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Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity
Gerrard Kaonga
Matthew McConaughey has revealed why saying no to an absolutely massive paycheck was actually a very smart idea.
Matthew McConaughey has given us iconic and impressive performances over the years and built himself quite the reputation in Hollywood.
Speaking on the Modern Wisdom podcast on Monday (November 11), he explained how he views success.
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“Right now, money, fame, that’s the definition of success. Whoever has more, you’re the winner,” he said.
“I think there’s a difference between success and profit. Profit does pay you back.
“I love money. I’m all for it. I see a lot of one-way tickets that are, ‘You can be successful and have more money but not be making a profit in your life.'”
The actor said he knows many rich men, but some aren’t exactly happy in their personal lives, something he has always strived for.
He continued: “[They] were bewildered. Lost. Had no relationships.
“They didn’t have purpose. They just chased the dollar."
And as for that massive paycheck, which he says was $14.5 million?
It came during a time that the actor was attempting to shift away from his current image in the industry and took a two-year break and chose to step away from romcoms.
He said refusing that offer actually made him appear more attractive to Hollywood.
He said: "I'd been gone long enough to become a new good idea. 'Where's McConaughey? Plus he said no to that $14.5 million offer three months ago. That's an offer too big to get out of and he said no?'
"Now someone does that you get a little more attracted to him. This dude's on to something, he's got his own program. He's playing offense on something.
"That sent a signal through Hollywood."
The $14.5 million paycheck he reportedly turned down was rumored to be for a role in the 2008 film Magnum, P.I.
In an interview with Glen Powell for Interview Magazine, McConaughey discussed this transition.
He said: "I've usually zigged when I felt like Hollywood wanted me to zag. When I had my rom-com years, there was only so much bandwidth I could give to those, and those were some solid hits for me.
"But I wanted to try some other stuff. Of course I wasn't getting it, so I had to leave Hollywood for two years."
A few years later after allegedly turning down the Magnum P.I role, he signed on to star in Dallas Buyers Club for a much more modest payout of $200,000.
However, this role would earn him an Oscar over Leonardo DiCaprio.