# Matthew McConaughey is a terrible actor! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859 "2018-11-01T20:27:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/21 "2018-11-02T12:43:17Z")
Sorry for double post: He was also good in Thirteen conversations about one thing [Thirteen Conversations About One Thing - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Conversations_About_One_Thing) where he also starts off as a swaggering jackass who comes to see the light. A somewhat unusual movie which is worth checking out if you haven’t seen it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/22 "2018-11-02T13:41:51Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Wasn’t he? Always seemed off to me. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/23 "2018-11-02T13:53:56Z")
He wasn’t really in my radar on his romcom days; that’s generally not my favorite genre and, while I didn’t find him repulsive(like I do now) he just didn’t register either way. In 2011/12 he was great in \* Killer Joe\*, _The Paperboy \* and \* Mud_ and I know people loved him in _Magic Mike_ and \* Dallas Buyers Club _(I haven’t seen those yet). Somewhere along the line, he lost his marbles or started believing his own press or \* something_ because all of a sudden he seems to have morphed. He looks. . .different. I know actors do many things to change their appearance for different roles but it’s more than just weight difference or a change of hair color. Whatever it is, I find it hard to look at him. And what the hell is up with his speech? Surely a man of his means can afford to get properly fitting dentures / implants. This all sounds superficial, as though I’m judging his abilities by his looks, but a good actor has to at least be “not totally unappealing”, which isn’t the same as saying they need to be traditionally attractive. There are plenty of great actors that aren’t particularly good looking but are captivating nonetheless. MM isn’t the ugliest man in the world by any means but to me, something about him is repellent and that translate into him not being a good actor (IMO) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/24 "2018-11-02T14:42:47Z")
His looks got a little strange after he lost 40 pounds for his role in _Dallas Buyer’s Club._. If you think he looks weird now, watch that movie. It’s creepy seeing a familiar actor transform that much. Like Christian Bale in _The Mechanic._ Speaking of Bale, he speaks funny too. Maybe sudden and rapid weight loss makes your tongue shrink. I don’t think McConaughey has a denture problem, though. He’s always sounded a little odd. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/25 "2018-11-02T15:34:15Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > At least he’s better than Owen Wilson. Wow. You’re crazier than a road lizard. I mean, damn. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/26 "2018-11-02T18:47:40Z")
Any time we’re expected to believe that McConaughey is native to any place north of Kentucky, the movie falls apart (e.g. most of his rom-coms). But, in the right roles, McConaughey is awesome. He can be funny or dramatic. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/27 "2018-11-02T20:06:48Z")
In the master list of leading man actors, McConaughey is like 50th on the list of guys I have basic problems with. He’s usually totally fine (Interstellar, U571, Magic Mike), occasionally cringey (The Dark Tower, Sahara, Gold) and once in a while fantastic (Dazed and Confused, Dallas Buyers Club). Bale and Harrelson, already mentioned here, are way more problematic for me. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/28 "2018-11-02T23:44:19Z")
I know I’m weird, but I like both Woody and Matthew and think they are fine actors. Acting must be a bit of a strange profession. I used to think I’d be pretty good at it, as did my drama teacher, but really, I think it must be quire difficult to take seriously. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/29 "2018-11-02T23:46:18Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I thought he was great in _True Detective_ and _Mud_. Loved Mud. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/30 "2018-11-02T23:46:58Z")
I thought they were both great in True Detective. McConaughey’s romcoms were terrible. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/31 "2018-11-03T00:04:25Z")
He was great in Frailty. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/32 "2018-11-03T01:57:14Z")
I used to think, well, not too well of Matthew McC. Then, about five or six years ago I saw Mud. Then I saw Killer Joe. Or was it the other way around? Guess it doesn’t matter. The man can act. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/33 "2018-11-03T09:40:29Z")
I think that the main trait an actor needs to have is being natural. As in, you can’t tell he or she are acting. All the other stuff, like changing mannerisms or doing accents is great, but the point is that if I took up acting, you could tell immediately I’m just playing a role. A real actor can act in a way that, if the movie is filmed in a handheld camera, you can’t be sure it’s fictional or a documentary. I also thought for years of McConaughey as an average, if good looking, actor. But in True Detective, Mud or even his short stint on Wolf of Wall Street, he does look like he’s going through whatever the characters are going through. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/34 "2018-11-03T13:11:15Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > At least he’s better than Owen Wilson. Until this post I had in my mind that it was Owen Wilson being discussed. I have no idea why. I need another cup of coffee. mmm ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/35 "2018-11-04T17:21:55Z")
He’s looking rough lately, at 49. I like him. I think sometimes actors who lose their looks somewhat as they age somehow become…better. If they have talent, the talent shows more than their white teeth or strapping abs. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/36 "2018-11-05T00:51:12Z")
I don’t think he’s a great actor consistently, but he can really disappear into a role every once in a while and it kinda takes me off guard. Except for his rom-com roles, though, I can say that I’m at least interested to see what he does in a movie. He’s weirdly magnetic to me. ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/37 "2018-11-05T03:14:08Z")
Alright alright alright. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/38 "2018-11-05T04:02:07Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > He’s looking rough lately, at 49. I like him. I think sometimes actors who lose their looks somewhat as they age somehow become…better. If they have talent, the talent shows more than their white teeth or strapping abs. I think you’re right. It’s happened with Dennis Quaid. He’s not an amazing talent, but he’s come a long way from the cocky, grinning idiot that dragged down his early stuff. I’m sure there are other example. Maybe Tom Cruise a bit? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/39 "2018-11-05T17:02:44Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I think you’re right. It’s happened with Dennis Quaid. He’s not an amazing talent, but he’s come a long way from the cocky, grinning idiot that dragged down his early stuff. I’m sure there are other example. Maybe Tom Cruise a bit? Tom Cruise has had so much ‘work’ done, he doesn’t even resemble Tom Cruise any more! Sean Connery and George Clooney are thought to have aged well. I would like to say Johnny Depp, but he is just such a sad hot mess. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859/40 "2018-11-05T17:47:11Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I think you’re right. It’s happened with Dennis Quaid. He’s not an amazing talent, but he’s come a long way from the cocky, grinning idiot that dragged down his early stuff. I’m sure there are other example. Maybe Tom Cruise a bit? A counterpoint is that Dennis Quaid was the perfect Gordon Cooper in “The Right Stuff” from everything I’ve read. But yeah, I think for actors of either gender whose looks fade, it gives the ones with actual acting chops a chance to shine beyond their looks. I’ve always thought that McConaughey was a decent actor, but that they kept casting him as some variant of Wooderson in just about every movie he was in for years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matthew-mcconaughey-is-a-terrible-actor/823859.md?page=3)