The sad story behind Matthew McConaughey's 8-year estrangement from his mother.

"One of the saddest things to know about Matthew McConaughey after reading his book, is the relationship he had with his mother," TikToker Ashely said in a video. 

Consider our interest piqued. 

What is this "alright, alright, alright", southern man who conquered Hollywood's beef with his mum?

You see, according to his book, their relationship has been a complex narrative, marked by periods of estrangement, particularly during the height of his fame.

While the mother-son duo have since reconciled and now communicate freely, there were several significant years when McConaughey felt he could not keep in contact with his mother, Mary Kathlene McCabe (known as Kay). 

Here, we unpack the long-standing issues between the two, including Kay's unhealthy attraction to her son's fame. 

Who are Matthew McConaughey's mother and father?

McConaughey and his mother, McCabe. Image: Getty.

Matthew McConaughey was born to James Donald McConaughey and Mary Kathleen "Kay" McCabe. His father, James, was a businessman who owned a gas station and an oil pipe supply company in Texas. Meanwhile, his mother was a published author and school teacher. 

James had a significant influence on McConaughey's life and career aspirations, despite passing away from a heart attack in 1992, when McConaughey was just starting to film his big break, Dazed and Confused. 

James' tumultuous relationship with Kay, characterised by multiple marriages and divorces, shaped much of McConaughey's early understanding of love and family dynamics.

"I am the youngest brother of three," McConaughey wrote in his memoir, "and the son of parents who were twice divorced and thrice married, to each other."

He's spoken openly about his parents' propensity for fighting, but maintains that his mother was mostly the instigator.

"I'm not in denial of what happened, and what I saw was not abuse," he told TODAY. "My mum said, 'That's what I needed to communicate.'

"My mum, who's 88, is in the other room, would be coming here right now and go, 'I'm the one who started every one of those fights. Jim was the peaceful one going, 'Kay, can we just talk?'"

Kay McConaughey is often described as a vibrant personality who deeply loves her children, but also someone who could be quite taken with her emotions.

She played an active role in McConaughey's life growing up but later became embroiled in the complexities of his burgeoning celebrity status.

Her enthusiasm for her son's fame sometimes overshadowed their personal relationship, leading to an estrangement that would later define years of their lives.

Watch: Matthew McConaughey on his short stint in Australia. Post continues below. 

Is Matthew McConaughey adopted?

No, Matthew McConaughey is not adopted. He is the biological son of James Donald McConaughey and Kay McCabe.

There have been rumours about his parentage, including that his dad may also potentially be the father of actor Woody Harrelson. And while it's never been proven, McConaughey himself has said there "is some veracity to that thought". Interesting!

What is Matthew McConaughey's relationship with his mother?

McConaughey and his mother McCabe. Image: Getty. 

Matthew McConaughey's relationship with his mother has evolved significantly over the years. He describes his childhood as strict, but one that moulded him into a responsible man. 

"She was a typical Texan mum. She would stand no nonsense. If I woke in a grumpy mood she'd come up to me and — wham! — hit me on the side of the head," he said, per Yahoo! Lifestyle. 

"[My parents] taught us how to respect women, from early on. They were the sort of parents you listened to. We, as a family, were taught our responsibilities."

While born in Uvalde, Texas, the family moved to Longview, Texas, for McConaughey's high schooling. He had a brief stint at school in Australia and thought that he would go on to be a lawyer, but ended up not being interested enough to see it through.

Heading back to the University of Texas in Austin, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film in 1993.

It was around this time that McConaughey's career started to take off. He was in a series of television commercials in 1992 and in 1993, and had his big break with a role in Dazed and Confused.

"Nobody even thought about [acting] in our family," Kay told Today of her son's career.

"We were all jocks. [Matthew] wanted to be a lawyer, until [casting director] Don Phillips saw him in a bar. He said, 'I need someone to play Wooderson in this movie, Dazed and Confused.' And Matthew said, 'Sure, I'll do it.'"

Soon McConaughey was acting in more films, and his fame shook up home life too. In fact, Kay sadly started to see her son's fame more than she saw him as a person. 

"As soon as I got 'famous' after [1996's] A Time to Kill, I started to have my weekly Sunday call home to call my mother," he told Red Table Talk.

"Mother wasn't answering the phone. A fan of my fame was answering the phone."

Soon, his mother became someone he couldn't trust. In his memoir he talks about confiding in her, only to later see those secrets rolled out in the press. 

This caused a strain on their relationship, and McConaughey found himself omitting things when he spoke to her, and speaking to her less and less.

"I was not able to talk to her as my mum for about eight years. There were years there where I would not share things with her because I was also finding my own balance," he continued. 

"I was like, 'Look, Mum, loose lips will sink ships. There are a lot of people that would like to know these things and it's none of their business.'"

McConaughey, his wife Camila Alves, and his mother McCabe. Image: Getty. 

His mother also shared her own aspirations to star on the silver screen, begging for parts in the movies he would star in.

"Every single role, she wanted to be in the movie," McConaughey said in an appearance on ABC's Popcorn With Peter Travers.

"She'd come to visit me on sets. And she'd always say, 'Where's the guy in charge?' She would always corner him," he joked.

One of the breaking points in their relationship was when McConaughey confronted his mother about the press leaks. 

"I remember telling my mum, 'Mum, some things have showed up in the press… just do me a favour. If anyone comes to you wanting to do an interview, just check with me, let me vet them first. I have a publicist. They vet those people,'" he said.

McCabe said she would be more careful, but then McConaughey got a call saying that his mother was showing a cameraman around the family home on Hard Copy. 

"She didn't have a governor, she'd go to the press. She showed up on Hard Copy, taking people to my childhood room, showing people, 'This is where he lost his virginity,'" McConaughey told Entertainment Tonight. 

"Her and I had an estranged relationship where I couldn't have more than a conversation of, 'Hi, Mum, doing good. Love you. Bye.'"

Of course, this was a difficult time for the family, but eventually McConaughey forgave his mother. 

"My boat was built well enough where I didn't feel like she could sink it," he shared.

Since that time, the pair have healed their relationship, although he's always been very honest about the kind of person she is. 

"One day, I said, 'Mum, no one forgives themselves quicker than you. Do you ever have any regret, or do you ever at the end of the day say, "I could work on that?'

"She goes, 'Honey, every single night when I go to bed, I have a long list of those things. But the thing is, when I wake up in the morning, I've forgot them all.'"

Matthew McConaughey's mother intimidated his wife. 

McConaughey, his family and his mother McCabe. Image: Getty. 

McConaughey's relationship with his mother was again tested in 2006, when his mother was giving his then-new girlfriend Camila Alves a hard time. 

She would make Alves go through a series of tests to challenge her, like some sort of initiation process.

"She was really testing me. I mean, really testing me," Alves told Entertainment Tonight.

"She would call me by all of Matthew's ex-girlfriends' names. She'd start speaking Spanish with me in this super broken way, kind of putting me down. I mean, all kinds of stuff."

McConaughey added, "My family is big on rites of passage and initiation, and you don't get into the McConaughey family easily.

"We test you… Oh, my family, we humbly wait, we make you cry, and then we pick you up and make your favourite drink."

As for Alves' relationship with McCabe, it solidified when she finally stood up to her partner's mum.

McConaughey explained, "Camila goes, 'I'm not asking your permission anymore.' And basically, my mum was like, 'There we go. That's right.'"

The couple officially tied the knot in 2012 and now share three children, Levi, Vida and Livingston.

What does Matthew McConaughey call his mother?

Matthew McConaughey affectionately refers to his mother by various nicknames that have a sweet southern charm.

He will often use the labels "K-Mac" or "Ma Mac" to refer to her, as does the wider family.

Who is Matthew McConaughey's real father?

Matthew McConaughey's biological father is James Donald McConaughey, who had a profound impact on his life despite passing away when Matthew was still young.

However, there has been recent speculation that McCabe had an affair with Woody Harrelson's dad around the time that McConaughey was conceived.

While it's never been proven, the joke has become somewhat a part of internet lore, and is something McConaughey has spoken about publicly.

Is Matthew McConaughey related to Woody Harrelson?

Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Image: Getty.

Matthew McConaughey's mother, Kay McCabe, and Woody Harrelson's father, Charles Harrelson, share a fascinating backstory that has recently gained attention.

The pivotal moment occurred when McConaughey's mother casually mentioned to Harrelson on a Greek holiday, "Oh, I knew your dad," referring to Charles Harrelson.

McConaughey told SiriusXM, "Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mum left after 'knew.' It was a lovely 'k-n-e-w.'" 

This comment sparked curiosity about the nature of their connection, leading to speculation about whether McConaughey and Harrelson could be half-brothers.

McConaughey noted that Charles Harrelson, a contract killer and organised crime figure, was on furlough during a time when his mother was separated from her husband (and McConaughey's father).

"We went on to unpack what this 'knew' meant and did some math," McConaughey elaborated, indicating that there may indeed have been opportunities for their parents to meet during that period.

The implications of this revelation are significant for both actors.

"Where I start and where he ends and where he starts and I end has always been a murky line," McConaughey said.

While they could take the DNA test, McConaughey has had some reluctance to do it, as it would reframe his entire parentage. 

Harrelson also acknowledged the complexity of the situation during an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he remarked on the emotional weight of potentially taking a DNA test.

"For him, it's a much more big deal... he feels like he is losing a father," he said.

For now, it remains a family secret.

Feature image: Getty.