McConaughey said one of the only regrets across his career in film and television is not filming more in Texas.
McConaughey said one of the only regrets across his career in film and television is not filming more in Texas.
McConaughey said one of the only regrets across his career in film and television is not filming more in Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas — Matthew McConaughey was back in Austin on Wednesday, supporting a bill that would provide billions of dollars in film incentives to shoot in Texas over the next decade.
McConaughey testified Wednesday in front of the Texas House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism, backing House Bill 4568.
The bill is seeking to breathe life into the state’s film industry by establishing the “Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund.” Under the bill, $500 million would be injected into that fund every two years. Over a decade, that could mean $2.5 billion in incentives.
McConaughey has been one of the leading advocates for the bill’s success, appearing in a Super Bowl ad supporting the bill alongside some other big Texas names in Hollywood. The Uvalde native even testified in front of a Texas Senate committee less than a month ago to make the case for increased film incentives with fellow Texan and former “True Detective” co-star Woody Harrelson.
That companion bill has already passed the Senate.
McConaughey was back in Austin for round two, this time in front of a House committee, arguing that the bill will put more money into the Texas economy than it takes out.
“One of the only regrets of my 33-year career in film and television is not making more of my films here in Texas,” McConaughey said.
McConaughey described the bill as an “opportunity” and said, if done right, the incentives can be a “sustainable and profitable investment and damn good ROI for [Texas].”
“Every grant dollar awarded turns $4.69 to the state of Texas, and it’s a 469% ROI,” McConaughey said. “That money is going to payroll and as said, it’s going to restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, dry cleaners, street rentals, home rentals, lumber yards, etc.”
McConaughey also noted that the proposed funding wouldn’t just benefit Texas’ biggest cities.
“This particular bill also gives extra incentives to shows that could be shot in Corpus Christi, Conroe, San Antonio, Glen Rose, Hillsboro, Angleton, Longview, Bandera, and other areas that don’t have the same advantages as the big cities,” McConaughey said.
On the business side, McConaughey touched on his personal experiences filming in Texas. He told members of the committee that he and Woody Harrelson are working on a new series that’s being shot in the state, but both men had to make financial sacrifices to get it filmed here.
“Woody and I both gave back 15% of our personal salaries after the money was already in our bank to shoot here in Texas because if we didn’t, they were gonna send us to Georgia,” McConaughey said.
McConaughey also outlined the finances behind his new series, saying that in just four weeks, his series has spent $20.6 million in Texas and plans to spend a total of $62.5 million.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also testified Wednesday, speaking on the benefits of “Landman” and other Taylor Sheridan shows filming in Cowtown.
“The Texas Moving Image Industry incentive program and this proposed bill would have a huge return on investment on our community in Fort Worth alone,” Mayor Parker said. “Since 2015, we’ve seen an over $700 million economic impact, 30,000 local jobs. By the way, that’s the equivalent of having one American Airlines headquartered in our city.”
In addition to jobs, businesses near “Landman” filming locations have already reported an increase in business. Plus, Parker joked, the Hollywood stars bring an entourage of onlookers.
“If you combine Sam Elliott and Tim McGraw in Fort Worth, every woman in Texas comes flocking to our city to catch a glimpse,” Parker said.
If HB 4568 passes the House, it would head to Gov. Abbott’s desk for final approval.