Matthew McConaughey, an outspoken advocate of “responsible gun ownership,” shut down The View’s Joy Behar when she pressed him on Texas gun laws. After giving Behar a foot rub, the 54-year-old actor was asked if he could “get elected in Texas being anti-gun.” McConaughey shot back, “I’m not interested in playing [political] games.”
The Uvalde, Texas school shooting in May 2022 hit close to home for McConaughey, a native of the town. Following the tragedy that claimed 21 lives, he urged Americans to “renegotiate our wants from our needs,” calling for “background checks…a waiting period…red flag laws,” and raising the AR-15 purchase age to 21.
Appearing on The View in 2023 to promote his children’s book, McConaughey faced more political questions. Sunny Hostin praised his stance on “gun violence,” asking if he still considered running for governor. He replied, “If it’s where I’d be most useful, yes. Right now, I want to be most useful as a father.”
Later, Hostin clarified McConaughey’s stance, saying he’s not “anti-gun” but “pro-gun responsibility.” McConaughey agreed, emphasizing that “responsible gun owners are fed up” with their rights being abused by a few.
