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Is Matthew McConaughey running for governor? Viral TikTok has fans dazed and confused

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Published  November 13, 2025 6:23am CST
Texas
FOX 4
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The Brief

    • Hyperrealistic "McConaughey for Governor" signs and viral TikTok videos have led North Texas residents to mistakenly believe the actor is launching a real political campaign.
    • The campaign materials are actually elaborate set pieces and promotional stunts for Matthew McConaughey’s new Apple TV+ comedy series, Brothers.
    • In the upcoming series, McConaughey plays a fictionalized version of himself running for political office, leveraging his real-life history of flirting with a gubernatorial bid in Texas.

AUSTIN, Texas - Social media has been buzzing with speculation this week after hyper realistic "McConaughey for Governor" signs popped up across the state, prompting Texas residents to ask: How do I place my vote?

What we know:

No, Matthew McConaughey is not running for governor. The viral campaign is strictly fictional and part of the set for his upcoming TV series.

Over the past week, viral videos and frantic TikToks have flooded North Texas social media feeds, showing what appear to be legitimate campaign signs and even large stage installations promoting "McConaughey for Governor." The buzz peaked when fans filmed the campaign signage, with many believing that McConaughey had secretly launched a political bid for Texas' highest office.

But these highly realistic visuals are merely props for Brothers, an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series where McConaughey plays a fictionalized version of himself running for political office alongside his close friend, actor Woody Harrelson.

Viral TikTok misleads fans

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey attend the launch party of new bar The Parrot at The Waldorf Hilton hosted by Idris Elba on November 8, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

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Dig deeper:

McConaughey, a University of Texas at Austin alum, has a long history of teasing a real-life political run. He publicly considered entering the 2022 Texas gubernatorial race before announcing he would not run. This story is exactly what makes the show’s marketing and the set pieces so effective… and confusing.

The show, which has been filming in and around Austin, has created the very viral content currently circulating among social media users.

In Brothers, McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves, whose two families end up moving in together on a Texas ranch. The campaign signs are part of the show’s plot, using McConaughey’s existing public identity and past political drama.

The Source: Information in this article comes from Apple TV+, cast announcements from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, the Texas Tribune and TikTok user Cassandra M Jones.

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