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‘Dazed and Confused’ - The actor’s breakout performance was in ‘Dazed and Confused,’ a coming-of-age comedy directed by Richard Linklater.
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‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation’ - McConaughey followed that up by starring in this 1994 horror.
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‘A Time to Kill’ - In 1996, the actor starred alongside Sandra Bullock (right) in ‘A Time to Kill.’ He plays a lawyer who helps a client in a controversial case.
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‘Amistad’ - In ‘Amistad,’ he starred as Roger Sherman Baldwin, a lawyer who defends African slaves in the 1841 Amistad case.
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‘Contact’ - In 1997, McConaughey starred in ‘Contact,’ alongside Jodie Foster. He plays Palmer Joss, a Christian philosopher who crosses paths with a cosmic scientist.
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‘The Newton Boys’ - The next year, McConaughey played Willis Newton in the crime drama ‘The Newton Boys.’
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‘U-571’ - In 2000, McConaughey starred as Lieutenant Andrew Tyler in ‘U-571.’ It was a drama that centered around a German submarine during World War II.
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‘The Wedding Planner’ - During the 2000s, the actor was typecast in many romantic comedies, starting with ‘The Wedding Planner.’
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‘Frailty’ - He switched things up in ‘Frailty,’ playing the son of a fanatically religious serial killer.
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‘Reign of Fire’ - In ‘Reign of Fire,’ McConaughey played Denton Van Zan, the leader of a cult-like group.
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‘Thirteen Conversations About One Thing’ - The actor played a district attorney in this drama, reeling from guilt after being involved in a hit and run.
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‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ - McConaughey returned to rom-coms with this film, which also starred Kate Hudson.
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‘Two for the Money’ - The actor ventured into the world of sports gambling for ‘Two for the Money.’
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‘Failure to Launch’ - In ‘Failure to Launch,’ McConaughey played a 35-year-old who still lives with this parents. He crosses paths with an expert who tries to get him kicked out of the house.
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‘We Are Marshall’ - This historical drama is based on the tragic Southern Airways Flight 932 plane crash. The crash killed 75 people in total. McConaughey starred as head coach Jack Lengyel.
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‘Fool’s Gold' - Hudson and McConaughey reunited for ‘Fool’s Gold,’ a romantic drama that focuses on a divorced couple who reunite to find lost treasure.
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‘Tropic Thunder' - The actor also starred in this action comedy, playing eccentric talent manager Rick Peck.
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‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ - McConaughey also appeared in this rom-com, based on Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol.’
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‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ - In 2011, he returned to drama for ‘The Lincoln Lawyer.’ McConaughey plays a criminal defense attorney who works out of the back seat of his car.
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‘Killer Joe’ - The same year, McConaughey starred in comedy crime film ‘Killer Joe.’ He plays a police detective who moonlights as a contract killer.
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‘Bernie’ - In this Richard Linklater film, McConaughey plays a Texan district attorney (again). He is stuck handling Bernie Tiede, a murderous mortician.
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‘Magic Mike’ - McConaughey made an unexpected appearance in ‘Magic Mike,’ playing an ex-stripper who owns the Xquisite club.
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‘Mud’ - The same year, the actor led the cast of ‘Mud.’ He plays the titular star, a vigilante who befriends two 14-year-old locals.
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‘The Paperboy’ - In this 2012 drama, McConaughey plays an idealistic reporter named Ward Jansen, who investigates the events surrounding a local murder.
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‘Dallas Buyers Club’ - The next year, the actor stunned in historical drama ‘Dallas Buyers Club.’ He played Ron Woodroof, a real-life AIDS patient who smuggled medication that helped treat his condition.
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‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ - The same year, he made a humorous appearance in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,’ alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
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‘True Detective’ - McConaughey wowed audiences around the world in ‘True Detective.’ He played Rustin Cohle, a detective who investigates a series of murders in Louisiana.
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‘Interstellar’ - The same year, he lit up the screen in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar.’ The actor played Cooper, a NASA pilot who ventures into space.
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‘The Dark Tower’ - In 2017, he starred alongside Idris Elba in ‘The Dark Tower,’ a film based on Stephen King’s book of the same name.
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‘White Boy Rick’
- Earlier this year, the actor starred in crime drama ‘White Boy Rick.’
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A guide to Matthew McConaughey: the chameleon of cinema
From coming-of-age comedies and rom-coms to Oscar success
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Few A-list actors have had a career like Matthew McConaughey. The chameleonic actor got his start in the '90s, starring in the hit comedy 'Dazed and Confused.' After a few dramatic roles, the actor was typecast in many rom-coms, like 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.' After that, he returned to some defining dramatic roles, winning an Oscar in the process. As McConaughey turns 49, it's the perfect time to look back on his incredible career. Click on to see the many faces of Matthew McConaughey.
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