It may finally be time for the long-standing debate about whether Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are related to be settled.
In a video shared with E! News, former TV host Maury Povich made an enticing offer. “I would come out of retirement. We could do primetime, ‘DNA, Maury’s back with Woody and Matthew,’” he suggested.
“I’ll even get my showtime colour back in my hair. Woody’s got my number. I’m ready,” the 84-year-old joked.
During his interview with the outlet, published on 19 September, the Interstellar actor appeared intrigued by Povich’s bid. As he watched the previous radio reporter’s submission, the 53-year-old tapped his forehead with his finger to signal his approval of the suggestion.
He said: “I like the way you’re thinking.”
Aside from their similarities in physical traits, McConaughey and Harrelson have candidly spoken about the possibility of their half-brother relation.
The How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days lead sparked speculation when he confessed to having investigated his mother’s history early in 2023.
“You know, where I start and where he ends, and where he starts and I end, has always been like a murky line. And that’s part of our bromance, right?” McConaughey said of his True Detective costar, who’s meant to reunite with him on the new Apple TV+ series Brother From Another Mother.
“My kids call him Uncle Woody. His kids call me Uncle Matthew. And you see pictures of us and my family thinks a lot of pictures of him are me. His family thinks a lot of pictures of me are him,” he continued.
The father of three went on to mention a conversation that occurred while his and Harrelson’s families were vacationing together in Greece. McConaughey’s mother Mary Kathlene McCabe supposedly told the Zombieland actor that she knew his father.
“Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mom left after ‘knew’. It was a loaded K-N-E-W,” McConaughey remarked. “We went on to unpack what this ‘knew’ meant,” he said, “and did some math and found out that [Harrelson’s] dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce.
“Then there’s possible receipts and places out in West Texas where there might have been a gathering, or a meeting, or a ‘knew’ moment.”
A few months later, Harrelson offered new “proof” into the mix. In conversation with Esquire, the 62-year-old Now You See Me star said that when McConaughey was born in 1969, his father – who passed away in 1992 – refused to go to the hospital because he claimed he wasn’t the biological dad.
“That ain’t my son,” McConaughey’s father allegedly told his mom.
As of now, neither actors have set a date to actually get a DNA test. But McConaughey has vocalised his apprehensions about doing so. For McConaughey, finding out that he’s related to Harrelson would mean that the man he presumed to be his dad for the entirety of his life wasn’t. For Harrelson, not much would change except a confirmed half-brother.
The Magic Mike favourite was estranged from his mother for several years. Meanwhile, Harrelson’s dad, Charles, passed away in prison in 2007.
The Independent has contacted representatives for McConaughey and Harrelson for comment.
