After a six-year break from acting, Matthew McConaughey is back—and he’s bringing his signature charm to SXSW with his new film, The Rivals of Amziah King.
🔹 On his first day back on set, a bee sting left his right eye swollen—but that didn’t stop him from breaking the tension with a classic McConaughey line:
🗣️ “Is anybody else nervous except for me?”
Why He Took a Break
📝 During his hiatus, McConaughey wrote his memoir Greenlights, spent time with family, and took on voice roles like Sing 2.
🔹 He wanted to “direct his own story on the page” before stepping back in front of the camera.
Why He Chose This Role
🍯 In The Rivals of Amziah King, McConaughey plays a charismatic honey farm owner in Oklahoma who reconnects with his long-lost foster daughter.
🎭 The character, Amziah, leads a group of beekeepers and musicians—a role McConaughey says “fit like a worn-in pair of jeans.”
McConaughey on Acting Again
🔥 “I remembered how much I truly enjoy performing. And I remembered—McConaughey, you’re pretty damn good at this.”
🎭 He calls acting a “vacation” because it gives him singular focus—no multitasking, just diving deep into the role.
His Thoughts on ‘True Detective’
🎬 McConaughey still believes Season 1 was the best (no surprises there!).
🗣️ “Even though I made it, I sort of forgot what was going to happen next. It was one of the great events in TV.”
Who to Watch in ‘Amziah King’
⭐ Angelina LookingGlass, a newcomer who plays Amziah’s foster daughter, is a breakout star.
🎥 Director Andrew Patterson: “She can turn on a dime and stare a hole through a person. The second she read with Matthew, we knew the part was hers.”
📅 The Rivals of Amziah King premiered at SXSW on March 10.
🛎️ Excited for McConaughey’s big-screen return? Let’s hear your thoughts! ⬇️