What Is Matthew McConaughey Up To?

Matthew McConaughey has been in the news quite a bit, but not for his acting. Following the shooting in Uvalde, he has been making the rounds in Washington to advocate for gun-law reforms. He appeared at the White House briefing-room podium for over half an hour last week, calling on Congress to enact more restrictions. “This time, something is different,” he said, echoing comments made by Senators John Cornyn (R., Texas) and Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.). As I wrote then, his appearance could be read as part of a flailing effort by the White House to shore up Biden’s popularity via celebrities.

However, even before he held court with the press, McConaughey visited Uvalde with his wife the week before. Was he doing so in his capacity as a famous actor, or something else? Politicians often make pilgrimages to the sites of tragedies — Biden did so to Uvalde, as well — and McConaughey’s visit was a mirror image of them. “We spent most of last week on the ground with the families . . . we shared stories, tears, and memories,” he said. These words could have come from the mouth of any elected official, but McConaughey, the actor, said them more convincingly than I’d seen others do. During that time, he penned a policy-heavy op-ed for the Austin-American Statesman — calling for, among other things, nationwide red-flag laws, raising the age of purchase to 21, and a national waiting period for gun purchases.

Today, we’ve learned that his political activity goes further. As Politico first reported, McConaughey has retained a high-powered D.C.-based lobbying firm, Avisa Partners, to represent him on Capitol Hill as he pushes for gun control. This is quite unusual. McConaughey is presumably a millionaire, but he likely doesn’t have the kind of cash to fund campaigns that, say, Peter Thiel has, or a large membership roster that may vote against unfriendly politicians (as does, e.g., the AARP). Without them, the lobbyist for McConaughey seems like a show prop.

Maybe that’s the idea. This packed calendar of political activity clearly evinces a trend: McConaughey is staking his ground on gun control, publicly and hard. On the face of it, that he was born and grew up in Uvalde, Texas, may be proffered as the reason for his intense activity after a shooting there. Yet, it also comes on the heels of his open consideration of a run for governor of Texas last year as a Democrat to challenge incumbent Greg Abbott, whom he was defeating in hypothetical matchups. In November, McConaughey decided not to run but posted a campaign-style video message on Twitter announcing his decision. With plausible deniability, he’s been following the political playbook to a T.

Does McConaughey really have no intentions of running for office? I, for one, find that hard to believe. After a successful Hollywood career complete with public adoration, McConaughey certainly appears to have his eye on a more lasting public legacy. With his Texan drawl, cowboy swagger, and glam profile, he may fashion himself as the Democrats’ Ronald Reagan — timing his entry into politics proper as a new hope while the party’s stock falls fast under Joe Biden’s leadership. There’s no chatter that he’s actively considering a run for that office, of course. But make no mistake: Matthew McConaughey walks like a candidate and talks like a candidate. In this movie, what do you think comes next?