Matthew McConaughey Takes an ‘Interstellar’ Journey

John Scurra

It’s the not-so-distant future, and Earth is dying because the environment is devastated. When a wormhole (a theoretical means to travel great distances in space and time) is discovered, a small group of scientists embark on an interstellar voyage with hopes of finding a way to save humanity. This is the premise of the Paramount/Warner Bros. sci-fi blockbuster “Interstellar,” which stars Matthew McConaughey as space-traveling widower Cooper.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film marks an important departure for McConaughey, who has recently shied away from high-dollar productions. The actor signed on because he saw the character of Cooper as an exception. “Cooper is a pilot, an engineer and he’s also a widowed father of two children,” McConaughey explained. “He’s living in a world in which at the time civilization is mainly just sustaining, meaning it’s about growing food, having clean water, [and] that’s it. It’s just maintaining. You don’t need any explorers; you don’t need any astronauts; you don’t need any new bright ideas. Something happens where the dream of being a pilot again knocks on [Cooper’s] door and he gets an opportunity to go out and lead one of the greatest missions mankind has ever taken. But it comes with consequences. He’s got to leave two kids. That’s what my man Cooper has to go through.”

McConaughey also accepted his “Interstellar” role as an opportunity to work with Nolan, whose film credits include the “Dark Knight” trilogy and “Inception.” “Nobody is able to put more scope, scale [and] awe on the screen than Chris,” McConaughey told Entertainment Weekly. “But I think he [wanted] to take the next step toward something more intimate. It was an evolution. It’s the most ambitious thing he’s ever done, and he’s done some ambitious stuff.” At Comic-Con 2014, the actor noted Nolan’s on-set technique. “He’s a great problem solver. In that way, he’s very indie [film oriented]. Here’s a guy who could have whatever budget he wants, and we finished shooting early. He wants an original take on everything. He also works by his instincts completely. When he’s on the set he’s already conceived this world that he wants to put on the screen. We moved fast. I was very surprised. It felt like an independent film [while] making it. Two, three takes max and we moved on. Most films this size sometimes there can be 20, 30, 40 takes. Not with Chris. I also believe that Chris is a man whose reach constantly exceeds his grasp, and with this film I think that’s true because I think it’s by far the most ambitious film that Mr. Nolan has ever directed. When you see it, you’ll see why.”

Apparently the feeling is mutual, as Nolan has only high praise for McConaughey. “Matthew works from the inside out,” said the filmmaker. “He approaches a character from a deep human understanding, refusing to take shortcuts to an emotional connection with the audience, all the while never losing sight of the demands of the overall narrative.” This glowing opinion however doesn’t reflect Nolan’s very cautious initial meeting with McConaughey. “He came up to me and said, ‘“Mud.” I love the movie,’ McConaughey recalled. “I sat down with him for about 2½ hours at his house [and] not one word came up about ‘Interstellar.’ I walked out not sure what to think. I mean he’s not a guy who takes general meetings.”

McConaughey is a guy who takes his career seriously, and when he saw the finished cut of “Interstellar,” he told his co-star Jessica Chastain that it will be “an event” and admitted that he cried three times watching it. Still, the Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actor is most excited about his current role. “I’m playing the character of Matthew McConaughey, an actor proud of the films he’s been in,” he told Variety. “And if any of those films or his performances are in awards shows, he’s going to go, heart high and head up, and look them all in the eye and say, ‘Damn right, this is a great time in my career.’”

‘Interstellar’ debuts nationwide on November 7.