Matthew McConaughey's 3 Kids: Everything to Know

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Matthew McConaughey has plenty of impressive acting roles under his belt, but one role that he always knew he was destined for was being a dad.

"The only thing I ever knew I wanted to be was a father," the Dallas Buyers Club star told PEOPLE in October 2020. "And it's remained the pinnacle for me. Being a dad was always my only dream ... I can't think of anything being more important."

He shares three kids with his wife Camila Alves McConaughey, whom he's been married to since 2012: Levi, 14, Vida, 13 and Livingston, 10.

Over the years, the McConaugheys have given a window into their parenting styles and how they are raising their children. In June 2020, the couple spoke about parenthood during an interview with Town and Country, and Matthew revealed that he is "more consistently the yes guy" of the two of them.

"Sometimes loving your kids means giving them just what they want. Other times, it means tough love," he told the outlet. "Affluent people can give their kids everything they want, but they're not usually going to get what they need. Loving a child is a lot harder if you really give a damn."

The Greenlights author had previously shared what activities he and his kids do together and, of course, it involves fuelling their creativity.

"My favorite thing is reading a five-minute story that turns into a never-ending story," he told PEOPLE in 2013. "When it's story time and I get to the end, there's no 'the end.' The kids hate the end!"

"What you learn when you have kids is that they think four-dimensionally," he continued. "I'll tell them the story about a cheetah that ran and became friends with a horse and then a river came through and they were separated. Then I'll go, 'The end.' But Levi [replies], 'Well no, the cheetah grew wings and flew back over the river.' There's no ending, so it's on and on and on!"

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While reflecting on his career and what he hopes to leave behind with PEOPLE in February 2019, Matthew called his sons and daughter his "living legacy."

"I've got a large hand in shepherding my three children up until they're 18 and out of the house," he said. "Yeah, see if I hold on to my words in a few years. That's the thing I think I do most honorably is having three autonomous, conscientious, confident children."

Read on to learn more about Matthew McConaughey's three kids.

Levi Alves McConaughey, 14

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Matthew and Camila's eldest child, son Levi Alves McConaughey, was born on July 7, 2008.

"A healthy baby boy was born. Camila and I were side-by-side the entire time. We are both tired and elated, and are so happy to have created the greatest miracle in the world — Having a child and making a family. Now comes the greatest adventure — raising one, together," Matthew said in a statement at the time.

During an appearance on Good Morning America in 2009, several months after Levi was born, Matthew opened up about sharing a bond with his son.

"[Over the] last two-and-a-half months, he's really started to take a liking to myself," he said. "He and I have our own jokes that he and his mother don't have."

Since he was little, Levi has had a passion for music, as his proud dad shared during an October 2020 interview with PEOPLE.

"Basically he came out of the womb knowing a minor from major key on the piano," Matthew said. "In the last six months, he really got into listening to composers, and he now can listen to a movie and tell you, 'Oh, that's Hans Zimmer,' or 'That's John Williams,' which is really cool."

Now 14 years old, Levi is also into surfing, something he and his dad have in common and have been doing together for years.

In March 2023, Matthew posted a photo on Instagram of his son showing off his "surfing souvenirs." In the photo, Levi's back is covered in bandages and bruises from surfing as he stands next to his surfboard.

On top of sharing similar interests, the father-son duo share an uncanny resemblance to each other. On March 6, 2023, Levi made a rare public appearance with his mom and sister Vida at the Stella McCartney show at Paris Fashion Week, and fans remarked that the teen was the spitting image of his famous father.

Vida Alves McConaughey, 13

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The couple welcomed their second child, daughter Vida Alves McConaughey, on Jan. 3, 2010.

Matthew shared the first photo of Vida three weeks later on his website.

"Here's a pic of our latest family member Vida Alves McConaughey," he wrote alongside a picture of him and Camila holding the newborn in the hospital. "Thanks for all your well wishes our way, the future's lookin bright, just keep livin, Matthew and Camila."

In December 2020, when Vida was 10 years old, she briefly joined her father for an episode of Amy Jo Martin's Why Not Now? podcast, and offered him some constructive criticism.

"What's one lesson you find yourself learning over and over?" Martin asked the actor, to which he called over to his daughter to help him with the answer.

Sitting on her dad's lap, Vida said: "Trusting, I guess, when you correct us. A lot of times you'll correct us [Vida and her two siblings] and then you'll come back and you explain why you corrected us, but usually, we're just like … "

"'We got it the first time,' " Matthew finished for her with a laugh, to which Vida agreed.

Following in her dad's footsteps, Vida earned her first acting credit in 2021 when she played a small role in her father's movie, Sing 2.

Matthew discussed his daughter's adorable cameo in the movie during an appearance on The Tonight Show.

"Your daughter got to do a little part in this film," host Jimmy Fallon said, to which Matthew replied, "She did!"

He went on to explain, "Vida got a couple of lines in Sing 2. She plays a piglet who is scuba diving in chocolate, saying, 'This is the best day of my life.' "

In addition to acting, Vida enjoys expressing her creativity through art, with her father telling PEOPLE in October 2020, "Vida really likes to paint and draw and loves graphic novels."

On Jan. 23, 2023, Camila shared a photo from Vida's 13th birthday party during a vacation the family took earlier that month. In the photo, a teenage Vida is about to blow out the candles on her cake as "Uncle" Woody Harrelson stands behind her with a quizzical look on his face. "Uncle @woodyharrelson is questioning if the cake is vegan or not!!! 🫣😂," Camila wrote in the caption. "How does this go people! Time flies… 13! You are my ray of sunshine Vida!!! Your name explains everything about you 'life.' "

Livingston Alves McConaughey, 10

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Livingston Alves McConaughey, the pair's youngest child, was born on Dec. 28, 2012.

In the YouTube series Mom2Mom, Camila got candid about the ups and downs of parenthood, admitting that her third child was initially more of a handful than her first two kids.

"It was different with all my kids. My two oldest were so good. And my third came along and he was a nightmare from day one," she said in the video. "He was really, really attached to me. He would just throw fits and cry. He would not get out of that stage until he was like 4."

She added: "I was like, 'This was so hard. [Livingston]'s such a troublemaker.' Now that he's in a sweet stage, he came out of the dark side."

Since growing out of his mischievous phase, the now-10-year-old has developed his own creative interests. During an October 2020 interview with PEOPLE, Matthew shared that Livingston and his siblings have become "pretty good storytellers," adding that Livingston enjoys writing stories: "Our youngest one will come fill us in: 'Oh, I'm on chapter two.' "

For his 10th birthday, Livingston's only request was a trip to Altitude Trampoline Park in Austin and an ice cream cake, as his mom shared on Instagram. "May your heart my son keep it's simplicity as you grow in this complicated world!! You challenge me and teach me daily for that I am grateful! What a blessing you are!" Camila wrote alongside a sweet photo of Livingston blowing out his birthday candles.

The following month, Matthew had some father-son bonding time with Levi and Livingston, sharing photos of himself giving his youngest a haircut on Instagram as Levi and their dog watched.