Matthew McConaughey Urges Texas to Invest in Film Industry Growth

Texas has the opportunity to become a major player in the film industry, thanks to its thriving talent pool, diverse landscapes, and the state’s film incentive program, said actor Matthew McConaughey in a recent address to the Senate Finance Committee. The Uvalde-born actor believes Texas could rival Hollywood if it invests in building a sustainable film infrastructure and native workforce.

“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 shared. “Especially the ones that were about Texans, or set in Texas.”

Matthew McConaughey’s remarks come as the Senate considers a bill designed to expand the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program, which was launched in 2007. This program offers tax breaks and reimbursements to film productions that hire Texas residents and complete the majority of filming within the state. To date, the program has had a significant impact on the Texas economy, bringing in $2.5 billion and nearly 200,000 jobs.

However, McConaughey and others, including fellow actor Woody Harrelson, emphasized that Texas struggles to compete with other states offering more generous incentives. “Producers who want to film in Texas have difficulty convincing the capital management side of film production companies to allow filming here when presented with more robust and consistent incentives offered by other states,” said Senator Joan Huffman, the bill’s sponsor.

The proposed bill, Senate Bill 22, aims to secure $500 million in funding every biennium for the next decade to strengthen the state’s film industry. It also lowers the eligibility threshold for productions to qualify for top-tier incentives and increases the cap for total reimbursements. The bill will maintain the program’s current framework, including discretion to reject productions with inappropriate content or those that portray Texas negatively.

McConaughey and Harrelson, who are currently filming a new comedy series in Dripping Springs, emphasized the benefits of keeping production in Texas. The production has already spent $12 million on local goods and services, supporting businesses like restaurants, hotels, and even Harrelson’s barber.

“We took a 15 percent pay cut to keep the production here in Texas instead of moving to Georgia,” McConaughey explained.

McConaughey believes that, with the right investments, Texas can eventually become a self-sustaining film hub.

“We do this, and we create our own pipeline for film and television,” he said. “There will be a point when we are not going to need financial incentives from the state.”

By supporting the bill, McConaughey hopes Texas can take a leading role in the film industry and create long-term opportunities for local talent and businesses.