(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The veteran actor cleared some misconceptions and shared a few lessons too.
Matthew Mcconaughey cleared some misconceptions and shared a few lessons he’s learned in 22 years in Hollywood at the American Cinematheque gala on Tuesday at the Beverly Hilton.
“I did not get offered the Titanic role” said the night’s honoree clearing that out of the way before getting to some of his lessons. “No. 1: The same script with $10 million attached is funnier than the same script with $1 million attached to it” he said. Secondly “you have to prepare that structure helps you play” he added relating the story of how early in his career carried away with the thought of being a “natural actor” he didn’t read the script till he got on set. “Then I found out it was a two-page monologue in Spanish.”
The third lesson he wanted to share was about bringing his kids on set. Early on in his career he’d thought that was a bad idea. However once he had children McConaughey said “I so love having my children engaged on set.”
Unlike previous American Cinematheque galas this event didn’t turn into a roast of the honoree. Sure his co-stars ribbed him with plenty of impersonations from Kate Hudson to Reese Witherspoon and Woody Harrelson (via taped message). Also sending taped messages were Sandra Bullock who read a poem she said she’d written and Richard Linklater who directed McConaughey in Dazed and Confused and The Newton Boys but “he never took his shirt of in either of my two films.”
Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel there were references to his romantic comedies and the many women in the ballroom whom McConaughey had wooed but the honoree was unfazed by it.
“I enjoy romantic comedies and they paid great” he said smiling widely. “He’s not just a pretty face” Kimmel said. “He’s also got a hot body.” There were also some serious moments when presenters Jennifer Garner praised his wife Camila Alves and Lili Fini Zanuck talked about the foundation McConaughey set up after his father passed away: The Just Keep Living Foundation.
Helmer Christopher Nolan said “I’m not a believer in the McConaissance. I think we’re just catching up to what he’s been doing.”
As usual there were clips from McConaughey’s films including the upcoming Interstellar which Nolan directed introduced by his co-star Jessica Chastain. “I enjoyed watching 22 years of my career thrown at me with the people (with whom) I had my career” the actor said. “I enjoyed that walk down memory lane.”
Watching it with him were not only his family including his wife and children but also his mother and mother-in-law; Paramount’s Brad Grey Jim Toth Mackenzie Foy and the American Cinematheque’s Rick Nicita. Funds raised at the gala support the American Cinematheque’s public -programmes at the Aero & Egyptian Theatres.