Advertisement

Matthew McConaughey says 'True Detective' won him the Oscar for 'Dallas Buyers Club'

Matthew McConaughey accepts the Best Actor award for 'Dallas Buyers Club' onstage during the Oscars on March 2, 2014. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Matthew McConaughey accepts the Best Actor award for 'Dallas Buyers Club' onstage during the Oscars on March 2, 2014. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Matthew McConaughey has credited the success of TV series True Detective for helping him to win his first Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club.

McConaughey won the Best Actor gong for playing HIV-sufferer Ron Woodroof in the based-on-truth drama, while also starring as homicide cop Rust Cohle in the first season of the HBO crime hit.

Read more: McConaughey discusses coronavirus videos

The 50-year-old star told GQ that he thinks the popularity of the show during the lead-up to the Oscars ceremony in 2014 contributed to his victory.

He said: “During the Dallas Buyers Club run, I had True Detective in your living room every week.

“To talk about this freely, True Detective was the best campaigner for Dallas Buyers Club there was.”

Watch: Trivia about Dallas Buyers Club

McConaughey beat out Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio and Chiwetel Ejiofor to win the award, while co-star Jared Leto won for Best Supporting Actor.

Read more: McConaughey received big romcom offer pre-McConaissance

It came during a period of McConaughey’s career known as the “McConaissance”, where he switched from romcom lead to more challenging and critically acclaimed material.

“I'd say that was that,” McConaughey said when asked if the McConaissance is over.

“Could there be another run and another name, something lyrical and fun and easy to say — it comes off the lips like that and has a bit of rhyme and reason to it? Maybe.”

Matthew McConaughey in 'Dallas Buyers Club' and 'True Detective'. (Credit: Focus Features/HBO)
Matthew McConaughey in 'Dallas Buyers Club' and 'True Detective'. (Credit: Focus Features/HBO)

He added: “I'm not working that frequently right now in making movies.

“I've looked at a couple of scripts, but nothing that is moving me out of my chair to go: ‘I'm going to quit doing this and go make a movie.’”

Read more: McConaughey reveals British laws that confused him

McConaughey’s recent roles have included cannabis kingpin Mickey Pearson in The Gentlemen and stoner poet Moondog in The Beach Bum.

True to his word, there’s not a great deal left on his slate, with just the animated sequel Sing 2 on the horizon, in which he voices koala entertainment mogul Buster Moon.

He hinted to Yahoo Movies UK this year that he’s working on a team-up with The Gentlemen co-star and fellow romcom veteran Hugh Grant.

Watch: McConaughey reveals why he never dates co-stars