Matthew McConaughey is keeping it in the family when it comes to his latest venture, the survival drama The Lost Bus. The actor stars beside America Ferrera in the film, based on the true story of bus driver Kevin McKay, who had to navigate driving through the 2018 California Camp Fire with 22 children and their teachers. Also appearing in the project? Matthew's mother Kay, playing his onscreen mother Sherry, and Matthew's son Levi, playing his onscreen son Shaun, marking his acting debut.
Matthew, 55, has proudly spoken about his teen son, 17, auditioning for and earning the role in his own way, but during a sitdown with Willie Geist for Sunday TODAY, he confronted the label of "nepotism" in the industry surrounding Levi, and how he and his wife Camila Alves, 42, speak of it themselves. The pair also share daughter Vida, 15, and son Livingston, 12.
The Dallas Buyers Club star explained that his son was naturally "leaning into" acting instead of having his parents make the decision for him. They were allowing him to make his own choices, especially after he adopted a more front-facing persona once he created his public social media account after his 15th birthday.
"I'm not putting that pressure on him either way," Matthew continued. "But he's off to a great start, and he's in the door. As far as nepotism goes for me, Camila and I always say, 'Don't you ever feel entitled.' When he read for this role, I sent it to the casting director. She said, 'I think it's good enough to send to the director.' And I went, 'Pull his last name.'"
After dropping the "McConaughey" name, he noted that his son earned the part, although when it comes to his mom Mary, 93, she just found her way onto the film through sheer persona alone, joking she can "find energy, especially if she's going to be in front of the camera," adding: "To have my mom here and my son here and be in the middle as a bridge of those generations doing something that became a career for me…very cool."
Matthew also shared that he helped coach his son as well, saying: "There was an extra sort of soul to it for me. It felt very professional doing it with him, though. I said, 'I can help coach you, I can help teach you what I can, but once we show up on the day, I'm not there as a safety net.' And he showed up."
"He was not looking at me like, 'Hey, is it OK?...' Uh-uh. He worked with the director, and I sat back as a proud dad going, there we go!" he continued, though quipped soon after: "I tried to do my best to teach and coach him, probably over-coached him a couple times… I'm like, 'I think I gave him too much to think about.'"
The Lost Bus, directed by Paul Greengrass, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5 before going into limited theatrical release on September 16, receiving positive reviews. It is now out on Apple TV+.