Alright, alright, alright — Matthew McConaughey is officially a professor now
Just call him Professor McConaughey.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has officially joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin. Starting this fall semester, McConaughey will serve as a professor of practice at the school’s Moody College of Communication in the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the university announced Wednesday.
McConaughey, who graduated from the school in 1993, has served as a visiting instructor since 2015, when he began co-teaching the Script to Screen film production course alongside director Scott Rice.
According to the school, the fall 2019 class will cover such films as McConaughey’s The Gentlemen (opening in January) and Mud (2013), with the director of the latter, Jeff Nichols, scheduled to visit. McConaughey, an Austin native, developed the curriculum for the course, which provides “a unique, behind-the-scenes view of each stage of a film’s production.”
“It’s the class I wish I would have had when I was in film school. Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them,” the actor and producer said in a statement. “Making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art — no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless. That will always be our classroom focus.”
Even before his turn as a professor, McConaughey was a campus mainstay for years, frequently appearing at football and basketball games. In 2018, he was named “Minister of Culture” for the school’s forthcoming basketball and events arena in order to support a unique fan experience.
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