Matthew McConaughey insists no one can help navigate the Hollywood 'initiation process'

Matthew McConaughey insists no one can help navigate the Hollywood ‘initiation process’

Matthew McConaughey has claimed there is an “initiation process” to Hollywood.

The 54-year-old star has had a number of “ups and downs” over the years and while it is possible to get “tips” from others in the industry, he believes it is important for aspring actors to learn how things work for themself.

He told People magazine: “I, like anyone, have had my ups and downs. My star meter has been higher, my star meter has been lower. I’ve won Oscars, I’ve been arrested playing the bongos naked.

“Overall, I believe there’s been inherent goodwill for me, but it did not keep me from figuring out my own initiation into the industry.

“There’s a lot of things you learn 10 years after being in Hollywood and you go, ‘Well, why didn’t they tell me that in year two?’

“Because there’s an initiation process. There just is. You can get tips, but you’ve got to figure out the BS, cut the wheat from the chaff along the way.”

And the ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ actor wouldn’t even share what he’s learned with his younger self.

He said: “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.”

Matthew has Levi, 15, Vida, 14, and 11-year-old Livingston with wife Camila Alves and believes parenthood has made him a better actor.

He said: “Having children, I know, has made me a better artist and a better actor. Kids see things for the first time all the time.

“Their questions are innocent. I’ve become a better storyteller because I have kids.”

The Oscar-winning star took on his voice role of Buster Moon the koala in ‘Sing’ and its sequel so his children could enjoy his work for once, and it was a particularly special moment for him when the kids realised his involvement.

He said: “Yeah, it was fun…. And as they got older, there’s nothing I made that they could see.

“As you become a parent, 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’ and so I went and did that.

“I remember sitting in the premiere of [‘Sing’] and they’re listening and going, ‘Hey, that sounds like… ‘ They had that moment where they look at the screen, audio, look at me sitting next to them, do the math and go, ‘That’s you!’ That was really cool to them.

“And that was something I did for them and the kid in all of us.”