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Matthew McConaugheyRich Polk/Variety via Getty Images.

Matthew McConaughey worked hard to earn his Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, but at 54, he is reportedly ready to make a shift in his career. The True Detective star might be gearing up for a rom-com renaissance that fans haven’t seen since his days onscreen with Kate Hudson in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

“Matthew has his Oscar, he’s a household name, and as he approaches his golden years, he’s letting his hair down again and you’re seeing that fraternity brother, college party boy side of his personality more and more,” a source told Closer Weekly. McConaughey is leaning into the idea that “life is short and while there’s a time a place for darkness, Matthew doesn’t want to be in that headspace 24/7.” We love that he’s ready to let his more playful side shine, especially when the news cycle can be so darn depressing — let McConaughey cheer us all up with his fave phrase, “Alright, Alright, Alright!”

The insider shared, “His natural state is being fit, happy, and ready for the next party. It’s just who he is and it’s actually lovely to see that side rise to the top again and define his personal life and, potentially, his professional life.” That means that fans will possibly see more “comedies” from him to “make people laugh again like he did early in his career and during his rom-com run with Kate Hudson in the 2000s.” While some critics may chalk it up to “one big midlife crisis,” we have to respect his game because he’s pivoted more than once in his career.

McConaughey told AARP The Magazine that he reached a point in his career where being “the go-to rom-com guy” no longer satisfied him creatively. “I wanted to do work that reflected my personal vitality,” he explained in 2021. “But no matter how much of a pay cut I would take; dramas were not being offered to me. So, I quit.” Although “it was scary,” the actor credited his wife, Camila Alves, for giving him the courage to make the change. He added, “But Camila said, ‘If we’re going to do this, we’re not going to half-ass it.’”

He turned down a $14.5 million paycheck and weathered through “no offers” for almost 18 months, but the payoff was worth it. He was able to go deep into roles in Lincoln Lawyer, Mud, and of course, his Oscar-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club. “I unbranded those two years to then rebrand,” McConaughey noted “The dramas came my way and I jumped on them.” And it sounds like he’s going to do it again — fun McConaughey is back!