Matthew McConaughey has revealed he nearly quit acting.
The actor became a romcom icon after appearing in several popular ’00s blockbusters including The Wedding Planner and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.
But afterwards, feeling he had become typecast, McConaughey struggled to book other roles and decided to take a break.
“When I had my rom-com years, there was only so much bandwidth I could give to those, and those were some solid hits for me,” he explained in a conversation with fellow Hollywood star Glen Powell for Interview magazine.
READ MORE: ‘Hit hard’: Oscar winner delays filming after two bouts of illness
“But I wanted to try some other stuff. Of course I wasn’t getting it, so I had to leave Hollywood for two years.”
The decision came out of McConaughey feeling his talents didn’t align with what the industry wanted of him.
“I’ve usually zigged when I felt like Hollywood wanted me to zag,” he told Powell.
READ MORE: Eyebrows raise as star’s note discovered under thousands of comments
Disney star Bridgit Mendler reveals shock career change
During his break, McConaughey toyed with the idea of leaving his acting career behind entirely.
“Dude, it was scary,” he said of what was a period of uncertainty in his life.
“I had long talks with my wife about needing to find a new vocation.”
He floated the idea of pursuing a career in teaching, or music or even at a zoo.
He told his wife Camila Alves McConaughey, “I think I’m going to teach high school class. I think I’m going to study to be a conductor. I think I’m going to go be a wildlife guide.”
READ MORE: Her biggest hit made millions of schoolkids cry
McConaughey explained that he felt the industry wouldn’t want him back.
“I honestly thought, ‘I stepped out of Hollywood. I got out of my lane’. The lane Hollywood said I should stay in, and Hollywood’s like, “Well, f— you, dude. You should have stayed in your lane. Later,” he said.
While the Oscar winner did not reveal when the two-year break took place, his decision to continue in the profession has clearly paid off.
McConaughey went on to star in well-known roles including Dallas Buyers Club and The Wolf of Wall Street.
In 2014 his role in Dallas Buyers Club won him his first Academy Award, establishing his abilities outside of the romcom genre. He also went on to star in the widely successful Christopher Nolan sci-fi Interstellar which received five nominations at the 87th Academy Awards.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.