Matthew McConaughey is currently out on the promotional rounds for his new film, “The Rivals of Amziah King,” and has answered various questions about past and future projects in interviews.
He spoke with Happy Sad Confused, where he explained why he passed on the role of Joel Miller in HBO’s “The Last of Us” series adaptation – a part that ultimately went to Pedro Pascal.
Co-creator Craig Mazin revealed back in 2023 that he briefly discussed the role with McConaughey prior to speaking with Pascal, and now McConaughey has explained he chose to skip it for personal reasons:
“I did [seriously consider it]. That was also – I wasn’t really acting, at that point. I think that was when I was doing more writing and looking at leadership roles in life and stuff. It was really good. I was really excited. Correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not a huge TV watcher…The Last of Us was really good; it just wasn’t for me at the time. I don’t know what would have been for me at the time.”
He also indicated that while he had crossed over to TV before with “True Detective,” that was a self-contained story and a single-season commitment whereas that wouldn’t be the case here or with most series:
“A series, you do have to consider, of course, well, you want this to succeed. Well, in success, this is something you’ll be doing for years and years and years. Do I want, you know, for that to be the case in success?”
The third and likely final season of “The Last of Us,” adapting the back half of the second game, recently resumed filming after a near two-month hiatus. Production on the run is expected to continue through until late November, ahead of an airing likely in the Summer/Fall of 2027.
More recently, McConaughey has been linked to a new series in Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” universe, and he tells The Playlist he and Sheridan are still talking, but nothing has moved much beyond that:
“Taylor and I have spoken and have continued to have conversations about what [it could be] and if that would be whatever. But nothing’s real yet.”
A similar situation is happening with “True Detective,” where McConaughey confirmed he and creator Nic Pizzolatto have been talking about a potential return to his role, but the creator hasn’t put pen to paper as yet.
