Matthew McConaughey on his potential political career: ‘I’m measuring it’
The 'Dazed and Confused' star has expressed an interest in dabbling in politics in his home state of Texas
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Following reports that Matthew McConaughey is leading Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke as a hypothetical candidate in the polls for Texas governor despite not yet giving an indication whether he will run for public office, the actor said the allure isn't a foregone possibility.
"I’m measuring it," the "Lincoln Lawyer" star said on the latest episode of "Set it Straight: Myths and Legends" podcast on Amazon. "Look, it’s going to be in some capacity…I just, I’m more a folksy and philosopher-poet statesman than I am a, per se, definitive politician. So I go, well that’s a reason not to, but then I go, no, that’s exactly why you should. Because politics needs redefinition, but I’m measuring ‘what is my category? What’s my embassy?’"
Although McConaughey, 51, doesn’t appear to hold any party affiliation, at the of the day, the "Dazed and Confused" actor said he likely won’t ever make a total pivot to politics as he is still an artist at heart.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY REPURPOSED A FAMOUS CATCHPHRASE WHILE WISHING GOV. GREG ABBOTT WELL
"I have to remain an artist. I’ve earned my right to enjoy that Saturday night part of life, that music part of life," he said. "It has to have music to it. I’m very good at being diligent, Monday morning, practical, structure, I’m all of that. But I’ve got to continue to be an artist."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Added the Academy Award winner: "Now if that’s the category to be able to do that in, which would be different than, I think, some people have done it up to now, maybe it's for me. But maybe it’s also in an all-new category that I just create and we’ll see."
Elsewhere in the interview, the "Greenlights" scribe dished on how he landed his first acting gig.
MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY DISCUSSES HIS CONFUSION WITH POLITICS: 'WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE?'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"In the right bar, at the right time, meet the right guy, we hang out, having quite a few pops – enough to get kicked out of said bar," he quipped. "In a cab ride back to my house, he’s rolling up a doob, he’s dropping me off, he says, ‘Hey man, you ever done any acting?’"
And as the expression goes, the rest is history.