Matthew McConaughey recalled how his mother, Kay McConaughey, had no tolerance for ingratitude, especially at the breakfast table.
During an appearance on the “Your Mama's Kitchen” podcast with his wife Camila Alves, the 54-year-old actor recounted how Kay taught him and his siblings good manners from a young age.
“My mom wasn't a good cook, but she always made sure we had hot meals,” the Academy Award winner said.
Matthew McConaughey shared how his mother Kay taught him manners. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images for SXSW)
“That's where I remember coming in and maybe being in a bad mood or not having slept well that night or being anxious about something to do at school that day,” he continued. “And if my attitude wasn't great. If I didn't say, 'Wow, look at this! Thanks for breakfast, Mom,' she would immediately jump in and say, 'Go back to your room.'”
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“'Go back to bed and don't come into this kitchen to eat the breakfast I made for you until you're ready to see the rose in the vase instead of the dust on the table,'” McConaughey recalled.
The Texas native noted that for his mother it was a “great line” “that expanded beyond the kitchen in terms of perspective and gratitude.”
The actor said Kay did not tolerate ingratitude. (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
Kay shared the actor and his older brothers Michael “Rooster” McConaughey and Pat McConaughey with her late father James McConaughey.
McConaughey said Kay followed his rules and “chased” him and his siblings “all the way back” to their rooms and made them stay there until they could gratefully sit at the table.
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“She's like, 'Go back to bed.' You'd get in bed with your clothes and your backpack and everything and you'd get under the covers and she'd say, 'Now I'm going to go back to the kitchen.' 'Wow, look, I bought scrambled eggs or toast again,'” McConaughey recalled.
The actor said his mother would give him a warm welcome when he returned to the table with a more positive attitude.
McConaughey's wife, Camila Alves, said she grew up with similar rules. (Gary Miller/FilmMagic)
“She says, 'Good morning, sunshine. Look at that. Another beautiful day, it wasn't guaranteed.' That was always the kicker. You had to start with gratitude for the day,” he recalled.
“'Rose in the vase for the dust on the table,'” McConaughey said, repeating his mother's mantra.
During her appearance on the podcast, Alves shared that she was raised with similar rules when it came to table manners.
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“It's the same in Brazil,” said the model. “It's like you need to know whose food you're eating, and if the person has a bad heart, you don't eat it. You just don't eat that person's food.”
Alves explained to podcast host Michele Norris that he was referring to a common saying in Portuguese, adding that “the practical aspects are basically that you need to know who you are eating from. And if the person has bad intentions, never eat that food.” “.
McConaughey and Alves share three children. (Gary Miller/Getty Images)
“If that person is mad at you, you never eat that food. If you had an argument, you don't eat it,” he continued.
“It's funny because even today with my mom, let's say if for some reason we get into something, I don't eat her food that day,” Alves said.
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“No, you don't,” McConaughey agreed.
“I jump!” Alves said laughing.
McConaughey and Alves, who married in 2021, share sons Levi, 15, and Livingston, 11, and daughter Vida, 14.
