Matthew McConaughey Has Scored a New Job and It Doesn’t Require Any Acting

Fame is not forever and even today’s brightest stars would one day lose their shine. Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey seems to be ahead of the pack having chosen to expand his career beyond the silver screen.

Professor McConaughey

McConaughey began teaching in the fall of 2019

The 50-year-old former heartthrob can now add college professor to his impressive resume as he’s now officially a faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin. McConaughey is reportedly teaching a Script to Screen class using his own decades-long experience in Hollywood as background. As the star shared with People magazine, the class involves giving students a chronological walkthrough of how a script is turned into the final product. He talked about how each semester would revolve around one film he’s actually worked in. The class would study the various revisions and edits an original screenplay may undergo in the process of filmmaking.

Interestingly, McConaughey revealed that his students particularly loved hearing about the teen film ‘Dazed and Confused’, which the actor starred in under director Richard Linklater. They also were curious about the 2014 science fiction film ‘Interstellar’. However, the star notes that he isn’t too keen on watching his own movies as he is much happier making them.

Beyond the Syllabus

The actor posing with professors and students at the University of Texas at Austin

Aside from imparting his treasure trove of industry knowledge to his students, McConaughey tends to focus on ‘life lessons outside of film’ as well. This includes encouraging them to not be afraid of failure, and when to time and how to take risks.

He shares how his students often feel like they should already know what they want to do. That’s why he tries to assure them that it’s okay not to know. Instead, McConaughey advises them to just keep on what they’re doing and opportunities will soon arise for them to pursue their own path.

Going Back to His Roots

A young McConaughey poses for his Delta Tau Delta fraternity composite photo

McConaughey also shared the things he learned about himself as he takes on a career in academia. He realized that he actually knew more than he thought he did about filmmaking. The actor admits how he feels like it was just four years ago that he was the one sitting in class. In reality, it’s been years and in that time he’s gathered a lot more experience than he realized.

The Texas native himself is a graduate of the university and holds a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film. He attended the institution from 1989 to 1993 and briefly came back there in 2015 as a visiting instructor.