Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey’s Aussie love affair began with a chance meeting in Texas
A chance meeting in Texas in 1988 was the start of Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey’s love affair with Australia.
A chance meeting in Texas in 1988 was the start of Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey’s love affair with Australia and the Central Coast.
McConaughey — who picked up the Oscar for best actor yesterday for his role in the Dallas Buyers Club — was keen as mustard as a 19-year-old to come to Australia with the Rotary Exchange Program.
His first application was rejected, but then he met a young Noel Crocker, an Australian from Warnervale on the Central Coast, who was staying in Texas as part of the same exchange program.
"Never in a million years would I have thought this would happen to him.,, he always wanted to be a lawyer"
- Noel Crocker
“He had missed out on coming to Australia and I got a call from my son in Texas,” Ray Crocker, of Blue Haven, said.
“He told me he had met a young Texan called Matthew who had missed out and asked if there was anything I could do for him.
“I said fax me the details and I will see.”
He checked with the Toukley Rotary President Bill Symington who okayed the exchange as long as the Texan stayed with the Crockers at their Warnervale farm.
“Two weeks later he was here,” Mr Crocker said.
McConaughey stayed with the Crockers for five months attending Gorokan High School and helping Mr Crocker with his horses before going on to stay with Bill and Val Symington for six months before returning to America.
“I am very pleased for the guy,” Mr Crocker said.
While visiting Australia in 2003 to promote the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, McConaughey spoke on a talk show about Mrs Crocker, who was in the hospital, and wished her well. She died later that year.
“I haven’t heard from him since 2003 when he sent Eileen a cheerio when she was in Wyong Hospital,” Mr Crocker said. “It made her life so much more comfortable.
“Never in a million years would I have thought this would happen to him, how do you know what’s in the future.
“He always wanted to be a lawyer and ironically in his first couple of big roles he played a lawyer.
“I don’t know how to send him a message to congratulate him, but I’m very pleased for him.”
McConaughey has frequently spoke about his time in Australia and credits his first visit to sparking his love of travel.
In 2007, he returned for a six-month stint filming Fool’s Gold with Kate Hudson around Port Douglas, Lizard Island, the Whitsundays and the Gold Coast. He said the fact it was in Australia was a major drawcard when it came to signing on to make the film.
Now a father of three with wife Camila Alves, McConaughey’s Oscar win has delighted his Aussie fans.
The actor’s impassioned acceptance speech for his best actor win Sunday night surprised viewers as he frequently thanked God and his parents — including his deceased father, who is “up there right now with a big pot of gumbo and a Miller Lite” and his mother Kay McConaughey.
Valerie Symington, of Gwandalan, also has fond memories of the actor and said his Oscar acceptance speech was typical “laid back” Matthew.
“We are so proud he has done so well,” she said.
“We sent him an e-mail wishing him luck at the weekend.
“We don’t expect to hear back from him right now, he is very busy but we are hoping to hear from him in the next week or so.
“We are just so pleased with his success, he has done so well.
“His father would be really proud.”
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