Matthew McConaughey says 'holding on' tightly to 'blue or red flag pole' isn’t the way 'forward' with politics
McConaughey, who announced he would not be running for governor of Texas in November, recalled what inspired him to consider the position
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EXCLUSIVE: Matthew McConaughey may have pressed pause on his political ambitions, but the actor is still contemplating entering the political arena.
McConaughey, 52, recently recalled what inspired him to consider running for governor of Texas during an interview with Fox News Digital.
"Giving a wondering about, 'Hey, what are we doing? What's going on with us as, as a people, as a state, how we're getting along, where have we gone awry?'" the "Greenlights" author said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"What's the role of politics in the world? Is it still serving democracy, which I think it should in America," McConaughey continued. "Studying into two parties, seeing a loss of values, actually, because seeing people on both sides of the aisle, either side of the aisle, rather, holding on so tightly to their blue or red flag pole that their whole identities almost sometimes seems to be based on the invalidation of the other, instead of the validation of their own vision."
Matthew McConaughey recalled his inspiration that led him to consider running for Texas governor in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. (Getty Images)
MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY WON'T RULE OUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE AFTER DECIDING AGAINST TEXAS GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, the "Dallas Buyers Club" actor doesn't believe this way of thinking is the way "forward" for American politics.
"Now I know, and I think we all know that, in the long run, that's not the way forward," he said.
"What's the role of politics in the world? Is it still serving democracy, which I think it should in America."
Speculation swirled around McConaughey's decision to throw his hat into the ring of politics for a while, but ultimately he decided against it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The actor announced his decision not to run in a video shared in November to his Twitter account.
McConaughey ultimately decided not to run, and reflected on the decision in a video shared in November. (Gary Miller/Getty Images)
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"Over the past two years, I've been working on the answer to the question of how I can be most useful in this life going forward," McConaughey said at the time. "Useful to myself, useful to my family and to the most amount of people."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McConaughey didn't rule out a potential political run in the future.
"As a simple kid born in the little town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership," he said. "It's a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that I am choosing not to take at this moment."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The "Dallas Buyers Club" actor isn't willing to say "no" to politics forever though, and has considered running for office at a later date. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Currently, McConaughey is gearing up to star in Salesforce's 2022 Super Bowl ad, a campaign which he co-created titled, "The New Frontier." The spot focuses on "how the new frontier isn't out there in space, it's right here on planet Earth."
"It’s not time to escape," McConaughey is heard saying in the commercial. "It’s time to engage. It’s time to plant more trees. It’s time to build more trust. It’s time to make more space for all of us. So while the others look to the metaverse and Mars, let’s stay here and restore ours. Yeah, it’s time to blaze our trail. ‘Cause the new frontier? It ain’t rocket science. It’s right here."