Matthew McConaughey is a Professor Now? Alright, Alright, Alright
The actor is set to join the faculty at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin.
Matthew McConaughey has a new job as a–drum roll–college professor.
As TIME reports, the movie star is set to join the University of Texas as a professor in its Department of Radio-Television-Film this fall. Apparently McConaughey has served as a visiting instructor at UT Austin since 2015, co-teaching a film production class called Script to Screen, for which he developed the curriculum. The Austin native is also a longtime regular at university football games.
In a statement released Wednesday, the university praised McConaughey for his “outstanding work as a teacher and mentor,” adding that he is known for a “willingness to work with students beyond the classroom.”
“Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them,” said McConaughey. “Making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art ― no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless. That will always be our classroom focus.”
The Oscar-winning actor graduated from the University of Texas with a film degree in 1993, the same year he made his film debut as the iconic Wooderson in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (his character’s quotes–including the aforementioned repetition of “Alright,” and “That’s what love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age”–have followed the actor around for decades). He has gone on to appear in over 50 films, including his Oscar and Golden Globe-winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club–we’d argue that his sensitive take on a strip club manager in Magic Mike was his best performance ever, but people tend to be frightened by the truth.
McConaughey has been reviewed twice on student website Rate My Professors. Both students gave him a solid five stars. One described his class as the “best ever,” saying that McConaughey “really knows his stuff.” The other said his class was “ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!” Just keep livin’, then.
Related: Matthew McConaughey Was Fairly Confident He Got the Titanic Role That Went to Leonardo DiCaprio
