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'Matthew McConaughey Cinema' at Alamo Drafthouse Mueller
Alamo Drafthouse Mueller paid tribute to Matthew McConaughey.
AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin Alamo Drafthouse location now has a new name in honor of Texas native and award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey.
The Alama Drafthouse Mueller has been renamed the Matthew McConaughey Cinema.
What they're saying:
"More than just what’s on the screen, movies have always been about who you watch them with and the memories you take home," said Matthew McConaughey in a news release.
"Alamo Drafthouse has championed that kind of moviegoing from the very beginning, and to have a theater dedicated in my name in the city that's shaped so much of who I am means a great deal to me," McConaughey added.
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Mack Jack + McConaughey: Tierra's Texas
MJ & M returns to help benefit children's education, health and wellness. Tierra talked to the men behind the event and others on the red carpet.
"Matthew’s work has shaped the way that audiences connect with movies," said Michael Kustermann, Chief Executive Officer of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. "And his love for this city and for Texas has made him part of its creative fabric. Naming this cinema for Matthew is our way of honoring that connection. And hey, it’s just up the road from Darrell K Royal Stadium, so it’ll be an easy commute when he’s visiting the Longhorns."
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, who made a proclamation declaring August 10, 2026, as Matthew McConaughey Cinema Day in Austin, calls McConaughey "a beloved local Austin icon" and called the renaming "a wonderful way to celebrate his professional accomplishments and celebrate someone who genuinely loves this city."
Local perspective:
The renaming was made official with the formal unveiling of a plaque which features an image of McConaughey from his breakthrough role as David Wooderson in "Dazed and Confused".
McConaughey's latest film, "The Rivals of Amziah King", was screened and there was a Q&A with McConaughey, his co-star Angela LookingGlass and the film's director, Andrew Patterson.
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SXSW 2025: "The Rivals of Amziah King" red carpet
FOX 7 Austin's Tan Radford speaks with the cast of "The Rivals of Amziah King" and others on the red carpet, including Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Rob Morgan, Ben Hardesty and McConaughey's son Levi.
Following the screening and Q&A, McConaughey took the state with musicians from the cast, including The Last Bison, to perform songs featured in the film.
McConaughey's wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, and their three children were also in attendance.
Dig deeper:
McConaughey now joins a small list of filmmakers and performers who have had their names honored at Alamo Drafthouse locations.
The first was South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, who was honored in September 2019 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar location following the premiere of his Academy Award-winning film "Parasite" at Fantastic Fest.
Others include Christopher Nolan, Spike Lee, John Hughes, Ivan Reitman and Pam Grier.
The backstory:
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Video of Matthew McConaughey leading sing-along at Moody Center
Actor and University of Texas Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey spoke at the ribbon-cutting for Moody Center and encouraged the crowd to "bless the mood."
A native of Uvalde, McConaughey graduated from the University of Texas and has become one of Austin's most iconic and recognizable ambassadors.
After "Dazed and Confused", McConaughey starred in films like "The Wedding Planner", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", and "Magic Mike" before winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Dallas Buyers Club".
He also starred in the critically acclaimed first season of "True Detective" on HBO alongside Woody Harrelson.
Besides his roles on the big and small screen, McConaughey is also the official Minister of Culture for the University of Texas at Austin and for the Major League Soccer team Austin FC.
McConaughey also teaches at UT-Austin's Moody College of Communication.
The Source: Information from Alamo Drafthouse news release and reporting by Jenna King.