'I wanted Camila and the kids to get a piece of the way I grew up': Matthew McConaughey opens up about life in Texas and why he's always in the kitchen

PUBLISHED: 13:32 EST, 31 October 2013 | UPDATED: 13:32 EST, 31 October 2013

View
comments

Everyone knows Matthew McConaughey is a dedicated actor. After all, he lost nearly 50 pounds to star as an AIDS victim in Dallas Buyers Club.

But no one has known what the Texan is like at home in Austin... until now.

In a revealing UsWeekly interview the movie star admits he's often in the kitchen helping his three kids Levi, aged five, Vida, aged three, and Livingston, 10 months. 'We do a lot of cooking,' the A lister admits.

A family man: Matthew McConaughey with his wife Camila Alves (pregnant with son Livingston), son Levi and daughter Vida (plus the family dog) in New York City in 2012

Before the Sahara actor, 44, wed his model girlfriend of six years, Camila Alves, 30, in 2012, the two moved from their small Airstream on the cliffs of Malibu to a sprawling mansion in Austin.

'I wanted Camila and the kids to get a good piece of the way I grew up,' Matthew tells writer Ingrid Meilan.

'Los Angeles is an industry town, and Austin isn't. I grew up there, my two brothers [Rooster, 59 and Pat, 50] are there, my mother lives close by. It's a great place to grow up.' He also admits one of the 'big pluses' of being back in the Lone Star state is that his kids get to hang out with his mom who he describes as 'a trip.'

The look of love: The A llister has been with his model wife - seen here on October 24 at a Maccallan event in LA - for seven years

He divides his time between California and Texas: Jogging in Malibu in August (left) and running errands in Austin in 2012

They travel everywhere together: The McConaugheys at an airport in 2012

Lean on me: In 2012 with mom Mary who the celebrity calls 'a trip'

He credits his thriving relationship with his Brazilian model with always staying together. 'We're lucky. When I go to work, Camila and the kids come with me. We get a house, the kids go to school there, and we make a life in that place.'

That means he still often has to come back to his old town, LA. (In August he was seen running shirtless in Malibu and on Tuesday he was photographed while on the Hollywood set of Interstellar which he is shooting with Anne Hathaway.)

The children like that dad makes movies. 'We took them to the set one day,' says the performer.

'They saw me do a scene. And then they saw on the monitor the exact same scene. So to them, it's a magic trick. It's cool.'

But when home in Texas, he's firmly in the kitchen.

'The kids help out a lot,' says the father of three. 'They really have my back in the kitchen. They help with the chopping and the sauces. Levi's getting good at the sauces! Oh and they do make a mess. We don't start cleaning up until after dinner's over and they're in bed.'

The trio: Matthew with his Dallas Buyers Club co-star Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto on October 17 at the film's premiere

He could get the gold: The star, in a scene from Dallas Buyers Club, told UsWeekly 'it's exciting to be mentioned' for an Oscar for his turn in the AIDS drama

Though he's best known for showing off his body in massively successful films like Magic Mike, this year Matthew is getting Oscar attention for a stunning turn as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club. He even made The Hollywood Reporter's prestigious The Actors Issue.

'Oscars are about awarding excellence in whatever you did, and I'm all for that,' he told UsWeekly. 'I'm excited to be mentioned.'

Of the role he said, 'I was meticulous, I wouldn't go out because I didn't want to tempt myself with food.'

Friends were shocked to see Matthew so slimmed down 'especially if they hadn't seen me in months,' he adds. The star consulted shape sifter Tom Hanks (he lost weight for both Philadelphia and Cast Away) on how to drop the pounds.

Dallas Buyers Club opens Friday. Oscar nominations will be announced on January 16, 2014.

At work again: Filming Interstellar on Tuesday in LA

MOST WATCHED NEWS VIDEOS

Comments (6)

Share what you think

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

liz, london, United Kingdom, 1 day ago

please matthew, you've had your time being thin please play more hunky roles!!

230

Click to rate

teadream, taipei, 1 day ago

beautiful family.

186

Click to rate

Sploge, Houston, 1 day ago

Such a beautiful family and love how they're so grounded!

270

Click to rate

Smurfet, Midwest, United States, 1 day ago

Living in Texas off & on all my life I think it is the best place to grow up. I was born in Colorado but I consider Texas my home. Hopefully I will be able to go back in my old age. I love it there.

156

Click to rate

Solo, Texas, United States, 1 day ago

They're an interesting and fun family. His mom lives nearby and loves to hit up the bars apparently. His brother Rooster has a ranch here too and from the look of it they are making lots of money from oil. Nicest, most high tech refinerary I've seen around here.