Will Matthew McConaughey run for office? He’s on a ‘learning tour,’ the star tells governors

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey (right) talks with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (left) and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis during the National Governors Association’s summer meeting in Salt Lake City on Friday. (Courtesy of Utah Governor’s Office)

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey, who has made past headlines for toying with the idea of running for public office, whether it be for Texas’ governor or a presidential bid, again wouldn’t give a definitive answer Friday — but he left the door open.

“Yes, I’ve thought about running (for public office),” the actor said in response to the question posed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City. “I’m on a learning tour and have been, probably, for the last six years.”

McConaughey said he’s been mulling the move as he asks himself if he has “what it takes. Do I have the instincts and the intellect that it would be a good fit for me, and I would be a good fit for it?”

“I’m still on that learning tour,” he added, while joking he also “learned a lot” Thursday night from Murphy; the governor prefaced his question to McConaughey by telling the actor he was told he “enjoyed your tequila last night” during a reception with the actor, “but I don’t recall any of it,” to laughs from the crowd.

McConaughey’s on-stage discussion with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis was a headliner event at the NGA’s summer meeting in Salt Lake City, most of which was focused on capping off Cox’s “Disagree Better” campaign before Cox passed the association’s chairmanship to Polis.

McConaughey’s attendance perhaps paled to just one other attendee: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy .

Why did McConaughey decide to spend his time talking on a stage with Cox and Polis? The movie star said he believes in the goal of the Disagree Better campaign — a national effort to discourage hyperpartisanship, polarization and political tribalism across the U.S.

It’s not his first step into the debate. In 2021, the actor said the government needs to be “aggressively centric” to overcome divisive politics, The Hill reported. Amid yearslong speculation that McConaughey would run for Texas governor, his political affiliation has remained a mystery .

His advice for American politicians to be part of the solution? Focus on your job, and don’t fight with each other for attention’s sake.

“I’m in the entertainment business. Our leaders don’t need to be in the entertainment business,” he said, adding U.S. political leaders need to be “adults in the room,” and not act like they’re on “an episode of ‘Real Housewives.’”

McConaughey urged elected leaders to “negotiate the right way with decency,” and make an effort to show they’re listening to opposing viewpoints.

Another piece of advice from the “Interstellar” and “Mud” star? Learn how to market hope rather than fear.

“Listen, fear is easier to sell than hope,” he said. “So, how do we sell belief, which I think is what we really need more of in our country — belief. Whether it’s literal belief … in God, or belief in ourselves, our neighbors, and what America can be.”

In response to McConaughey’s comments, Cox said he’s “trying to imagine a presidential candidate like this talking about belief in something bigger than ourselves, in each other … laying out a positive vision in our country,” but it’s something that’s rare in today’s political landscape.

McConaughey also said celebrities — who hold a tremendous amount of influence in American culture — also need to play a part in turning the nation’s political climate around. Most celebrities publicly lean left, he said, and it’s easy to take a “default” position to “invalidate the other side” whenever there’s an opportunity.

“No, we can’t lead with, ‘Well if you don’t believe in abortion, then you’re anti-women,’” he said, among other examples.

McConaughey said when so many celebrities lean hard to they left and half of the country disagrees with that viewpoint, they have a responsibility to allow a good-faith conversation, “and not invalidate a moderate or conservative view right out the gate, which we’re guilty of doing to an extent.”

Cox and Polis applauded McConaughey for engaging in the “Disagree Better” campaign. Cox, in his opening speech, said the actor’s visit came after he and Polis had a “crazy idea about eight months ago,” and they held a Zoom call with McConaughey. He expected a short, pleasant call before the actor “wished us luck as we went on our journey.”

“But it was the complete opposite,” Cox said, “As we engaged with Mr. McConaughey on that Zoom call, he kept asking questions. There was a genuine curiosity about him and a sincerity about this work.”

When McConaughey agreed to participate in the NGA’s summer meeting Thursday and Friday, Cox said he also expected him to spend enough time for Friday’s discussion and then go on his way. But instead, he said the actor has “been to everything with us,” during the week’s schedule of events.

Cox joked his staff would have “electroshocked” him if he introduced McConaughey with the three words the actor is most famous for — so he didn’t. But the crowd got to hear it straight from McConaughey’s mouth when he talked about his favorite director, Rick Linklater, who gave him his breakthrough role in “Dazed And Confused.”

“Alright, alright, alright,” he said, to cheers.

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