AUSTIN (KXAN) — Happy birthday to Matthew McConaughey. The Texas-born actor turned 53 years old Friday.
“Took me exactly 53 trips around the sun to realize that right now I’m as young as I’ll ever be, and as old as I’ve ever been, here in the honeyhole between already and not yet. Amen,” the Austin resident shared on social media to his fans Friday.
Actor and Professor Matthew McConaughey will now offer UT Austin students a class on the behind-the-scenes process of commercials. 
AUSTIN, TX – OCTOBER 13: Matthew McConaughey watches from the sideline in the first half against the Baylor Bears at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) 
Matthew McConaughey speaks onstage during HISTORYTalks Leadership & Legacy presented by HISTORY at Carnegie Hall on February 29, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for HISTORY) 
APRIL 23: Actors Will Ferrell (L) and Matthew McConaughey attend the CinemaCon 2018 Gala Opening Night Event: Sony Pictures Highlights its 2018 Summer and Beyond Films at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, on April 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for CinemaCon) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 12: Matthew McConaughey attends the premiere of Illumination’s “Sing 2” on December 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images) 
Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves at MJ&M Gala on Thursday, April 28, 2022. (Maggie Glynn/KXAN Photo) 
Matthew McConaughey blesses the Moody Center with his own original song on April 19. The crowd was less than enthusiastic about joining in. (Photo: KXAN) 
KXAN Photojournalist Timothy Holcomb interviews Matthew McConaughey (KXAN Photo) 
Actor and Texas native Matthew McConaughey nixed his potential run for the Texas governorship in a Twitter announcement on Sunday (Screenshot from Matthew McConaughey official Twitter account) 
Actor Matthew McConaughey attends A&E Network’s “HISTORYTalks: Leadership and Legacy” in New York in 2020. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) 
AUSTIN, TX – JUNE 19: Matthew McConaughey performs before the start of the inaugural home game between the San Jose Earthquakes and Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on June 19, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images) 
(Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP) 
Matthew McConaughey joined KXAN for a conversation just days before Austin FC debuts in MLS. (Photo: KXAN) 
Matthew McConaughey and Al Roker surprised Meals on Wheels Central Texas client Jessie Norwood at her home Thursday. (Photo courtesy of Meals on Wheels Central Texas) 
Actor Matthew McConaughey Nov. 7, 2019 (Andrew Lipovsky/NBC) 
Actor Matthew McConaughey with Jimmy Fallon on Nov. 7, 2019 (Andrew Lipovsky/NBC) 
Jimmy Fallon and actor Matthew McConaughey during “What Jimmy Learned from Matthew” on Nov. 7, 2019 (Andrew Lipovsky/NBC) 
Matthew McConaughey salutes the crowd during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) 
McConaughey was discovered at a hotel bar in Austin. In 1992, he went to the Hyatt hotel bar to look over the city. That night the University of Texas student met casting director Don Phillips. McConaughey told GQ, the two got to talking about film and gold, and before you know it, they got kicked out.
McConaughey landed his first role in 1993 in the comedy about a group of high school seniors from Austin. He played David Wooderson in “Dazed and Confused.” He told the 2015 graduating class at University of Houston that he was paid “$325 a day” for the role when he was 23 years old. McConaughey has gone on to appear in over 40 feature films that have grossed over $1 billion, according to his bio.
McConaughey is a jack of all trades. When he’s not busy working, he serves as Minister of Culture for the University of Texas Athletic Department and Austin FC. He’s also a professor at UT.
