Matthew McConaughey says a chance encounter with a 'fortune teller guru' convinced him to star in 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days'
- Matthew McConaughey revealed to Vanity Fair how he agreed to be in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
- After being offered the job, he was approached by a "fortune teller" who told him to take the part.
Matthew McConaughey recalled the interesting incident that led to him agreeing to play heartthrob advertising executive Benjamin Barry in the classic 2003 romantic comedy "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
"I remember considering whether I was going to do it or not one night while on a walk down Sunset Boulevard when suddenly, this guy comes up out of nowhere to me — he was a fortune teller guru," McConaughey said in Vanity Fair's oral history of the movie to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
"[He] goes, 'Can I tell you your fortune real quick?' I was like, 'Yeah, man. Sure,'" McConaughey recalled. "He immediately goes, 'There's a movie you're considering right now. It's a romantic comedy. You have to do this or it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. It is going to be a blast, it is going to be an incredible experience and it is going to make a bunch of money.'"
"I remember thinking, 'Did the studio hire this guy?'" the continued. "I laughed at the thought, but I also remember taking a more serious consideration. I think I even accepted the offer the next day."
It turned out to be a wise decision. As the fortune teller predicted, the movie became a box-office hit. The rom-com also made McConaughey and his costar Kate Hudson into stars and launched the careers of supporting actors like Kathryn Hahn and Thomas Lennon.
"It's really fun as the audience member to be in on the joke with one character while the other one is not," McConaughey said looking back on the movie to Vanity Fair. "'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' has so much fun audience engagement and participation in this way."