Matthew McConaughey Reveals Why He Stayed Estranged From His Mom for Nearly a Decade

Matthew McConaughey recently spoke openly about a long period of tension with his mother, Mary Kathleen “Kay” McConaughey.

The Oscar-winning actor told PEOPLE that their relationship was strained for nearly eight years due to private information being shared with the media.

“We had about an 8-year period where I had to have short conversations with her on our Sunday phone calls, because she was sharing a lot of that information,” McConaughey said. He added that personal details he shared in confidence often appeared in newspapers shortly afterward.

“I’d tell her something on Sunday between son and mom, and Tuesday I’d read about it in the news or see it in the local paper. She couldn’t help herself,” he explained.

Kay described that period as “We were on a hiatus.” Despite the long break, the two eventually rebuilt their relationship. McConaughey reflected, “I got stable enough with my own position and fame that I was like, ‘You know what, my mom can say whatever the hell she wants.’”

The tension reportedly started after McConaughey’s breakout role in 1996’s A Time to Kill. He recalled that sometimes fans would answer calls to his mother’s home instead of her. “Mother wasn’t answering the phone. A fan of my fame was answering the phone,” he said.

Over time, he learned to protect his private life and limited what he shared with his mother. “There were years there where I would not share things with her because I was also finding my own balance. I was like, ‘Look, mom, loose lips will sink ships. There are a lot of people that would like to know these things, and it’s none of their business,’” he added.

McConaughey also remembered being surprised when camera crews were allowed into his childhood home, showing his bedroom and family stories on television. “I didn’t think you’d find out,” he said his mother told him at the time.

Now, McConaughey, his 93-year-old mother, and his 17-year-old son Levi have appeared together in the Apple TV+ film The Lost Bus.

He said that their relationship is much stronger today, and they have moved past the years of distance and mistrust.