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Tag: matthew-mcconaughey

Matthew McConaughey’s Call to ‘Embrace’ President Trump Has Everyone Talking

Matthew McConaughey has done the unthinkable for an A-list Hollywood actor: Suggest people give President Donald Trump a break. As Meryl Streep and everyone at the SAG Awards could tell you, there is a ready market for challenging this president and his policies, but you’re on your own if you go easy on him.

The topic came up when McConaughey was talking to a BBC reporter about his movie “Gold.” The BBC reporter, Andrew Marr, noted that every American actor “or arty type” who had come to London had dumped on President Trump. He asked McConaughey if it was time for Hollywood and the cultural elite to “give the guy a break.” The way he phrased that basically suggested McConaughey would be an elitist follower to do as the others have done, and wouldn’t he be taking the high road to suggest another approach? So McConaughey took that angle, saying “they” (Hollywood + elites) don’t have a choice:

“He’s our president. And it’s very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time that we’ve ever had. At the same time, it’s time for us to embrace, shake hands with this fact, and be constructive with him over the next four years. So, even those who most strongly may disagree with his principles or things he’s said and done — which is another thing, we’ll see what he does compared to what he had said — no matter how much you even disagreed along the way, it’s time to think about how constructive can you be. Because he’s our president for the next four years. At least.”

Well, a lot of folks are not alright alright alright with that. Days later, McConaughey remains a trending topic, with 1 million people talking about his Trump quotes on Facebook, and still more on social media across the web. Entertainment Weekly’s story on the topic has more than 500 comments, and you already know exactly how they break down. They are every single political discussion everywhere, just this time they include Matthew McConaughey — with some dismissing his perspective as head-in-the-sand privilege, and others applauding him for not just mimicking (nearly) everyone else in Hollywood.

[via: EW]

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February 3, 2017
The Awful Truth About ‘The Wedding Planner’: Podcast
Oh, “The Wedding Planner.” In theory, you’re a wonderful piece of J.Lo rom-com nostalgia. In fact, however, you’re far more terrible than anyone could have ever remembered.

If you haven’t guessed by now, this week, Tim Hayne, Tony Maccio, Phil Pirrello, and Rachel Horner sink their teeth into Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey‘s 2001 romantic comedy hit, “The Wedding Planner,” and gnaw it to its misguided, nonsensical, terrible-Italian-accented bone. For the record, they really wanted to like this movie — you could say they planned to like it — Rachel and Tim, especially. Alas, much like 50 percent of marriages in America, this movie was doomed from the start.Are there redeeming qualities? Sure, but they’re few and far between. Judy Greer, for instance, and Kathy Najimy‘s “boss” wig — but you’ll have to listen to the podcast for the rest.

Next week’s movie is a Tony Maccio pick: 1989’s “Road House,” starring Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, and a giant can of whoopass.

Listen to CAN’T WAIT! A Movie Lover’s Podcast Episode 10: ‘The Wedding Planner’Total runtime: 59:08 (recommendations start at 54:30)

Subscribe to the CAN’T WAIT! podcast:
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Have thoughts/feelings/feedback about the podcast? Have a movie you really, really want us to watch and talk about? Hit us up on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
January 26, 2017
Why Sexiest Man Alive Matthew McConaughey Likes to Look His Worst in Gold

Matthew McConaughey from Gold

This Time Matthew McConaughey Gains Weight, for Gold

Matthew McConaughey famously, and dangerously, wasted away to play a drug hustler with AIDS for his Oscar-winning turn in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

Now he packs on the pounds and loses a lot of hair to channel another hustler, Kenny Wells, a down-on-his-luck prospector who rises from the dusty bars of Reno to the upper echelons of Wall Street in “Gold.”

“Fun,” says McConaughey of his latest physical transformation. “It’s in service of the guy Kenny Wells. I didn’t plan on putting on a bunch of weight. I just started living like Kenny and all of a sudden looked up in the mirror and I was getting kind of big. I was like: Well, this is the guy. And so down that road we went.”

Matthew McConaughey Serves as Producer and Star of Gold

Also a producer on the film, McConaughey tells Made in Hollywood reporter Damaris Diaz that he took on the project because he related to the main character.

“I grew up meeting guys like Kenny Wells through my father, was privy to deals that my dad would make with guys like Kenny Wells,” says the Texas-raised actor. “My dad had some Kenny Wells in him: Hard-living, hustlers, at the bottom of the barrel, but optimistic as a survival mechanism, every single day to say, Today is going to be the day. And it usually wasn’t. But you get up again tomorrow and you do it again and you say it again and you believe it again. And most of them never found their ‘gold.’ They never made it. But this is the story about a guy chasing down the American dream and did find it.”

McConaughey also was drawn to the rags-to-riches story.

“Look at the dynamic,” he says. “We don’t even know what the character is and you say, We’re going to follow a guy from the dusty bars of Reno to the jungles of Indonesia to the top floor in Wall Street. Well, I want to know, What story and who’s going to take us to those places? On a producing level, that’s already a dynamic landscape. … And then to follow this guy, who starts when you meet him at the very bottom, and get to the very top, by hook or by crook, hustles his way in, makes it happen, almost wills it to happen, that’s fun.”

Why Sexiest Man Alive Matthew McConaughey Likes to Look His Worst in Gold

And so, says the former People magazine “Sexiest Man Alive,” he ha no problem looking his worst on screen.

“The guys I met didn’t have dentists. The guys that I met that were Kenny Wellses, you chip you front tooth, you Super Glue it back and you don’t flinch and it’s no big deal,” he says. “Guys like Kenny Wells are too busy hustling and surviving to sit there and look in the mirror or have concerns with what they look like. They’re too busy trying to hustle.”
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January 26, 2017
Matthew McConaughey Reveals How He Gained (Then Lost) 47 Pounds for ‘Gold’

Matthew McConaughey is used to losing weight for movies — including the 38 pounds he lost for his Oscar-winning role in “Dallas Buyers Club” — but “Gold” marked the first time he had to gain weight without also gaining muscle.

You may think gaining weight is easier than losing weight … and you’d be right! It’s also more fun.

McConaughey told E! News he was “Captain Fun” around his house during the six months he worked to gain 47 pounds; his kids loved it because Dad said yes to everything they wanted to eat, making pizza night every night — and morning.

“My favorite food is cheeseburgers, so I was eating cheeseburgers all the time,” McConaughey told E!. “I was making cheeseburgers. I was trying out all these fast food restaurants that I’ve never had, or I’ve only had one time. Not that much sweets. Cheeseburgers and beer will do the trick.”

He also stopped exercising, which makes sense if you want to gain weight without muscle.

“I wouldn’t even take the stairs to the second floor. That would be too much exercise.”

It’s a gluttony and sloth dream come true, but what happens when it’s time to lose the weight? Well, McConaughey’s genes helped him out there, since his body — even at age 47 — seems to want to be lean and lanky.

“Whatever your normal weight is, your body wants to go back there, or go up there, and find that place again. The hard part was getting down to…I would go from 217 to 211, easy. Then 211 to 209, crossing that 210 mark was really tough. Then go 209 to 201, easy.”

But it still took patience, and he still feels like he’s not quite back to how he was yet.

McConaughey told Entertainment Tonight his mom had a strong reaction to the transformation.

“She kind of said, ‘Matthew, what… oh jeez… well… I like it better than when you were really, really skinny. Golly. You look like your dad. OK, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.’”

To play gold prospector Kenny Wells, McC not only gained weight, he shaved his head, wore a toupee, and wore a set of veneers. But he loved it, and he told ET he loves the character:

“Kenny Wells’ indulgences work for six months and then I had to come back and tighten up a little bit, but he’s a wonderful character. A wonderful American archetype. He’s my favorite character I’ve ever played.”

“Gold” will be released wide on January 27.

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January 18, 2017
Why Matthew McConaughey Rejected ‘Guardians’ Sequel for ‘The Dark Tower’

Matthew McConaughey could’ve played Chris Pratt’s dad in “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.” Instead, Kurt Russell will play Star-Lord’s father — aka Ego the Living Planet — and McConaughey will be the Man in Black in “The Dark Tower.”

Why say no to Marvel?

In a new interview with Playboy (via Collider), McConaughey explained why he ditched the “Guardians” sequel for the Stephen King adaptation:

“I like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ but what I saw was ‘It’s successful, and now we’ve got room to make a colorful part for another big-name actor.’ I’d feel like an amendment. ‘The Dark Tower’ script was well written, I like the director [Nikolaj Arcel] and his take on it, and I can be the creator, the author of the Man in Black—a.k.a. the Devil—in my version of this Stephen King novel. We’ve done the first one. It’s a fantastic thriller that takes place in another realm, an alternate universe, but it’s very much grounded. For instance, the gunslinger’s weapon isn’t a lightsaber or something; it’s a pistol. I enjoyed approaching my character as if I were the Devil having a good time, getting turned on by exposing human hypocrisies wherever he finds them.”

“The Dark Tower” — starring Idris Elba as the gunslinger Roland Deschain — is now scheduled for release July 28, a push-back from its previous February date. According to Entertainment Weekly, the film will be followed by a spinoff TV show. Meanwhile, the “Guardians” sequel opens May 5.

Do you think McConaughey made the (wait for it) alright alright alright choice?

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January 3, 2017
Watch the ‘Sing’ Cast Perform ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ With Paul McCartney

This should cheer you right up! The cast of “The Tonight Show.”

These “A Cappella” videos are becoming staples of Fallon’s “Tonight Show,” and this holiday version of McCartney’s classic (complete with animated characters) is a welcome addition.

Check it out:Matthew McConaughey stars in “Sing” as the voice of koala Buster Moon, who produces a greatest singing competition to try and save his theater. McC was a main guest of last night’s show, doing some Kid Theater (another Fallon classic) and sharing his holiday plans — including a family trip to Brazil.“Sing” opens Dec. 21, aka today, and McConaughey’s other movie, “Gold,” opens Christmas Day.

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December 21, 2016
‘Sing’ Exclusive Clip: This Punk-Rock Porcupine Isn’t Calling Anyone

This punk-rock porcupine is not calling anyone, and there’s no “maybe” about it.

In the animated movie “Sing,” Ash (Scarlett Johansson) is taking part in the singing contest put on by koala / theater owner Buster (Matthew McConaughey). Sure, she left her band after finding out her ex-boyfriend cheated on her, but just because she’s doing this competition doesn’t mean she’ll sing anything.

In this exclusive clip, Buster suggests a very popular song: Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” But Ash isn’t having it.

“I’m not singing this,” she flatly tells Buster.

But the koala thinks it’s perfect for a young teen singer like her. “Wow, it’s like you can see inside my tiny teenage mind,” a sarcastic Ash snarks at him. Will Buster be able to change her mind with his rendition of the tune, maybe?

“Sing” opens in theaters everywhere December 21.

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December 1, 2016
Matthew McConaughey Just Drove Some Lucky College Students Home in a Golf Cart

Move over, Uber — and Ooober — ’cause Matthew McConaughey is here to make sure college students get home alright, alright, alright.

The Oscar-winning actor recently participated in his alma mater’s SURE Walk program, giving rides to students heading home after a late night. According to Entertainment Weekly, it happened after the University of Texas at Austin lost its last football game of the season. McC stayed to hang out on campus — like his “Dazed and Confused” character — then hopped behind the wheel of a cart to drive some students home.You know, that’s actually a great way to promote safety/discourage drunk driving — tease the idea that McConaughey might be the one to drive you home. (And don’t go thinking the girl in the back is missing out; she was apparently keeping track of who ordered rides. She got her own solo photo with McConaughey.)McConaughey attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1989-1993, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film. His first film credit was the 1993 film “Dazed and Confused,” which filmed in Austin. So you could say he owes the place.

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November 29, 2016
Animals Dream on in New ‘Sing’ Trailer

Missing “American Idol”? Here’s essentially “Animal Idol” to take its place.

A new trailer for the animated movie “Sing” gives us a more in-depth look at the animal singers competing for stardom — pigs, koalas, elephants, gorillas, and more. All of them are grappling with personal issues that only their passion for music can soothe and solve.

The trailer, set to Eminem’s “Sing For the Moment” (which samples Aerosmith’s “Dream On”), introduces the hopes and dreams of the eclectic characters. There’s Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), a pig seeking to better the lives of her 25 piglets. Scarlett Johansson’s porcupine Ash is getting over a cheating boyfriend. Shy elephant Meena (Tori Kelly) struggles to conquer stage fright, while gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton) wants to escape his criminal family.

The animation looks good and the story resonates, not surprising since it’s made by the same company (Illumination) that brought you “Despicable Me” and “The Secret Life of Pets.” And with a soundtrack of over 65 covers, the movie should appeal to all those people who love tuning into reality singing competitions.

“Sing” opens in theaters December 21.

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November 2, 2016
Matthew McConaughey’s ‘Sea of Trees’ Made Less Than $3,000 in Its First Week

There are box office bombs (think last month’s dismal-performing “Ben Hur” remake), and then there are box office bombs of epic proportions, movies that will go down in history as some of the most notoriously under-performing titles of all time. While it’s too early to tell if Matthew McConaughey’s latest flick, “The Sea of Trees,” will fall into the latter category, it seems like a safe bet considering its paltry first week take.

“Sea of Trees,” costarring Naomi Watts and Ken Watanabe and directed by Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant, seemed like a recipe for at least some modest box office success on paper, especially among the arthouse set. But after six days in release, that’s proven to be wildly untrue, with the flick pulling in only $2,894 in two theaters. Even “Ben Hur,” considered to be this year’s biggest flop so far, still managed to bring in $11 million on its opening weekend; “Sea of Trees” made just $1,877 during its opening frame.

Sure, its limited release could be part of the problem. But its per-screen average of $1,447 is considered “mere pennies by movie standards,” according to TheWrap. And with a rumored cost of $25 million, “Sea of Trees” isn’t off to a great start in earning back its budget. At this rate, TheWrap estimates that the flick would need to stay in theaters until 2158 to make up that number.

“The Sea of Trees” will try to win over a wider audience when it opens in 110 theaters over Labor Day weekend. We’ll have to see if the McConaissance can weather this particular box office storm.

[via: Box Office Mojo, TheWrap]

September 2, 2016