Matthew McConaughey was close to becoming a monk before he was convinced to pursue acting.
The 55-year-old actor has revealed he initially decided to devote his life to God, but a friend talked him out of the idea but insisting he would have squandered his ‘gift’ for storytelling.
‘I believed my calling was to become a monk … I would have made a good monk. I revere dedication, a life that dedicates itself to God, that sees God in every natural thing, at all times,’ he admitted.
However, his pal convinced Matthew – who hasn’t ruled out a political run – that Hollywood was the right decision for him.
He told The Guardian: ‘I had long talks about it with a Benedictine monk friend of mine who’s now an abbot at a monastery, and he said: “Nononononononoonono, you’re a communicator, you’re a storyteller, do not go to live a hermetic life.
‘”You need to communicate and tell stories. That is a gift you have been given. Do not dampen that gift or put a blanket on that gift by becoming a monk or hermit.”‘
Matthew revealed how his Christian faith has been challenged at times throughout his life, and he turned to writing poetry as a way of making sense of the world.
‘I found myself looking at the world around me and not finding evidence of things I want to believe in,’ he explained.
‘I didn’t want to quit believing, but I was looking at how we’re treating each other, the low barometer of trust, and there seemed to be a sense of win at any cost. It doesn’t matter how you did it, just win.
‘I became a little cynical. And then I was like: “How dare you, you arrogant, entitled p****.’ That is a disease. Cynicism is, I believe, a disease.”‘
Since deciding to shun life as a monk, he has gone onto have three children with wife Camila Alves, and the couple’s eldest son Levi, 17, is following in his father’s footsteps.
He’ll be making his feature film debut opposite his dad in The Lost Bus – which also stars Matthew’s mother Kay McConaughy, 93 – and the Oscar-winner admits he had no clue the youngster was interested in the family business.
He told E! News: ‘Three generations. My mother has always been a performer and so she’s been films. I had no idea he was even interested.’
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