Matthew McConaughey (1969) is an American Oscar-winning actor. Greenlights (2020), his first book, functions as both a memoir and an explication of his life philosophy. The book’s content is inspired by McConaughey’s personal writings from the past 35 years and is part of his aim to “live my legacy now. Quit acting like me. Be me” (Location 3035). In a New York Times article written by Dave Itzkoff, film director Richard Linklater remarks that because actors “don’t have total control” and “are […] at the mercy of the parts they’re being offered. Actors need […] other outlets,” writing the book was a golden opportunity for McConaughey to express himself in his own words as he was never able to when playing roles scripted by others.

For McConaughey especially, it was important to write the book to correct the erroneous public view of him as a laid-back character who effortlessly breezes into his accomplishments. As he tells Itzkoff, “there are people who think, ‘Gosh dang, McConaughey just eases right into everything—the guy doesn’t seem to have any bumps, doesn’t get hit crossing the road.’” Instead, Greenlights is a testament to the supreme effort and grit that it has taken to get him where he is today. Itzkoff concludes that Greenlights is an exploratory book “that is constantly evaluating itself and its reasons for being, much like its author.” It proposes a proactive but flexible approach to life—the antithesis of rigid rules and expectations. (Itzkoff, David. “Matthew McConaughey Wrote the Book on Matthew McConaughey,” The New York Times, 14 Oct. 2020.)

This study guide refers to the Kindle edition of the text.

Summary

After years of playing other people on the big screen, actor Matthew McConaughey draws upon 35 years of journal entries to pen his memoir and his guide to life. The title Greenlights refers to the “state of success” that comes when you accept life on its own terms and position elements within your control favorably (Location 90).

McConaughey, born in Uvalde, Texas, is the last accidental son of his parents, Jim and Kay McConaughey, who were divorced twice and married to each other three times. Jim and Kay had a volatile relationship, founded on both violence and sexual passion, and Jim is a tough-loving father who sets his three sons violent coming-of-age challenges to test their masculinity. After high school, McConaughey spends a year on an exchange in Australia; while he is initially lured there on the premise of balmy Sydney beaches, he spends his exchange with an eccentric and disciplinarian family, the Dooleys. In order to cope with the ordeal, he practices abstinence and becomes a vegetarian. McConaughey later reflects that this experience taught him both endurance and introspection, which were valuable tools for his acting career.

While McConaughey initially wants to go to law school, his passion for storytelling ultimately leads him to film school. There, McConaughey spends more time hustling for industry work than attending lectures and is soon able to talk himself into a role in Richard Linklater’s 1993 film Dazed and Confused. It is during this time that his father dies—during a lovemaking session with McConaughey’s mother. His father’s sudden death charges McConaughey with an intense feeling of responsibility to boldly pursue his Hollywood ambitions. He draws on this to seek challenging principal roles, rather than the small ones initially offered to him, ultimately making a name for himself in romantic comedies. Eventually, McConaughey is unchallenged by playing romantic leads and begins to seek new adventure in his life. This new path to adventure arrives through two wet dreams, which lead him to the Amazon rainforest and then to Mali. Each trip is a formative venture, enabling McConaughey to challenge himself and deepen his self-knowledge.

While McConaughey has many fleeting romantic involvements, it isn’t until his mid-30s that he meets Camila Alves, the Brazilian model who ultimately becomes his wife and the mother of his three children. McConaughey’s acting career pales in comparison to his vibrant family life, and he abstains from accepting any more unfulfilling roles. After a period of 20 months, he finally attracts the type of challenging dramatic role he craves: his role as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers’ Club (2013) earns him an Academy Award. However, even as McConaughey is reaching the peak of his career, he finds that box-office figures are dropping off, largely because going to the movies is less popular. In 2019 he becomes Minister of Culture at the University of Texas and the City of Austin, striving to make a more significant impact in society by enforcing good values and competence. He reflects that he hopes his memoir will both entertain readers, as well as help them learn from his life experiences.