McConaughey discusses producing, surfing roles

By: Kip Mooney

Posted: 9/12/08

In his new movie, "Surfer, Dude," Matthew McConaughey plays Steve Addington, a surfer with one thing on his mind: the waves.
But when the waves disappear, McConaughey has to choose between his integrity and money from greedy sponsors. Here's an excerpt from a recent roundtable interview with Mr. "All Right, All Right" himself:

Q:Do you see any qualities of yourself in Steve?

A: "One of the things I really liked about this guy Steve Addington: he's a really simple guy connected with nature, and that's one of the themes of the story. He loves one thing, and that's the wave and surfing. I mean me, I'm personally a little more sophisticated and more ambitious. I've got a company, a family, a lot more interests in my life than one certain thing, but I sure do understand that connection to nature and understand that psychology."

Q: What did you do to prepare for your role?

A: "I had the script, and we developed the script before I started surfing, and I mean I got wet, got in the water, got smashed and slammed before I ever caught a wave. I always sort of had an Addingtonian surfer's mentality. I'm a pretty laid back guy who likes my base line.
"We tried to make this set as naturalistic as possible, looking like you're just catching us just hanging out for the summer. A lot of reviews are saying, 'Now we get to see what McConaughey's like in real life,' and that's not really true. But I take it as a compliment 'cause we did our job, trying to make this a fly-on-the-wall experience, seeing what these people are really like.
"I was a producer, and you have to make a lot of decisions, a lot for stuff you don't have to do as an actor. The days were longer."

Q: How do you think college students will react to the movie?

A: "We're trying to get the movie in front of college students. I think it's fun; it's got a lot of good things to say. It's sort of a throwback to the '70s, where the planet-friendly consciousness started. A lot more of the eco-friendly conscious thinking starts in the colleges, whether it's whom you're voting for or all the green things.
"We didn't want the movie to be preachy. It's an absurd comedy but underneath, it's got a lot of stuff, like goat farming as a solution. It's funny and absurd but practical.
"The 'under the sun' themes, too, like getting out under the sun and living your life. You'll be out there more and therefore respect mother nature more. If you do the cool thing, make the right choice, life's gonna give it back to you. But we're doing all this with a wink and a joke. After that, it's a fun, stony wink of a movie that's absurd and funny.
"It's got a lot of good things to say, not really a message movie, but it's got some good things to say. A guy like Addington is a good reminder to be cool is loyal to yourself and those around you."

Q: Why did you hold the premiere in Austin?

A:For a couple reasons. This is the first full j.k. livin production. Rob, the director and writer, and I met in Texas in '85, and my producing partners met in 1990. UT is where I went to film school and got my first acting job on 'Dazed and Confused.' Austin's the place to take back a picture where I got my start. That was the year, in 1992, where I got to figure out what I was going to do with my life."

Q: Do you want to continue producing as well as acting?

A: "I do want to do it more, but not every time, no way. It's too hard every time and takes up too much time. Last two years, every day had to do something with the movie. The 28 days we shot I was just an actor but a producer for so many months before and then after then have been 'producorial.' That role differs from an actor immensely. You have to figure out budget, time, sound and schedules of the actors, trying to organize all these things to come together at once. And fiscally you have to make sure you're not going over budget."

Q: What do you have planned next?

A: "I'm taking a year off for myself. I'm going with my son and my woman, and we're doing some traveling."