Matthew McConaughey revealed he nearly quit his acting career after a very unsettling two-year period where he was unable to find work that satisfied him.
The famous actor said he felt pigeon-holed into simply starring in romantic comedies, and that reality hit him pretty hard when he realized he wasn’t able to secure any work in different genres for an extended period of time. McConaughey spoke with Interview Magazine’s Glen Powell and said he “had to leave Hollywood for two years,” after he struggled to book roles outside of his familiar romcom roots.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Matthew McConaughey attends the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Getty Images
The famous actor explained the challenges he faced and the self-reflection that came along with the experience.
“I’ve usually zigged when I felt like Hollywood wanted me to zag,” McConaughey told Interview Magazine.
“When I had my rom-com years, there was only so much bandwidth I could give to those, and those were some solid hits for me,” he said, recognizing the value and significance the romcom genre had on his career.
In spite of the fame and fortune, the actor wanted more.
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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Matthew McConaughey attends the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Getty Images
“But I wanted to try some other stuff,” McConaughey said. “Dude, it was scary. I had long talks with my wife about needing to find a new vocation.”
He went on to describe just how real the conversations became, recalling that he spoke to his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, about potentially teaching high school or conducting music instead of acting. McConaughey said he even contemplated becoming a wildlife guide during his hiatus from Hollywood.
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“I honestly thought, ‘I stepped out of Hollywood. I got out of my lane.’ The lane Hollywood said I should stay in,” he said. “And Hollywood’s like, ‘Well, fuck you, dude. You should have stayed in your lane. Later.'” (RELATED: One Of Music’s Biggest Players Calls It Quits Because Everyone Seems To Hate Him)
After some focused time reinventing himself, his career did pick back up, and much to his delight, McConaughey found success outside of the romantic comedy genre. He went on to star in films like “Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
He didn’t indicate when exactly he took his Hollywood-break, but the famous actor doesn’t have any credits to his name from 2007-2010.
