Family secrets can sometimes unexpectedly come to light.
That’s what happened when Woody Harrelson shared how a conversation with Matthew McConaughey’s mom led him to believe they might be brothers.
It’s not the worst discovery one could make.
The two actors share a strong bromance that’s quite endearing to observe.
While they’ve always considered themselves just friends, their connection might be more profound.
McConaughey once mentioned in an interview that his mom inadvertently dropped a hint that caught both their attentions.
He recounted, “In Greece a few years back, we were discussing how close our families are. My mom was with us, and she casually mentioned, ‘Woody, I knew your dad.’ The way she paused after ‘knew’ definitely raised some eyebrows. It was a telling K-N-E-W.”
This comment made Harrelson seriously consider the possibility of a blood connection.
Their resemblance and mannerisms could make anyone wonder if they’re actually related.
It looks like it might take a TV reveal with Maury Povich to get them to take a DNA test.
During a media appearance for his new series “White House Plumbers,” Harrelson hinted there might be some truth to the speculation.
“Well, I’ll just say there is some veracity to that thought because we talked to Ma’ Mac, Matthew’s legitimate mother, and she let us know one time… I mean, this is crazy,” the 63-year-old shared, echoing McConaughey’s account.
“We were in Greece watching the US team win the World Cup and I don’t know, I mentioned something about regrets.”
“And I said, ‘You know, it’s odd that my father has no regrets’.”
“And I have known Ma’ Mac a long time, and she goes, ‘I knew… your father’. And it was the ellipses I found a little troubling, or interesting. ‘I knew your father’.”
If you’re still skeptical, listen to what Harrelson said next—it’s quite the revelation.
Harrelson elaborated, “The year of [McConaughey’s] birth, nine months before, she was on a sabbatical from her relationship with his supposed father, Jim.”
McConaughey, aged 54, did some investigating himself.
He explained, “We went on to unpack what this ‘knew’ meant and did some math and found out that [Harrelson’s] dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce.”
“Then there’s possible receipts and places out in West Texas where there might have been a gathering, or a meeting, or a ‘knew’ moment.”
However, McConaughey was somewhat hesitant about the idea.
This discovery prompted Harrelson to propose that they take a DNA test to confirm if they are truly related. You’d want to know if you were in their shoes, right?
However, not everyone was eager; McConaughey felt more hesitant about the idea.
“Look, it’s a little easier for Woody to say, ‘Come on, let’s do [DNA tests],’ because what’s the skin in it for him?” he said.
“It’s a little harder for me because he’s asking me to take a chance to go, ‘Wait a minute, you’re trying to tell me my dad may not be my dad after 53 years of believing that?’ I got a little more skin in the game.”