Matthew McConaughey dropped a star-studded advertisement calling on the Texas legislature to take on Hollywood and become the new film and TV hub for all productions.
In the clip “True to Texas” on Wednesday on X, McConaughey recreated a scene from “True Detectives” with actors Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton, and Renee Zellweger, who join in the fight to bring top film and TV productions home to Texas.
“Hollywood is flat circle, Wood,” McConaughey said as his character from the hit HBO series. “Round and round, like a record with the sound off … I want to change the tune. This industry is like somebody’s memory of an industry. And the memory’s fading.”
“I’m talking about a whole new hub for film and television,” he added. “A renaissance. A rebirth.”
“A small fraction of Texas’ budget surplus could turn this state into the new Hollywood,” Harrelson added.
Texas stories deserve a Texas backdrop. That’s why I teamed up with Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Renée Zellweger for True to Texas. It’s time to bring film and TV productions home! pic.twitter.com/iMpRMRx2Hj
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) January 29, 2025
“If all these other states are going to offer incentives, then that’s where we’re going to keep going. I just wish we could bring some of these productions home to Texas,” Zellweger continued.
Harrelson then asked, “Why should all these other states take advantage of this investment, but not Texas. … Ain’t all that money like corporate welfare for big Hollywood studios?”
“No, Wood, it’s not,” McConaughey replied. “Real Texas business owners and citizens see every dollar spent from this incentive put $4 back into the state of Texas.”
“It’s time for Texas to become the home for telling stories that people want to see and hear,” he added. “So, what do you say, Texas legislature? You don’t like what Hollywood’s been dishing, let’s take it up with the kitchen.”
He captioned his post, “Texas stories deserve a Texas backdrop. That’s why I teamed up with Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Renée Zellweger for True to Texas. It’s time to bring film and TV productions home!”
Last week, the Texas senate filed a budget that included $498 million to revamp the Texas Film Incentive, in order to make “Texas the movie capital of the world,” The Hollywood Reporter noted.
“My budget team and I have worked alongside Chair Huffman and the Senate Finance Committee to ensure the Senate’s state budget reflects the conservative priorities of Texans,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said of the budget proposal. “[Texas] SB [Senate Bill] 1 maintains our promise to Texans by keeping our state on a conservative path to greater prosperity.”
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