[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/matthewmcconaughey.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300: ''"Awright, awright, awright..."'']]

Matthew David [=McConaughey=] (born November 4, 1969 in Uvalde, Texas) is an American actor best known for his roles in {{Romantic Comed|y}}ies and a particularly epic CareerResurrection. After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, [=McConaughey=] gained notice for his breakout role in ''Film/DazedAndConfused'' (1993) and ''Film/ATimeToKill'' in 1996. However, after that he starred in a series of box-office disappointments, with critics and audiences alike dismissing [=McConaughey=] as nothing more than a pretty boy actor.

And then he accepted the titular role in William Friedkin's black comedy, ''Film/KillerJoe''. The character was a role that was so against the type he normally played that everyone started taking interest in [=McConaughey=]. What started out as a shocking example of SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct turned into one hell of a CareerResurrection (styled as the "[=McConnaissance=]") which contained movies such as ''Film/MagicMike'', a [[invoked]]OneSceneWonder in ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' and ''Film/DallasBuyersClub'' (for which he won the Best Actor UsefulNotes/AcademyAward) and the Creator/{{HBO}} anthology drama ''Series/TrueDetective''.

Offstage, he's noted as a big fan of the Texas Longhorns, the sports teams representing his alma mater of the University of Texas at Austin. Near the end of 2018, UT named him as "Minister of Culture" (a likely marketing-related role) for its new basketball arena that opened in 2022. He also began teaching a film class there for the Fall 2019 semester. Then, in August 2019, he was announced as one of several new minority owners of Austin FC, which started play in UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer in 2021.
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!!Works with pages on TV Tropes:

* ''Film/DazedAndConfused'' (1993) as David Wooderson
* ''Film/AngelsInTheOutfield'' (1994) as Ben Williams
* ''Film/ATimeToKill'' (1996) as Jake Brigance
* ''Film/LargerThanLife'' (1996) as Tip Tucker
* ''Film/{{Contact}}'' (1997) as Palmer Josh
* ''Film/{{Amistad}}'' (1997) as Roger Sherman Baldwin
* ''Film/TheNewtonBoys'' (1998) as Willis Newton
* ''Film/EDtv'' (1999) as Ed Pekurny
* ''Film/TheWeddingPlanner'' (2001) as Steve Edison
* ''Film/{{Frailty}}'' (2001) as Fenton/Adam Meiks
* ''Film/ReignOfFire'' (2002) as Denton Van Zan
* ''Film/HowToLoseAGuyIn10Days'' (2003) as Benjamin Barry
* ''Film/{{Sahara|2005}}'' (2005) as Dirk Pit (also executive producer)
* ''Film/TwoForTheMoney'' (2005) as Brandon Lang
* ''Film/FailureToLaunch'' (2006) as Tripp
* ''Film/WeAreMarshall'' (2006) as Jack Lengyel
* ''Film/FoolsGold'' (2008) as Ben "Finn" Finnegan
* ''Film/TropicThunder'' (2008) as Rick Pec
* ''Film/GhostsOfGirlfriendsPast'' (2009) as Connor Mead
* ''Series/EastboundAndDown'' (2010-12) as Roy [=McDaniel=]
* ''Literature/TheLincolnLawyer'' (2011) as Mickey Halle
* ''Film/{{Bernie}}'' (2011) as Danny Buck Davidson
* ''Film/KillerJoe'' (2011) as "Killer" Joe Cooper
* ''Film/{{Mud}}'' (2012) as Mud
* ''Film/MagicMike'' (2012) as Dallas
* ''Film/DallasBuyersClub'' (2013) as Ron Woodroof (Academy Award winner for Best Actor)
* ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' (2013) as Mark Hanna
* ''Series/TrueDetective'' (2014) as Rustin "Rust" Cohle
* ''Film/{{Interstellar}}'' (2014) as Cooper
* ''Film/TheSeaOfTrees'' (2015) as Arthur Brenna
* ''Film/FreeStateOfJones'' (2016) as Newton Knight
* ''Film/{{Gold|2016}}'' (2016) as Kenny Wells
* ''WesternAnimation/KuboAndTheTwoStrings'' (2016) as Beetle/[[spoiler:Hanzo]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Sing}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/Sing2'' (2016, 2021) as Buster Moon
* ''Film/{{The Dark Tower|2017}}'' (2017) as Walter Padic
* ''Film/TheGentlemen'' (2019) as Mickey Pearson (Also Co-Producer)
* ''WesternAnimation/AgentElvis'' (2023) as Music/ElvisPresley

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!!This actor provides examples of:

* AntiHero: He has a tendency to play these.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: His role in ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet''. His "Money Song" sounds silly, but the guy is a masterful financial shark.
* CatchPhrase: David Wooderson's ([=McConaughey=]'s character from ''Film/DazedAndConfused'') "Alright, alright, alright!" has become [=McConaughey=]'s own catchphrase, especially since he dropped it during his Oscar speech. It's gotten to the point where people react with disappointment if he only says one "Alright" in front of a live audience.
* TheCharmer: His characters tend to be ''extremely'' charismatic and near impossible not to like.
* ComicBookFantasyCasting: The comic book ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' redesigned Giant Man after [=McConaughey=]'s likeness.
* GoodOlBoy: He's from Texas and plays these kind of roles quite a bit.
* MrFanservice: In all his roles. Even when he isn't getting one of his famous shirtless scenes, his good looks are still very prominent.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Tends to keep his famous Texas accent in every role, to the point that it's pretty much impossible to imagine him without it.
* ThrowItIn: His famous "alright, alright, alright!" line from ''Film/DazedAndConfused'' was an ad-lib from him.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: To the point where it's a RunningGag on Podcast/RiffTrax.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Was offered the role of Ego the Living Planet in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' but turned it down because of his general hesitation to take on franchise work.
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