"Made me a better artist": Matthew McConaughey discusses his kids' impact on his profession

Matthew McConaughey recently spoke to People Magazine about how his kids have impacted his life and made him a better actor, as evidenced by his appearance on the magazine's 50th Anniversary special cover.

"Having children I know has made me a better artist and has made me a better actor, because kids see things for the first time all the time. Their questions are innocent.”

He elaborated on how fatherhood has sharpened his storytelling skills, as he often narrates many stories to his kids:

"I become a better storyteller because I have kids, meaning, I come home from work on something like True Detective, and my 4-year-old kid goes, 'What'd you do today?' I cannot tell them what the show's really about, it's not age-appropriate. So I have to go into a parable for them."

Matthew McConaughey further added:

"And so I had to become a better storyteller to tell my kids about a good guy, a bad guy and a monster in this, to tell them the parable of the story I was in."

Matthew McConaughey, who is married to Brazilian model Camila Alves, has three kids with her: Levi (15), Vida (14), and Livingston (11).

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Matthew McConaughey explains how his kids made him sign Sing in 2016

Matthew McConaughey also spoke about how his kids have influenced his choice of film roles. He explained:

"As you become a parent, what do you end up watching? You end up watching mostly what your kids are watching, and so I was like, 'Man, I've never been a part of an animated film,' and I like doing voice work."

In 2016, Matthew signed the film Sing, where his voice work was praised by audiences. He then detailed his kids’ reactions as they went to watch Sing, and suddenly discovered that it was their father’s voice in the movie. He said:

"They thought it was really cool. I remember sitting at the premiere with them listening and going, 'Hey, that sounds like ...' and they had that moment where they looked at the screen and audio, and then looked at me sitting next to them and do the math. That was really cool to them, and that was something I did for them — and the kid in all of us."

The actor also reflected on his past and shared the words of wisdom that he would give to his younger self. He expressed:

"Oh, I wouldn't tell him. I'd let him figure it out the same way I did. Take feeder roads off the highway. Get confused, get frustrated, feel lost, and overcome it."

During the interview, he also talked about his Greenlights Grant Initiative, which helps schools with safety grants and provides a supportive learning environment for kids.

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McConaughey's relationship with his kids

In an interview with People Magazine in 2020, Matthew McConaughey expressed extreme pride in his role as a father to his three kids, as he has often mentioned the same in many interviews. He stated:

"The only thing I ever knew I wanted to be was a father. And it's remained the pinnacle for me. Being a dad was always my only dream ... I can't think of anything being more important."

Matthew's eldest son, Levi Alves McConaughey, was born in July 2008 and is extremely close to his father. The actor has also shared that Levi is extremely interested in music and surfing, two activities that the father and son often do together.

Matthew McConaughey talks about his relationship with his kids (Image via Instagram/@LeviMcConaughey)

His daughter, Vida Alves McConaughey, was born in January 2010. Vida has an inclination towards acting, as she has been seen playing a small role in her father's movie, Sing 2. Meanwhile, his youngest child, Livingston Alves McConaughey, who was born in 2012, is currently 11 years old.

Apart from his personal life, Matthew McConaughey is well known for his contributions to blockbuster films such as Mud, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Fool’s Gold, Interstellar, The Dark Tower, and even The Wolf of Wall Street. His performances have garnered him nominations for prestigious awards like the Academy Awards, and the Golden Globe Awards.