They go to $14.5, I said, ‘Let me read that script again.”

Ultimately, the actor still refused to the role and his goal was to send Hollywood a message, one that proved was serious about switching genres.

“Let me tell you, at $14.5 million, it was the same words as the $8 million offer, but it was a more well-written script, sir. It was a funny script. It had more. But I said no. Now when I said no to that, I do believe that an invisible lightning bolt went across Hollywood and they go, ‘Oh, McConaughey is not bluffing. He ain’t kidding.”

Matthew revealed that those around him worried about the decision and at the start, it all went quiet for more than a year. Nonetheless, he refused to budge from his vision and it would all work out.

“No offers came in for almost a year and a half. I was now shaking hands with the fact that I may never work in Hollywood again. It pinched me a little, but I was OK with it. It was time for a new chapter in my life.”

Matthew McConaughey’s Risk Worked Out With Some Of His Best Performances Including Dallas Buyers Club And The Lincoln Lawyer

True Detective started the actor’s new journey, and then came career-changing roles in films such as Lincoln Lawyer, Magic Mike, Mud and Dallas Buyers Club.

The actor looked unrecognizable in Dallas Buyers Club, putting on the performance of a lifetime and winning an Oscar because of it.

For McConaughey, the key to success is ‘not acting like one, be one’, as he told Insider. “I can connect the dots and say the things kind of what I meant, but I’m not really involved in it. So in our jobs, don’t go play the part.”

“If you’re fortunate enough to do something that you have an innate ability to do, and you’re willing to hustle and work for it, go be one, whatever that job is. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Don’t act like one; be one.”