Matthew McConaughey Explained How His Marriage To Camila Alves Inspired Him To "Quit" Acting In Romantic Comedies

    "I remember saying, 'Eff the bucks; I'm going for the experience.'"

    Matthew McConaughey has been dead set on not making romantic comedies for the past decade — but that doesn't mean stepping away wasn't a scary decision.

    Matthew smiles on a red carpet

    After starring in a series of successful rom-coms, like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner, Matthew decided it was time to make a change in his career.

    Matthew standing in front of a How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days movie poster

    "I remember saying, 'Eff the bucks; I'm going for the experience,'" Matthew told AARP in a new interview.

    Matthew looks serious while speaking onstage

    He continued, "I was the go-to rom-com guy. I enjoyed making them, and they paid well. I was leading a successful life as an actor. But there’s a certain buoyancy built into rom-coms that isn’t about hanging your hat on humanity, like a drama is."

    Matthew explained that his roles in rom-coms lacked the depth that he was experiencing in his real life.

    Matthew poses alongside Camila

    "So I quit. I talked to my wife, my agent, and my business manager and said, 'Look, I may not work for a while,'" Matthew confessed.

    Matthew wears a blue button-down in front of a white backdrop

    He admitted that the decision was "scary" and his family thought he "was out of [his] freaking mind," but he had Camila's full support.

    "Camila said, 'If we’re going to do this, we’re not going to half-ass it,'" he shared.

    Matthew puts his arm around Camila at an event

    From there, Matthew said no to every rom-com role that came his way, including his infamous decision to turn down a $14.5 million payday.

    Matthew wears a maroon suit jacket to a film festival

    "No offers came in for almost a year and a half. I was now shaking hands with the fact that I may never work in Hollywood again. It pinched me a little, but I was OK with it. It was time for a new chapter in my life," Matthew revealed.

    But finally his hiatus paid off, and he suddenly began receiving offers for dramas like Dallas Buyers Club and Lincoln Lawyers.

    As for what's next, Matthew says he's ready to pivot again but hasn't decided just where his path will take him.