Matthew McConaughey's Biography

For many years, Matthew McConaughey was known simply as the pretty-boy love interest in all sorts of cheesy romantic comedies. But these days, thanks in large part to his roles in Dallas Buyers Club and the hit HBO series True Detective, he has (seemingly overnight) transformed himself into an Academy Award-winning actor.

Born and raised in Texas, McConaughey was the youngest of three boys. He had his breakout role in Richard Linklater’s 1993 Dazed and Confused, and went on to star in numerous films—some great, some terrible—over the next 20 years. Then came his transition into “serious acting” around 2011, which has come to be known somewhat comically as the “McConaissance.”

Though McConaughey hasn’t pontificated much about his favorite drinks, it stands to reason that he’s a bourbon guy. In 2016, he was hired as the creative director of Wild Turkey, which has seen him direct and star in a number of promotions and documentary-esque productions about the brand. Seeing as this is more than a traditional brand representative role, it’s probably safe to say that McConaughey genuinely digs the stuff—because we highly doubt he needs a side gig.