A Family Affair: Oscar Winner Matthew McConaughey Guides Eldest Son’s Entry into Hollywood, With Grandmother Kay Also Joining the Cast
Hollywood veteran Matthew McConaughey, 55, known for his patient and measured approach to parenting, recently opened up about his eldest son, Levi, 17, making his acting debut in the upcoming Apple TV+ film, The Lost Bus. The intriguing journey saw Levi earn a supporting role opposite his father, a testament to his burgeoning interest and steadfast determination.
The genesis of Levi’s involvement began during a family discussion about McConaughey’s latest project. As the Interstellar star routinely shares details of his film roles with his family, including his wife Camila Alves McConaughey, their three children — Levi, 17, daughter Vida, 15, and son Livingston, 12 — and his 93-year-old mother, Kay McConaughey, the plot of The Lost Bus came up. When Matthew described his character having a son, Levi, ever curious, promptly inquired about the character’s age. Serendipitously, the role mirrored Levi’s own age and remained unfilled.
“Could I read for it?” Levi asked, a moment Matthew met with a simple, “Yeah.” However, the Dallas Buyers Club Oscar winner chose to observe, refraining from immediately pursuing the opportunity further. As Levi candidly recalled, he “had to badger” his father. Matthew elaborated on his rationale, revealing, “I wanted to test and see how much you wanted to read for this thing.” It took three persistent follow-ups from Levi over time before his father finally “pulled out the camera” to record his audition tape.
During the taping, McConaughey noted his son’s natural aptitude. “We shot a couple takes and I was like, okay, guy can hold a frame,” he shared, recognizing Levi’s potential. To ensure Levi’s merit alone secured the part, Matthew instructed the casting director to intentionally omit his son’s last name when submitting the audition. Levi successfully landed the role, proving his talent independently.
The family’s involvement didn’t stop there. Later in the production of The Lost Bus, Kay McConaughey, 93, joined the cast in a small role as Matthew’s onscreen mother. This isn’t Kay’s first foray into film; she previously had a cameo in Richard Linklater’s 2011 dark comedy, Bernie.
On set, Levi expressed immense pride in his preparation for his scenes. He acknowledged the unique challenge of performing a confrontational scene with his father. “It was a tough scene to do with my dad because we’re fighting [on screen] and we have a good enough relationship where that’s luckily not how it is in real life,” Levi reflected, highlighting the emotional depth required for the role.
Looking ahead, Levi is already slated to appear in Way of the Warrior Kid alongside Chris Pratt, indicating a burgeoning career. However, the 17-year-old remains grounded, stating that college is also on his mind. For Levi, this initial acting experience wasn’t about immediately declaring a career path, but rather an exploration: “This role wasn’t me going ‘Oh, I’m going to become an actor,’” he clarified. “It was me saying, ‘I’m really interested in this.'”
As Levi navigates this new chapter, Matthew McConaughey is keen to impart hard-earned wisdom about finding one’s identity amidst the demanding glare of the entertainment industry. “It’s a tough business to figure out who the hell you are in real life for the first time, at a time when that’s what every kid his age is doing, trying to figure out who they are — in this business or not,” McConaughey emphasized. He stresses the importance of Levi maintaining “his own ownership of who he is and becomes,” ensuring acting remains a part of his evolving identity, but not its entirety.
