Matthew McConaughey’s family has fascinated many fans, and new and amusing stories about his father continue to come out. McConaughey was born to parents Mary McCabe and James McConaughey. Mary and James had a very complicated relationship. They were divorced twice, and married three times. Matthew McConaughey himself at one point had a very strenuous relationship with his mother.
Sadly, McConaughey’s father passed away in 1992. McConaughey and his mother have since revealed the circumstances of his passing, and it certainly is a remarkable story. Before his death, James and his son had a loving relationship. McConaughey often tells stories of his father, particularly in his memoir Greenlights, and some of the stories have shocked fans. One story in particular involves McConaughey as a young man trying to find love, and James certainly had an interesting way of intervening. This is what Matthew McConaughey’s dad did with his son’s dates.
Matthew McConaughey’s Dad Did This With His Son’s Dates
Matthew McConaughey is a well respected actor. When his name is in the news, it is typically due to one of his upcoming projects. He found great success earlier in his career as a romantic comedy star, with films such as How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. McConaughey later expanded his career with projects such as Dallas Buyers Club and Interstellar.
Sometimes, however, McConaughey’s name is brought to the forefront of gossip due to interesting stories about his family.
Matthew McConaughey has revealed a lot about his father over the years. James McConaughey passed away in 1992, and he certainly lived an interesting life. McConaughey revealed much of his impression of his father in his memoir Greenlights, but one odd piece of information was brought to light during an interview.
In an appearance on The View, McConaughey began rubbing Joy Behar’s foot. “Now you know where I got this from,” McConaughey said to her. “This is my dad’s trick.”
“I’ve got two older brothers, every time we had a date come over, we noticed they’d come over earlier and earlier. We’re going out at 8, they’d show up at 7. ‘Why’d you show up at 7?'”
“When we walked out and [were] ready to go on the date, who is sitting on the couch getting a foot rub? Your date! Dad would always give them a foot rub,” McConaughey revealed.
Fans had mixed reactions to this piece of information. Some found it sweet that McConaughey’s father would involve himself in his sons’ lives, while others thought it was rather creepy for an older man to be rubbing a young girl’s feet.
Either way, it is quite a story about McConaughey’s father.
How Did Matthew McConaughey’s Father Die?
Matthew McConaughey’s father, James McConaughey, passed away in 1992. Sadly, this meant that James was unable to see his son’s success in the entertainment industry and the name McConaughey has made for himself.
McConaughey has not kept the circumstances surrounding his father’s death a secret. In his memoir Greenlights, McConaughey revealed exactly how and in what scenario his father passed away.
McConaughey’s mother, Mary McCabe, confirmed that her late husband had indeed died in this manner during an episode of Red Table Talk.
“My husband died making love to me,” Mary said during the conversation. “And I remember saying, when he fell back, I said, ‘What’s the matter big boy? I wear you out?’ No response, no response, and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my god, something’s wrong.'”
“I had no idea that it was too much,” Mary concluded.
Though likely very traumatic for Mary, fans of McConaughey have had a good time with this story. And from what McConaughey has said of his father, it seems that James would have enjoyed being remembered this way.
Matthew McConaughey’s Strained Relationship With His Mother
James McConaughey and Mary McCabe did not have a typical romantic relationship. Though they always eventually came back together, they reportedly often fought and had a fairly tumultuous relationship. That does not, however, mean that they did not love each other.
James and Mary were actually married on three separate occasions, as they got divorced twice over the course of their relationship. To date, however, Mary speaks fondly of her late husband despite their conflicts.
James and Mary were not the only ones in the family to have a strenuous relationship. Matthew McConaughey revealed that at one point he did not truly speak to his mother for eight years.
“Mother wasn’t answering the phone. A fan of my fame was answering the phone,” McConaughey said in the previously mentioned Red Table Talk interview.
Their relationship got particularly bad when Mary began revealing information of her son’s life to the press.
“I was trying to find my own balance with fame and stuff. And I would share things with her… some of those things I would share might show up in the six o’clock news three days later.”
“I didn’t think you’d find out,” Mary said in response.
“I was not able to talk to her as my mom for about eight years,” McConaughey revealed.
After some time, Matthew McConaughey and his mother were able to patch up their relationship. His mother now seems to support his work and keep his privacy.
Though their relationship has since been mended, a recent drama was revealed involving Mary and the father of Woody Harrelson. McConaughey and Harrelson have been best friends for years, and Mary revealed that she was once close with Harrelson’s father.
Given the gaps in Mary’s relationship with James, McConaughey did not find this surprising. What is interesting though, is that Mary is not technically sure that James is McConaughey’s biological father.
McConaughey and Harrelson could actually be half-brothers.
The stars have not taken a DNA test to date, but the revelation is certainly fascinating and only adds to the constant buzz about the McConaughey family.
