Matthew McConaughey reveals how saying ‘no’ transformed his acting career

It seems like there is not a single thing Matthew McConaughey can't do. But the actor is the first to admit it wasn't always that way, and it took ditching Hollywood for Texas and a lot of saying "no" to turn the tides in his favor.

The native Texan recently swung by "The Eli Manning Show" to talk about his journey from romantic comedies to more dramatic roles, his involvement in Texas football , how he came to be a fan of the Washington Commanders , and the rerelease of his 2020 book, "Greenlights," among other things.

While talking to Eli Manning and cohost Shaun O'Hara, McConaughey reflected on a time earlier in his acting career when most movie roles he was being offered were for rom-coms. To shift his odds, he ditched Hollywood, moved back to his native Texas, and told his agent, "No rom-coms, no action comedies."

"If I can't do what I want to do, I'm going to quit doing what I'm doing," McConaughey said. After a year and a half of radio silence, a script came in for an action comedy and he was offered $8 million for the role.

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After denying the role multiple times, along with the pay increases that came with each counter, the studio gave him a final offer of $14.5 million. Though tempted, McConaughey still declined the role — and it worked out in his favor.

"I think that can make you more attractive in certain ways," McConaughey explained. "Saying no to a certain thing lets somebody go, 'He's got something going on. He's dialed into some new frequency that we don't understand. And he ain't flinchin' and he ain't bluffin.'"

A few months after turning down this role, McConaughey said the offers for dramatic roles started flowing in, proving there is power in the art of saying no.

McConaughey and his book, "Greenlights," will take center stage during a sold-out Q&A at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, Nov. 17.