Matthew McConaughey Reflects on Life in Texas and Breaking Free from Hollywood Stereotypes

Matthew McConaughey, who moved back to Austin, Texas, with his wife Camila Alves in 2014, recently opened up about embracing the country lifestyle. Speaking on the Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios podcast on November 20, the actor discussed the "push and pull" of living in Texas and stepping away from Hollywood’s fast-paced life.

“Home, for me, is where a mile feels like a mile. An hour feels like 60 minutes,” McConaughey said, emphasizing how the slower pace keeps him grounded. The Interstellar star revealed that his move was driven by a pact with Alves to wait for roles that transcended his rom-com image. He famously broke free from that mold with an Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club (2013) and standout roles in The Wolf of Wall Street and Interstellar.

Despite achieving his career goals, McConaughey and Alves stayed in Texas, where they are raising their three children: Levi, 16, Vida, 14, and Livingston, 11. The actor shared his appreciation for Austin's balance as a liberal city within a conservative state. “I like the structure of the red around the freedom of the blue,” he said, referring to Texas as a “blueberry in tomato soup.”

McConaughey continues to find peace in the Lone Star State, balancing work, family, and a life where time feels just right.