Matthew McConaughey - Neil Daniels

The authoritative biography of one of Hollywood's leading hunks

Growing up in Texas, the youngest of three boys, Matthew McConaughey was known for his good looks and charm. His acting career began with TV commercials, B movies, and low-budget independent films, which included the much respected coming of age drama Dazed and Confused. His big break came as lawyer Jack Brigance in 1996's A Time to Kill, based on the bestselling legal thriller by John Grisham, and he was subsequently cast in such acclaimed films as Amistad, Contact, EDtv, and U-571. The new millennium brought an unfortunate change in his fortunes as he moved into risible romantic comedies. Movies such as The Wedding Planner, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Failure To Launch, Fool's Gold, and Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past were only moderately successful and failed to win over the critics; the critical acclaim that he garnered in the 90's as a serious actor was a thing of the past, and McConaughey desperately needed to reinvent himself. The Lincoln Lawyer, released in 2011, commenced McConaughey's revival and he returned to serious roles in such revered films as Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, and Dallas Buyers Club, which won him a Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Lead Actor in 2014. He was also cast with Woody Harrelson in HBO's critically acclaimed series True Detective which won him rave reviews. Happily married to Brazilian model Camila Alves, the McConaugheys live in Austin, Texas with their three children.