Matthew McConaughey is officially a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Well-known for being the Oscar-winner’s alma mater, the school has presented McConaughey as a guest instructor in the past. One of the most recognized actors of his time, McConaughey has graced the big and small screen for over two decades with memorable roles in, True Detective, A Time To Kill, Interstellar, and The Wedding Planner.
Renowned for his charm, accent, and ruggedly handsome appearance, McConaughey has gone through several distinct phases of his career. Following a period of being Hollywood’s lead heartthrob in a slew of romantic comedies, McConaughey took a short break from acting. Upon his return, two years later, McConaughey proved his value as a serious actor by starring in The Lincoln Lawyer, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Dallas Buyers Club - the film that snagged him an Oscar win. In 2015, McConaughey pursued his fervent passion for filmmaking by fulfilling the role of guest speaker for a "From Script to Screen film" production course. Now, the Texas-born actor returns to the University of Texas as a member of the staff.
According to EW, McConaughey is a professor of practice at the school’s Moody College of Communication in the Department of Radio-Television-Film. Professor McConaughey will begin teaching this fall with a curriculum he designed. His class will focus on the upcoming film The Gentlemen, and 2013’s Mud. Director of Mud, Jeff Nichols, has been personally drafted by McConaughey to offer insight to students. McConaughey expressed his excitement about the new stage of his life:
It’s the class I wish I would have had when I was in film school. Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them. Making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art — no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless. That will always be our classroom focus.
Before locking in his place at the University of Texas as a Professor, McConaughey was deemed “Minister of Culture” by the school after frequent attendance to baseball and football games. Since the actor’s graduation from the university in 1993, he never strayed far from campus. McConaughey isn't slowing down onscreen though, even after the release of the critically scorned Serenity, and is set to star in Guy Richie’s aforementioned The Gentlemen, which releases in early 2020.
Throughout McConaughey’s career, the actor has been transparent about his enthusiasm for film, and life. No doubt McConaughey’s new role as a professor will garner an increase of applicants, and high attendance rate for the university. McConaughey’s two decades of first-hand experience will offer a unique perspective on film courses and most assuredly, students are eager to ascertain if Professor Matthew McConaughey will start each lecture with, “Alright, alright, alright.”
Source: EW