Matthew McConaughey Says ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ Reminds Him of His Mom

When the camera cuts, the interview isn’t over. With “Cut for Time,” TODAY.com asks the questions our anchors couldn’t get to on-air.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stand a foot from Matthew McConaughey, his steady gaze locked intently on yours, it is, in a word, intoxicating.

His charisma is an 11 out of 10, and the Oscar winner somehow manages to make you feel that, despite standing in the crowded room to the side of Studio 1A, you’re the only person that exists.

Maybe that’s why McConaughey has an Academy Award in the first place. Or, maybe it’s because the 56-year-old is genuinely invested. Either way, he seems utterly present in the moment, even if that moment is answering a few hurried questions about his latest movie, Andrew Patterson’s indie film “The Rivals of Amziah King.”

In recent years, McConaughey has stepped back from acting to to focus on other things, including his best-selling memoir, “Greenlights,” as well as a pair of other books: a collection of prayers and poems and a children’s picture book.

But it’s the title role in Patterson’s feature, an ambitious Southern drama, thriller, father-daughter beekeeping tale, that’s inspired his return.

The “Dallas Buyers Club” actor explains to TODAY.com why this is the role that brought him back to the big screen and how it mirrors his own upbringing. Finally, before heading off to the airport, McConaughey reveals which of his movies he counts among his favorites and why.

And, in case you’re wondering, yes, his eyes really are that blue.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Something about the film “The Rivals of Amziah King” brought you back to the big screen. Why did you want to make this movie? What about it spoke to you?

On a script level, it was the most original, in particular, play, space and time and character I’ve read in a long time. I’d seen the director Andrew Patterson’s first film “The Vast of Night,” an independent film they made for less than $1 million dollars. I was like, “Oh, this guy wrote this. He’s got control of the story. He’s got control of the camera and it’s good acting. Story well told.”

The character, Amziah, I was like, “Oh, OK, this is a guy who is a giver of belonging. He’s a guy who pulls people who are on the outskirts to the center of the circle, shines a light on them.”

That reminded me a little bit about how I grew up. When me or one of my brothers would be feeling insecure, not confident about something, my mom, especially, would just bring us in, hoist us literally up in the air and celebrate us to an extent to where we got out of our head and believed we were worth whatever we’re worth. And then, we celebrated.

At the same time, if one of me and my brothers came in and sort of thought we were the cock of the walk and had everything figured out, nobody could touch our stuff … my family is very good about finding your Achilles heel and popping you until you admitted you were kind of full of BS, and you cried uncle.

And then as soon as you cried uncle, they’d do the same thing: Lift you up, celebrate you and say, “There you are. Welcome back.”

This story is a great father-daughter love story — foster daughter with a foster father — and a story about all the underdogs out there. This is a guy, Amziah, who brings the outcast in and says, “You have family here. I’m going to bet on you. I’m going to bet on the best of you. All you’ve got to do is be yourself.”

So, it’s a love story and the love at the center of it is a father and foster daughter coming back together. Basically the fable is Amziah is shepherding her from a princess to a queen, which she literally becomes towards the end, which is something that we all want to do with our kids in a way, right?

And also, without giving the story away, he leaves her something to shepherd herself. There comes a time where we have to, whatever we leave our children, when we go, “I’m not going to be there. You take that.” And that’s a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful thing.

When was the last time a script made you feel this good? This inspired?

I’m happy to say, besides two films — and I made over 55 — besides two, every one I’ve done, the last one I did was my favorite. Now, every one I do, when I’m doing it, I’m fully convinced that it is my first and could easily be my last, and I’m cool with that.

Why?

Because it’s that precious. It’s that: this is it. Doesn’t matter if this is the last one. Oh, this is the first one? Ah, finally. And, it could be the last one. Great. Let’s go out on this one.