Matthew McConaughey has a "lot to be thankful for".
The 44-year-old actor has won a string of awards for his portrayal of AIDS victim Ron Woodruff in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ and is "proud" of the recognition – including an Oscar nomination for Best Actor – his work is receiving.
He said: "For the next two months, I’m playing the character of Matthew McConaughey, an actor proud of the films he’s been in.
"And if any of those films or [my] performances are in awards shows, [I’m] going to go, heart high and head up, and look them all in the eye and say, ‘Damn right this is a great time in my career.’ That’s the role I’m in now. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for."
Matthew – who has children Levi, five, Vida, four, and Livingston, 13 months, with wife Camila Alves – famously shed over 40lbs to play Ron but he says having the focus and dedication the role needed was "exciting".
He told Variety: "I’ve got a saying; When faced with the inevitable, get relative. The inevitable was, I’m going to do this. I’ve got support from my family that insulates me.
"I surrounded myself with everything I needed to go on this adventure. And the focus was exciting. I said to myself, ‘We’re taking a trip, McConaughey. This is a story you want to tell. Those adventures you talk about – you’re on one now.’ "
And he claims the "clarity" his weightloss gave him was tough on those around him.
He added: "I went from being cranky to hyper aware. That clarity is hard on other people, because my bulls**t meter was zero. I was like, ‘Speak up. No adjectives or adverbs. Just nouns and verbs. Speak!’ "
Matthew McConaughey thankful for success
