Matthew McConaughey: The 7 films that saved his career

Matthew McConaughey is currently on top of the world having won the biggest accolade of his career, the Best Actor Oscar for ‘Dallas Buyers Club’.

It’s some journey for the Texan once known as that dude who leans on rom-com posters, famed more for his pecs and easy charm than true acting chops.

[Matthew McConaughey: I refused roles to restart my career]

But this is no fluke. Over the space of seven carefully chosen films, the actor went from laughing stock to Oscar winner – something the internet has obviously dubbed ‘the McConaissance’.

Here’s how he did it…

Step one: Stop doing rom coms

'The Lincoln Lawyer’ - 2011
Following a two-year break from the big screen after 2009’s critically panned ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ (McConaughey leaning on the poster? Check), Matthew returned to cinemas in ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’.

Itself an adaptation of a hugely popular novel, ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ was a safe bet for the actor, retreading familiar ground to one of his biggest critical hits to date, 1996’s ‘A Time To Kill’.

Playing criminal defense attorney Mickey Maller, the film was a solid hit both commercially and critical, putting the actor front and centre for studio execs across Hollywood. Crucially, it wasn’t a bloody rom-com.

Step two: Become a character actor

‘Bernie’ - 2011
Next up on McConaughey’s rehabilitation to-do list was working with the director who put him on the map – Richard Linklater.

The pair had first worked together back in 1993 on ‘Dazed and Confused’, McConaughey’s film debut and origin of his “alright, alright, alright” catchphrase.

[Decoding Matthew McConaughey's great Golden Globes speech]

Rather than taking a title role, McConaughey plays Danny Buck Davidson, a local district attorney who is out to convict local mortician Bernie (Jack Black) of murder.

It’s a blacker than black comedy that also showed he didn’t have to be a conventional leading man. (Warning: The trailer below contains very strong language and some violent scenes)

Step three: Play an evil guy

‘Killer Joe’ - 2011
Based on the Tracey Letts play and directed by William Friedkin of ‘The Exorcist’ fame, ‘Killer Joe’ is a (self-proclaimed on its poster) “totally twisted deep-fried Texas redneck trailer park murder story”.

McConaughey plays the titular Joe, a charismatic but savage lawman moonlighting as a hit man, who gets embroiled in a hick family dispute.

The film earned a NC-17 rating in the States due to its graphic brutality including one memorable scene which sees Joe forcing the matriarch of the family to perform simulated oral sex on a portion of fried chicken.

Not one for ‘Wedding Planner’ fans.

Step four: Show depth

‘The Paperboy’ - 2012
After being booed at Cannes (what isn’t nowadays?) Lee Daniels’ lurid hysteria-laden period piece received a mixed reception upon release.

[New Ryan Gosling movie booed at Cannes]

Most praised Nicole Kidman’s sensual performance, but it’s McConaughey who puts in the most surprising turn, that will confound what you expect from the star.

His boozy newshound Ward Jensen is a man plagued by secrets and guilt and McConaughey imbues his character with a real sense of tragedy, putting in a selfless performance in a misunderstood gem of a movie.

Step five: Go full indie

‘Mud’ - 2012
McConaughey’s next project saw him back in a central role, this time as the mysterious drifter Mud. An interesting part in a strange but charming coming of age film - one widely lauded by critics despite a tiny budget and limited cinema release.

It’s the kind of project that McConaughey would have turned his nose up back in his shirtless heyday.

Step six: Spoof your own stereotype

'Magic Mike’ - 2012
On paper, playing a stripper in 'Magic Mike’ was a risky step backwards for the resurgent star. Surely the world was sick of McConaughey getting his pecs out again?

Wrong. His strip club magnate Dallas may’ve been shirtless a lot, but he was also creepily charismatic and plain horrible.

[Magic Mike stars' hair removal woes]

The film, directed by talented director Steven Soderbergh, was also a huge hit both commercially and critically, and a sequel is now mooted.

Step seven: Take on the role of a lifetime

‘Dallas Buyers Club’ - 2014
Thanks to a sterling run of roles, McConaughey was now in a position to call the shots.

He chose the long-gestating AIDs drama ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ as his next film, hustling to raise the money for an uncommercial project which had been kicking around Hollywood for 20 years.

With a homophobic lead, period setting and AIDs theme, the film was rejected by Hollywood bigwigs 87 times, but McConaughey persisted, even after funding was slashed last minute.

[Jared Leto on the dangerous weight-loss of 'Dallas Buyers Club']

The film was shot over 25 days, with no lights, one camera, and 15 minute takes. It’s a miracle the film got made, but one that has rewarded McConaughey and co-star Jared Leto’s commitment to the cause, who both lost over 30lbs to play their AIDS-striken characters.

The pair both picked up Oscars for their parts in the film.

Throw in his scene-stealing cameo in ‘The Wolf of Street’ and hugely successful foray into TV with HBO’s ‘True Detective’ and it’s clear for all to see that the McConaissance is complete.

Next up for the actor is a role in Christopher ‘Dark Knight’ Nolan’s highly anticipated ‘Interstellar’, a role which can only add to his legend.

See more actors who changed their appearances for film in our gallery below...