Happy 46th Birthday, Matthew McConaughey: Check Out His Acting Evolution

Oscar winner and Interstellar star has come a long way since his Dazed and Confused days

By Peanut Alvarez-Mena Nov 04, 2015 1:00 PMTags
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Well alright, alright, alright—Matthew McConaughey turns 46 today.

And boy has he come a long way since his Dazed and Confused days. Heck, he's come a long way since his Magic Mike days, and those were just a few years ago!

But sometimes that happens when you just keep actin'.

Happy birthday to the sleazy stoner turned trial lawyer turned rom-com king turned Oscar winner turned philosophizing detective turned astronaut, who has proved that it's totally possible to only get better with age. In celebration of the thesp and family man's own personal holiday, we wanted to look back on the incredible, completely unpredictable career he has had.

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The Texas native with the charming drawl stole every scene he was in as Wooderson in 1993's Dazed and Confused. The budding actor was only 24 at the time and was making his big-screen debut but he knew how to deliver a line like nobody's business.

After getting serious, and seriously sweaty, in the feature adaptation of John Grisham's A Time to Kill, he proceeded to steal the onscreen hearts of some of Hollywood's most eligible leading ladies, including Kate Hudson (twice), Jennifer Lopez, and Jennifer Garner in one rom-com after another.

And while we always enjoyed the incredibly handsome and obviously talented star during that time, it's been over the past few years McConaughey really showed what he could do. He left the fluffy feel-good movies behind and really went after roles he could sink his acting teeth into. His critically acclaimed hot streak of Magic Mike (OK, that was pretty feel-good), Killer JoeMud and The Wolf of Wall Street also included his Oscar-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club.

Then it was on to the genre-busting crime drama True Detective and the lead in Christopher Nolan's latest time-space-continuum-challenging spectacle, Interstellar.

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And while he's been enjoying that successful career, McConaughey has also been filling the important role of Dad to his three kids Vida, 5; Levi, 7; and Livingston, 2, with wife Camila Alves.

Who knew that the rom-com-starring, bongo-playing bad boy better known for his abs would one day be driving that Lincoln of his straight to the top of the world?!

Happy birthday, Matthew McConaughey—we have a feeling that, so long as you just keep doin' you, all will just keep being awesome.

Get the latest on Matthew McConaughey's latest physical transformation for a role!