Dallas Buyers Club star Matthew McConaughey is a popular name among the top-rated actors in Hollywood. The actor has proven himself, time and again, with his marvelous performance in movies like Interstellar, True Detective, The Lincoln Lawyer, and The Dark Tower, among others. The actor is famous for his persuasive style and ability to easily transition from a playboy to a spic lawyer to a lovable hunk. The actor has been part of the industry for a long time now and became a known star with Sandra Bullocks’ film, A Time to Kill in 1996.
Matthew McConaughey got his first big break with the movie A Time to Kill, however, the actor was not the first choice as the male lead. McConaughey opened up in an interview about how he got the role in the groundbreaking film.
Matthew McConaughey on being laughed at for wanting to lead with Sandra Bullock
When the film was being discussed, filmmaker Joel Schumacher wanted to cast the Dazed and Confused actor for a minor role in the film as a Klansman. The director asked McConaughey who he thought the lead of the film should be, and McConaughey gave a straight answer, that he should play the role. McConaughey once told Cigar Aficionado,
“I totally straight-faced him. He laughed and said, ‘That’s a great idea but it will never happen. I think you’d be great and it won’t happen.’ But I left feeling good that I’d at least gotten the Klan part.”
John Grisham, the author of the book A Time to Kill, had a hand in the casting. The filmmaker told Variety that he always wanted The Wolf of Wall Street star McConaughey to be a part of his adaptation of the novel, but he just was not sure which role he was perfect for. Hence, he sent a secret audition tape to Grisham. Schumacher said,
“With some friends, we went way downtown in L.A. and did this little audition, because if John didn’t like it, no one would know. I sent it down to John. And the next day he called me and said, ‘Who is this guy? I love him.’ We got to call Matthew and tell him he got the lead.”
Matthew McConaughey finally got the role of the lawyer, and he portrayed the role excellently and was highly appreciated.
Also read- Matthew McConaughey’s Dad’s S*x Advice: “Don’t Go Further” if Things Get Too Hot & Heavy With Women
Sandra Bullocks’ reaction to him being the lead in A Time to Kill
According to a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone, McConaughey impressed Schumacher and Grisham to get his star-making role in the film.
Sandra Bullock had already been cast and was already the bigger name at the time. Hence, Schumacher asked Bullock how she felt about casting McConaughey as her co-star. She said,
“I said, ‘If it’s a strong, honest actor, it’s my privilege to be opposite him.’”
Bullock was quite impressed by McConaughey’s talent, grounded personality, and work ethic. She said,
“He’s a character actor in a leading-man’s body, and he’s going to change the face of what we demand from male actors. We’ll demand for them to push themselves more. He’s not just another beautiful face.”
The film was a box office hit, and owing to its grand success, McConaughey might return to the role in the form of a television series. Entertainment Tonight revealed some time back that HBO was planning a television adaptation of the popular Grisham novel, A Time to Kill novel.
Source- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
