Matthew McConaughey emerged gaunt and thinned down for his work in The Dallas Buyer’s Club where he plays an electrician “diagnosed with AIDS in 1986 and ends up saving his own life with a series of alternative medicines that he trundles into the country from Mexico.”
He is said to have lost 30 pounds.
He gets my vote for best supporting for Magic Mike….and I loved him in Killer Joe….but the movie and him won’t get much attention from the Academy because of that Chicken leg scene. maybe from the Spirits, NRB or Golden Globes —
He has always seemed so obsessed with his appearance in films. His slick curly hair, his too-sun-wrinkled skin, his muscles, the eternal showing of his upper torso in every single film. Nice to see he is willing to look unpretty and “body weak” in a film, I pegged him to be the last ever to go down that road.
Oi! I want credit for this. Everybody thought I was a nutter when I mentioned it back in March…
Oi! I want credit for this. Everybody thought I was a nutter when I mentioned it back in March…
“One thing is sure, this is the year of the Mcconaughey…” – Jeremie, months ago.
Good call! But that’s not why we think you’re a nutter.
For whatever reason, MM is seems to be stretching the limits at this point in his career, showing talent that many of us didn’t know he had. I just saw Killer Joe, in which he’s quite good. It’s a pretty intense role – and film – but very well done.
Took him a really long time to hit his stride but from once thinking I’d never happily watch something he was in I found I really admired him in Magic Mike and Killer Joe. Just caught up with Lincoln Lawyer. Glad he hung in there; one of the few to survive the hype.
Oh my Dear God! is that really him? this is a shock …. but really happy for him. Oscar anyone?
Agree with all the comments talking about MM great career turnaround, it really is a surprise (I guess any ‘comeback’ is). I am sure he will be nominated for one of his roles this year (probably his scene stealing turn in Magic Mike) and if he isn’t, I can see the Oscars pulling a Jeremy Irons on him (where Irons should have been and wasn’t even nominated for DEAD RINGERS but won the next year for REVERSAL OF FORTUNE) and nominate him for one of his many high profiled roles next year.
The future is looking very, very bright for him.
I bet MMcC gets a supporting actor nod for Magic Mike, as the populist fifth nominee. He’s a popular actor, seems well-liked in Hollywood and his big year will result in an Oscar nomination.
^There was nothing good about ‘Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past’.
Goddamit, the dude has 5 shots this year. He will be nominated before “The Dallas Buyer Club”. And, IMO, there is a big difference between some so called “light” weight roles and perfomances, that he gave us. What he did with was given to him in “How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days” and “Fool’s Gold”, was lame, but in “Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past” and “Surfer, Dude”, is fine acting. In general there is some kind of prejudice agains “light” movies, specially romantic comedies, like if all are the same.
And speaking in dramatic terms, some time ago McCounaghey was incredible in “Lone Star” (1996, a masterpiece).
So, when I heard what he supposedly achieve in “Killer Joe” (haven’t seen the movie yet), I never doubt that he will be succeed.
And I still fondly remember the first time I saw him take off his shirt in Boys on the Side.
There’s a lot of actors who go back and forth between fluff and quality. Sam L. Jackson, Nicholas Cage…sometimes it’s simply about the right role landing the lap of the right person at the right time.
I also agree with Julian. While he looks gaunt from the neck up, he hasn’t lost any muscle tone in his arm, judging from the look of things.
It’s been painful to watch someone that talented waste his time on sh**** movies. I had so much fun watching him and Jack Black. I’m still among the few who are hoping good things for Nick Cage, who’s in an even worse state in his career than MM has even been. He should do comedie.
Yeah. When he was on the Craig Ferguson show not that long ago he was talking about losing weight for this. He’s eating the bare minimum. I don’t know if it’s really worth it when actors do this in terms of awards or being taken seriously, if that’s what they’re going for. But if your character is sickly you can’t really do the film looking like a beach bum.
You have to admit, this guy has an amazing year. I’m starting to respect him more and more.
OK, this creeped me out! I swear
so he deserves an oscar because he lost 30 pounds? lol. Come on Sasha. What does that have to do with acting.
And I said he deserved an Oscar WHERE?
Amazing comeback :
Critically acclaimed franchise starter / sleeper hit (The Lincoln Lawyer)
Critically acclaimed performances in 2 indie films (Bernie, Killer Joe)
Critically acclaimed scenestealing turn in the most profitable film of 2012 (Magic Mike)
Two festival darlings (The Paperboy, Mud)
and now this…I think even the conservative guess should be that he officially establishes himself as a serious actor this year with a supporting nomination for ‘Magic Mike’ and next year enters the Best Actor race with The Dallas Buyer’s Club…the more optimistic guess that he receives considerable attention during this Awards Season for Magic Mike AND Mud, then next year becomes a strong contender/potential frontrunner for ‘The Dallas Buyer’s Club’ in lead and/or Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street in supporting.
The most impressive part of all this, that he quietly became an ACCLAIMED actor (Bernie, Killer Joe, Mud) AND remained a movie star, only now even his commercial fares are well-reviewed (Magic Mike, The Lincoln Lawyer).
The moment he stopped chasing ‘star vehicles’ (The Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past) and typical ‘leading man roles’ (Fool’s Gold) , he not only proved himself as an excellent character actor (Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike) but also as a movie star who CAN nail serious lead roles (Mud) and carry films (The Lincoln Lawyer), as well.
One word : IMPRESSIVE
I agree with Duke- McConaughey has really began a whole new phase in his career, and for the better. What a turn around! From excruciating drivel like ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past’, to ‘Killer Joe’, ‘Magic Mike’, and now this, it has definitely been an interesting change for him. I’m happy that he’s having such a wonderful new career high.
What an amazing year he’s had between Bernie, Magic Mike, and Killer Joe. He’s an incredibly talented actor, and it’s been great to see him stretching himself. He’s Oscar worthy in the latter two.
Never cared for McConaughey but give him huge credit for taking on this role. Let’s hope it’s good.
His biceps are still thicker than most teenage boys’ thighs, so he can’t be THAT starved…:)
Matthew McConaughey had got to be one of the biggest career twist of the recent years!
Wow, that is hard to look at….I don’t know how these guys do it. They have to literally starve themselves….but I imagine if yer getting paid that much, it is a mighty big incentive!