McConaughey's Romantic Side

Since making his film debut a decade ago, actor Matthew McConaughey has built an impressive Hollywood resume by mixing comedy, drama, and action films.

His latest teams him with Kate Hudson for the romantic comedy "How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days." At its core, McConaughey says, the movie is a metaphor for the games people play in their unconscious efforts to protect themselves from genuine intimacy.

McConaughey, who plays Benjamin Barry, describes his character as a man who "shows amazing patience under extreme duress." Many men, he predicts, will be able to relate to the way Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) tests poor Ben.

"I mean, she rearranges his bathroom, she changes his music, she re-does his apartment and she even invades his poker game. Still, I found myself actually rooting for them to get together," admits McConaughey. "They both have walls up, and when they finally let down the barriers and for a moment become real with one another, it's very gratifying."

About Matthew McConaughey

• Born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, Nov. 4, 1969.
  Attended University of Texas at Austin. Majored in film in 1993.
• In 1991, began his acting career. He appeared in student films and local commercials in Texas and directed short films, including "Chicano Chariots." He met casting director Don Phillips in an Austin bar; five hours later, after their rowdiness had got them booted from that bar, Phillips reportedly said "You know, you might be right for this part" in "Dazed and Confused."
• In 1993, made his feature film acting debut in bit part in "My Boyfriend's Back." He also landed the role of Wooderson in "Dazed and Confused", directed by Richard Linklater. His character was initially in three scenes but the role grew to more than 300 lines.
• In 1995, he starred opposite fellow Texan Renee Zellweger (who had also acted in "Dazed and Confused") in "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," playing a bloodthirsty killer; film received limited release. The same year he had his breakthrough film role in "Boys on the Side," in which he played policeman Abe Lincoln who falls in love with Drew Barrymore's Holly.
• In 1996, he portrayed Sheriff Buddy Deeds, suspected of killing his predecessor (Kris Kristofferson), in John Sayles' "Lone Star." He also starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the film adaptation of John Grisham's novel "A Time to Kill," directed by Joel Schumacher.

  At that time, he was on the cover of Vanity Fair and was dubbed Hollywood's next big thing." He worked alongside Bill Murray and an elephant in "Larger than Life." He also formed J.K. Livin' Productions; the name was taken from his "Dazed and Confused" character's motto, "just keep livin.'"

• In 1997, he co-starred with Bullock in her short film "Making Sandwiches," which he also co-produced; played Jodie Foster's love interest in "Contact" and an attorney defending the rebellious slaves of the "Amistad."
• In 1998, he teamed again with Richard Linklater as one of "The Newton Boys." The story of four Texas bank-robbing brothers was close to home since the Newtons had actually settled in Uvalde (McConaughey's birthplace. The actor's eldest brother, Rooster, had bought his first horse from Joe Newton. McConaughey during this time also wrote, directed and starred in the 20-minute short "The Rebel."
• In 1999, he portrayed the lead in Ron Howard's "EDTV." He starred as an ordinary guy who allows cameras to follow him.
• In 2000, he starred as Lt. Andrew Tyler, executive officer to Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgrin (Bill Paxton), in "U-571," the story of a daring mission to steal a top-secret coding device from a German U-Boat during World War II.
• In 2001, he acted opposite Jennifer Lopez in "The Wedding Planner" and had a starring role in the feature "13 Conversations About One Thing," which was screened at Toronto and shown at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.
• In 2002, he co-starred with Christian Bale in "Reign of Fire" and costarred in Bill Pullman's directing debut "Frailty."

He owns a 1,600-acre ranch in west Texas, which he purchased for $500,000.