Matthew McConaughey hates being called ‘Matt’ and here is why
Matthew McConaughey is a name synonymous with Hollywood charm, but there's one thing the actor won’t tolerate—being called «Matt.» A resurfaced interview from 2021 has reminded fans why the Oscar-winning star insists on being addressed by his full name.
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During a virtual press junket for Sing 2, Australian journalist Matt Galea innocently greeted the actor with a casual «Hi, Matt!» only to be met with an immediate correction. McConaughey, ever the Southern gentleman, politely but firmly requested to be called «Matthew» instead.
The awkward exchange left Galea red-faced, and years later, he's still cringing over the moment. «I didn’t really make a conscious choice to address him in a certain way—'Matt' just slipped out like a reflex,» Galea admitted to News.com.au, adding that in Australia, nicknames are often used as a sign of friendliness.
This wasn’t the first time McConaughey made it clear that «Matt» is off-limits. In a 2017 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he recounted the exact moment he learned to never respond to the shortened version of his name.
As a young boy, he was playing on the monkey bars when a friend called out, «Hey Matt!» Without hesitation, McConaughey ran to join in—only to be stopped in his tracks by a firm hand on his shoulder. That hand belonged to his mother.
«She slammed me to the ground,» McConaughey recalled. When he explained that he was simply responding to his friend, his mother didn’t budge. «Don't you ever answer to Matt again,» she warned. «I
