Matthew McConaughey is one of the finest actors working today. He is such a natural talent, it feels like it’s something he has prepared for, and wanted, his entire life. It turns out, when it comes to childhood dreams, acting wasn’t always what the Interstellar star looked towards when thinking about his future. He recently revealed that the only thing he knew he always wanted was to become a dad. Now that he is one, he opened up about how much the experience has meant to him.
The Oscar winner sat down recently with the cast of The View and opened up about fatherhood and how that influenced him when writing his latest children’s book, “Just Because.” While the actor has had a fruitful acting career, he revealed that it was his relationship with his own children that has fueled his life, and a major reason why he decided to write a book for children. He also said that one experience when he was young cemented his desire for fatherhood at a young age. He said:
Look being a dad was the only thing I ever knew I wanted to be. I knew that at 8 years old. I remember shaking hands with my dad’s friends who he would introduce me to. He was a big ‘sirs’ and ‘ma’ams’ man. And I noticed that everyone I would say ‘yes sir’ to over the years …oh the one thing that’s in common? They’re all fathers. Maybe that’s why I’m calling them sir? And I was like, ‘That’s my aspiration. That’s when I become a sir as a man.’ I still believe it in a lot of ways.
McConaughey went on to talk about his own children and what he’s learned throughout his experience being a dad. He explained that he has found deep meaning in many aspects of fatherhood, making profound notions about being a parent that I believe many can relate to. He continued:
So look as y’all know, those of you who have children, you find out that DNA means a lot more than you thought it did after you have kids. They come out who they are. In a lot of ways [they are like you] but they are all very particular and different too. So we shepherd them along as parents where the environment does matter a lot, who they are.
The Dallas Buyers Club actor certainly practices what he preaches when it comes to his commitment to being a dad and a parent, and putting that at the center of his life. McConaughey moved out of Hollywood years ago to have a more quiet, family-centric life in Texas. The actor has also been candid about the importance of Christmas traditions within his family, and has been open and honest about how his own upbringing influenced his perspective (despite his mother not loving his outing of familial dirty laundry). The Mud star continues to prove family is a major part of his life, and seems to influence everything he does.
McConaughey isn’t the only celebrity to turn his focus to writing children’s books. Jake Gyllenhaal released a children’s book that hilariously referenced his Prince of Persia flop, and Channing Tatum’s writing venture is being turned into a live-action film, a testament to the success of the endeavor. While the Wolf of Wall Street actor may not be unique in his creative pursuits, based on his statements, McConaughey has found a true deeper meaning in his writing process. He is famously sentimental, and his fans love hearing his deep musings on his life experiences. It’s certainly a reason to check out his book.
Fans of Matthew McConaughey can purchase “Just Because” now on Amazon. You can also check out the actor’s latest voice performance feat, Agent Elvis, which is an animated series currently streaming for Netflix subscribers.