Matthew McConaughey Says He Left Hollywood for Peru to Escape Early Fame

Matthew McConaughey said he temporarily walked away from Hollywood and lived in Peru without electricity for 22 days after struggling with the pressures of sudden fame.

Speaking on the “No Magic Pill” podcast, the Oscar-winning actor said he traveled to Peru during the early years of his career because he needed distance from celebrity life and wanted to reconnect with his sense of identity.

“I needed to get my feet on the ground,” McConaughey said. “I’m trying to decipher which part’s real, which part’s bullshit.”

During the trip, McConaughey stopped using his real name and introduced himself as “Mateo.” He said the change helped him separate himself from the public image attached to being a movie star.

According to McConaughey, the first 12 days of the experience were difficult, but the second half became meaningful and clarifying. He said he eventually realized he could live a simpler life away from fame if he chose to.

“As soon as you go, ‘I could do this,’ then you’re like, ‘Well, I can return home,’” he said.

McConaughey said the experience reassured him that people valued him for who he was personally, not because he was famous.

“I needed to meet people who knew me as Mateo,” he said. “It reaffirmed my own identity that, ‘Oh, I still got it. This is based on me.’”

The actor later made another major break from Hollywood by moving his family to Texas after becoming frustrated with being repeatedly cast in romantic comedies. McConaughey starred in successful films such as “The Wedding Planner” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” but he said the industry had begun limiting the kinds of roles he was offered.

In a 2025 interview with Interview magazine, McConaughey said leaving Hollywood at the height of his success felt risky. He even considered changing careers if acting opportunities disappeared.

“I think I’m going to teach high school classes. I think I’m going to study to be a conductor. I think I’m going to go be a wildlife guide,” he said.

McConaughey also revealed he turned down a $14.5 million romantic comedy offer to prove he was serious about changing direction in his career.

“That was probably seen as the most rebellious move in Hollywood by me because it really sent the signal, ‘He ain’t fucking bluffing,’” he said.

The decision eventually led to more dramatic roles, including performances in “Dallas Buyers Club,” which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, and HBO’s “True Detective.”