Matthew McConaughey Played a Villain 21 Years Ago in a Failed Cult Saga Movie, Rated 1.1/5!

Today, Matthew McConaughey is celebrated for his compelling performances in films directed by renowned filmmakers like Steven Spielberg (Amistad), Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club, for which he won an Oscar), Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Christopher Nolan (Interstellar). This latter movie is often regarded as one of the best sci-fi films ever, receiving an impressive rating of 4.5 out of 5 from AlloCiné viewers. However, before all this acclaim, he started humbly, including a role in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

In this fourth installment of the franchise that Tobe Hooper began with the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1974, McConaughey plays Vilmer, a descendant of the terrifying Leatherface, who terrorizes a group of youths—including Renée Zellweger. The film wasn’t well-received, earning a low rating of 1.1 out of 5 on AlloCiné, and is often classified as a B-movie.

Despite this, the actor has fond memories of the filming, which took place right after Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. He still laughs when he recalls how he managed to snag the role.

A Spontaneous Audition

Initially, Matthew McConaughey was only supposed to have a minor role in the film, a role that would have required just one day of shooting. However, when the production needed an actor to play the villain Vilmer, he seized the opportunity to audition for this pivotal character.

“I was at the production office chatting with the director, Kim Henkel. He asked me, ‘Matthew, do you have someone in mind to play the main killer, Vilmer?’”, McConaughey shared (via The Hollywood Reporter). After he named a few Texan actors, he left the building. But in the parking lot, a thought struck him.

“I thought to myself, ‘I should try to get this role.’”, he recalled. He then turned back and asked to audition: Henkel thought it was a great idea. The production office secretary then offered to read the scene with him. The young actor was nearly ready, but he was missing one thing…

“I ran to the kitchen… grabbed a large tablespoon, came back, and cornered the secretary, pretending it was a weapon. I did that until she cried. And Kim said: ‘That was good’, and she told me, ‘Yeah, that was really good. You really scared me.’” So much so that the actor was immediately offered the role and he accepted. Consequently, what was supposed to be a one-day shoot turned into a whole month! After this experience, he moved to Los Angeles, and the rest is now history!

For those curious, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is available for (re)discovery on VOD.

Movie Mistakes – The goofs and errors of Interstellar: