Despite the closure of longtime Austin staples and an influx of tech bros and influencers from the West Coast, Texas movie star Matthew McConaughey maintains the state capital is still weird.
McConaughey’s comments came during the Texas Book Festival in Austin, where the Oscar-winning actor was promoting his 2020 book of essays Greenlights.
During a Q&A session, Texas Monthly podcaster J.B. Sauceda asked McConaughey and Dazed and Confused director Richard Linklater if they believed Austin — which has changed dramatically after decades of brisk growth – was still “special.”
“I think the DNA of this town; nobody’s too good, and everybody’s good enough,” McConaughey said.
The Interstellar actor added that the spirit of Austin, which he compared to a general admission experience rather than a VIP backstage pass, is as prevalent now as it was in the ’90s.
“Austin’s never looked outside of itself for validation either, which is really cool,” McConaughey added.
Linklater also chimed in, saying that Austin is “really about who you are and not really what you’re accomplishing.”
The creatives’ comments come as a slew of Austin favorites, including heavy metal bar The Lost Well, 45-year-old karaoke bar Ego’s and Tex-Mex spot Baby Acapulco, known for its purple margaritas, have closed in recent months.
The remarks by McConaughey and Linklater also come as residents being priced out of Austin continue to flee to more affordable housing markets, including San Antonio. Indeed, Travis County’s population declined in 2023 for the first time in two decades, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
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This article appears in Nov 13-26, 2024.