Matthew McConaughey disclosed the details of an extended hiatus from his mother, Mary Kathleen “Kay” McConaughey, during a recent interview. The actor explained that the eight-year break stemmed from Kay leaking private information about him to the media, which strained their relationship significantly.
The Reason Behind the Distance Between Matthew and His Mother
During conversations with PEOPLE, Matthew shared,
“We had about an eight-year period where I had to have short conversations with her on our Sunday phone calls because she was sharing a lot of that information.”
He added,
“I’d tell her something on Sunday between son and mom, and Tuesday I’d read about it in the news or see it in the local paper. She couldn’t help herself.”
At 93 years old, Kay confirmed that their strained connection led to this pause in their communication.
Rebuilding Their Relationship After Years Apart
Matthew noted that after nearly a decade, his perspective shifted as he became more secure in his career and fame. Reflecting on this change, he said,
“About eight years after that, I got stable enough with my own position and fame that I was like, ‘You know what? My mom can say whatever the hell she wants.’”
He continued,
“It’s much more fun now… I’d say we’re closer now,”
signaling a healing of their bond.
The McConaughey Family Collaborates on New Film Together
Currently, the family is united on screen in the survival thriller The Lost Bus, which focuses on the 2018 Camp Fire tragedy. The film, set to debut on Apple TV+ next week, marks Kay’s first acting role since 2011’s Bernie, which also featured Matthew. It additionally serves as a debut for Matthew’s son, Levi, age 17, who plays a family member in the movie. Levi recounted that he had to persuade his father to participate in the film, saying, “I had to badger him.”
Matthew McConaughey’s Views on His Son’s Acting Ambitions
Matthew expressed openness about Levi’s desire to enter acting, a stance that evolved over time. He reflected,
“The first 15 years in Hollywood I was like, ‘I’d never want my kid to grow up in the business.’”
However, he added,
“And when I hit about 40, right about the time we had Levi, I looked around at how many special people I’ve met in my life, how much travel and what an awesome, healthy, cool experience that’s been for me in my life. I was like, ‘Where are you coming up with this idea you don’t want any of your kids to do it?’ It’d be a privilege if they would be able to.”
Upcoming Release and Additional Cast Details
The Lost Bus is directed by Paul Greengrass and also stars America Ferrera. The film will start streaming on Apple TV+ beginning October 3, bringing the McConaughey family’s real-life and on-screen roles together for audiences to experience.
