$14 Million+ Turned Down, Matthew McConaughey Tells The Wildest Hollywood Story

Hollywood is a land of big risks, bigger rewards, and stories that will make you do a double take in the world where dreams are sold for millions. Only a few dare to walk away from offers that others would consider life-changing in their bank account. Every so often, a story comes along that reminds us just how big the gamble is to be different enough to break the mold and rewrite the rules.

Matthew McConaughey, known for his charm both on and off-screen, recently shared an eye-popping Hollywood tale that does just that. If you think you have heard all the wild stories Hollywood has to offer, think again—because this one might just top them all. 

Matthew McConaughey shows Hollywood cannot buy into his conscience

Matthew McConaughey shared one of his wildest Hollywood moments, revealing he turned down a $14.5 million movie role. Speaking about the decision, he explained how the offers kept increasing. It started with $8 million, which he declined. Then came $10 million, $12 million, and finally, $14.5 million. Despite the tempting paycheck, McConaughey stood by his initial decision, which stemmed from his philosophy of life, that if summed up would be; no cheque is too big, and no role is too small for Matthew McConaughey because he believes that real value lies elsewhere.

Matthew McConaughey spilled the beans saying that the greater money made the film script more attractive, but continued to talk about how “It was better. It was funnier. I could see myself in this one.” Still, he rejected it. For McConaughey, the choice was about sending a message that he was not bluffing about his career goals. By rejecting the role, he made it clear that money alone could not sway him from his values or vision for his career. 

Many other Hollywood stars have turned down roles, making decisions that shocked the industry. Driven by personal values, career goals, or creative instincts, these moves led to chatter.

Hollywood stars that turned away from iconic roles

 Matthew McConaughey’s move of rejecting a $14.5 million role could be the wildest, but is far from the only instance where Hollywood stars have turned down roles. Jeremy Irons, for instance, turned down the part of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, a decision he now admires after witnessing Anthony Hopkins’ iconic performance. Similarly, Denzel Washington turned down Se7en, a move he later regretted as the film became a huge success.

In another instance where Will Smith turned down Django Unchained, considering that he was not going to be the lead man in that film, and he confessed that he needed to be a star for such a film. Even Eddie Murphy famously passed up Ghostbusters to star in Beverly Hills Cop, though both movies ended up becoming classics. These wild stories of stars letting slip or being rejected from iconic roles, is what makes Hollywood the beautiful kerfuffle we know today.

What do you think of Matthew McConaughey’s decision? Share your thoughts below!