Matthew McConaughey Shares What It Means To Be Southern

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For Matthew McConaughey, being Southern isn’t just about where you’re from— it’s a mindset.

Matthew McConaughey’s Move From Malibu To Texas

Matthew McConaughey’s bond with his Southern roots runs deep, even throughout his long time in Hollywood as he pursued his acting career. Despite being away from his home state of Texas and in Los Angeles for many years, his Southern upbringing remained a huge part of his identity. As Matthew got married and began a family, he and his wife eventually found a home in the picturesque location of Malibu. However, even though they planned to raise their kids there, something felt like it was missing.

During an interview with Southern Living, Matthew and his wife, Camila, discussed their decision to embrace Southern life and their decision to move from Malibu to Texas.

“We were living a happy life in Malibu,” says Matthew’s wife, Camila, “We had a beautiful house that we’d built together and put a lot of love and care into. We were raising our kids there. I was growing everything in the yard. I had bees making honey.”

Although they had everything they dreamed of as they resided in Malibu, in 2014, the McConaugheys made a big change, leaving California for Texas. For them, it wasn’t just a change of scenery; it was a return to an easier way of life.

Matthew McConaughey Shares What Being Southern Means To Him

When asked what being Southern means to him, Matthew expressed Southerners talent for storytelling, saying, “We love to put rhyme to the reason; we’re good storytellers.” He also appreciated the unhurried pace of Southern life, noting, “I like the sense of time. I like how 60 minutes feels like an hour. We’re in a rush for the right reasons.”

As Matthew and his family settled into their new Texas lifestyle, he noticed that certain important aspects of raising his children began to resurface.

“Ritual came back, whether that was Sunday church, sports, dinner together as a family every night, or staying up after that telling stories in the kitchen.”

Even Camila, who’s originally from Brazil, found that leaving the busy city life came easier than she thought.

“We can travel all over the world but the moment I land in Texas, the gravity just comes down, my shoulders relax, I know I’m home,” she said.

Watch Matthew McConaughey explain what being Southern means to him below.