Matthew McConaughey has said that his latest film, The Lost Bus, being rooted in real events gave him “more purpose as an actor”. The 55-year-old was speaking at the London special screening of the drama, which follows bus driver Kevin McKay, portrayed by McConaughey, as he guided a bus carrying children and their teacher to safety during the devastating California Camp Fire in 2018.
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Reflecting on why he chose the role, McConaughey told the PA news agency that the story had immediate appeal. “I saw the bones of the script, I thought this would be a film worth making even if it wasn’t based on reality. But the fact that it’s based on truth gives you more purpose — it gives me more purpose as an actor, to say let’s engage and take this ride,” he explained. The actor also praised director Paul Greengrass, noting the collaborative way in which they shaped the film as it was being made.
The film will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on 3 October, following a limited release in UK cinemas in late September. Alongside McConaughey, the cast includes America Ferrera as school teacher Mary Ludwig and Yul Vázquez as Cal Fire battalion chief Ray Martinez. McConaughey said his character, Kevin, wrestles with feelings of regret and inadequacy as both a son and a father while fighting for survival, a struggle he described as a source of “courage that parents can find when everything is at stake”.
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McConaughey, born in Texas, is best known for acclaimed performances in Dallas Buyers Club (2014), for which he won an Oscar, as well as romantic comedies such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) and The Wedding Planner (2001). With The Lost Bus, he aims to bring a deeply human story to screen, combining real-life heroism with emotional depth.
