Matthew McConaughey, born in 1969, began his career in the early nineties by participating in various films. He appeared in Steven Spielberg's historical drama Amistad, the sci-fi Contact and the comedy EdTV. Since 2000 he became known as the protagonist of numerous light and romantic comedies.

Since 2010 he has dedicated himself to more challenging and critically acclaimed roles, in films such as Bernie, Killer Joe, Mud, Magic Mike, Interstellar and in the TV series True Detective. In 2013, his portrayal of a cowboy suffering from AIDS in the biopic Dallas Buyers Club earned him the Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture, drama, the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Oscar for best leading actor.

In April 2014, Time named McConaughey in its annual Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world.

In 1999 he was arrested for possession of marijuana and resisting authorities. The police intervened after various complaints from neighbors who couldn't stand that McConaughey, in the company of his friend Cole Hauser, played the bongos naked all night.

In the romantic field he was linked for many years to the actress Sandra Bullock, subsequently to Ashley Judd, Salli Richardson and Penélope Cruz, the latter he met on the set of Sahara and to whom he was linked for a year. He had a brief relationship with Janet Jackson. He married Brazilian model Camila Alves on June 9, 2012, with whom he had three children: Levi Alves McConaughey, born July 7, 2008, Vida Alves McConaughey, born January 3, 2010, and Livingston, born December 28, 2012.