In the constellation of stars who came and swept their fans off their feet, Matthew McConaughey leads the A-listers club like no other. Although his success stories have influenced victory laps of artists all over the world, McConaughey himself saw his chart-topping as a leading man only after a string of supporting roles. However, since he warmed his feet in the upper echelons of Tinseltown, there has been no going back for the Oscar-winner. 

In the wake of his 55th birthday today, let us take a stroll through McConaughey’s film credits to celebrate his day in cinematic style. 

The movie that catapulted Matthew McConaughey to the Tinseltown spotlight is Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. The 2013 flick was the actor’s breakthrough performance where he portrayed Wooderson, an iconic character who steals the show every minute he appears.

This is also where his most famous line, “Alright, alright, alright,” took off. Although it was not a blockbuster per se, it was one where even his supporting role overpowered the mains, prompting directors to take a look at him from the protagonist's lens.

Matthew McConaughey’s slow upward climb in Hollywood was never an accident but an outcome of several overlooked sleeper hits. However, one movie that does not fall under that category is Jeff Nichols’ Mud, currently the highest-rated movie by McConaughey on Rotten Tomatoes with a 97% critic score.

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The film follows two boys who befriend a fugitive on an island to help him escape. Famous as a coming-of-age story, the film earned an 18-minute long standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Matthew McConaughey may have taken his sweet time to brandish his acting chops, but in the years that followed his cinematic career, it has been the secret sauce of slipping into any and every complex character. Although he has a small role, fans should binge the biographical black comedy crime film, The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and McConaughey among others.

The critically acclaimed film that grossed $406.9 million against a budget of $100 million explores the darker side of ambition and the quintessential American dream.

Whenever Matthew McConaughey’s name pops up, Joseph Cooper is brought back to Earth. The 2014 science fiction drama, Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan, and starring McConaughey, was not only an Academy favorite but also a fan. The 2-hour 49-minute space transaction that had every cinephile’s eyes taped to the screens grossed $730.8 million against a $165 million budget.

The fun fact is that this film made ever more rounds of downloads and streams in the decade that followed, earning a timeless grant from cine geeks worldwide. So much so that even a decade later, its theories are the cause of fans’ sleepless nights.

Finally, the role and the flick that brought and made Matthew McConaughey an Academy favorite was the 2013 biographical drama Dallas Buyers Club, directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. The actor portrayed Ron Woodroof, a real-life AIDS patient who smuggles unaffiliated pharmaceuticals into the US.

His role required him to shed 50 pounds, and when he delivered his physical transformation alongside his cinematic magic, it was a first-hand showcase of his wide range as an actor.

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Which is your favorite Matthew McConaughey film? Let us know in the comments below!