How Woody Harrelson Learned He Might Be Related to Matthew McConaughey

Aug 22, 2026 - 04:20

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How Woody Harrelson Learned He Might Be Related to Matthew McConaughey

Woody Harrelson Talks Relation to Matthew McConaughey

Three cheers for how Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey discovered they could be brothers.

Three years after the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days actor revealed their bond might extend beyond friendship, the Cheers star recalled the moment that Matthew’s mom Mary Kathlene McConaughey—who he’s known for over 25 years—spilled the beans.

“She told me, ‘I knew your father,’ like, you know, with the ellipses, ‘I knew… your father,’” Woody told Variety in an interview published Aug. 21. “So, I'm thinking, ‘Well, that's weird that she's never told me this [in] 25 years.’”

However, Woody noted that “MaMac,” as he called her, was “feeling good” at the time thanks to her Kendall-Jackson wine.

“She tells me [that information], and I'm thinking, ‘Well, what's behind this story?’” he continued. “And then I find out they weren't just friends—there was a little more to it.”

For his part, Matthew—who met Woody in the ‘90s while working on the movie EDtv—has emphasized there has always been a “murky line” in their connection, which heightened MaMac’s revelation.

"In Greece a few years ago, we're sitting around talking about how close we are and our families," the Oscar winner said on the Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast in 2023, per Variety. "And my mom is there, and she says, ‘Woody, I knew your dad.' Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mom left after ‘knew.' It was a loaded K-N-E-W."

So, the True Detective costars—who have developed this possible relation into the upcoming TV show Brothers, where they will portray fictionalized versions of themselves—went on to “unpack what this ‘knew’ meant.”

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"[We] did some math and found out that [Woody's] dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce," Matthew explained. "Then there's possible receipts and places out in West Texas where there might have been a gathering, or a meeting, or a ‘knew' moment."

As for if they’re willing to find out whether they’re really half-brothers by taking a DNA test?

"Look, it's a little easier for Woody to say, ‘Come on, let's do [it],' because what's the skin in it for him?" Matthew said. "It's a little harder for me because he's asking me to take a chance to go, ‘Wait a minute, you're trying to tell me my dad may not be my dad after 53 years of believing that?' I got a little more skin in the game."

For more stars who share a family connection with a fellow celeb, keep reading…

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Nancy Cartwright & Sabrina Carpenter

The Simpsons actor, who has voiced Bart since the show premiered in 1989, is the aunt of the "Espresso" singer.

“She's not a blood relative,” Nancy clarified on a January 2026 episode of Toon’d In with Jim Cummings. “Her grandmother was married to my dad, so her dad was my stepbrother.”

And that family connection led to Nancy playing a pivotal role in Sabrina's success.

“They would come out every year and stay with me," she continued. "They lived with me for four months at a time during pilot season and helped her get management [and an] agent.”

The Emmy winner added, "She certainly doesn't need my help. I gave her a little boost and she ran with it, and I'm very proud of her.”

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Lena Dunham & Larry David

On a 2024 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother's side.

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Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother's side dating back all the way to the 1600s.

Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman's post, "Omg I'm unwell."

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Antonio Banderas & Dakota Johnson

The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress' mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn't mean the stepfather and daughter's bond has been severed.

Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.

"I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky," Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. "I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life," she said. "When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family."

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Alix Earle & Dylan Dreyer

Get ready to have your mind blown: The TikToker and the Today anchor are second cousins.

"Growing up, your dad is like one of seven. You have lots of brothers and sisters," Dreyer told Earle of her dad Thomas "TJ" Earle, who is the morning show host's first cousin, during a May 2026 broadcast. "You have a million cousins. The Christmas card, when it arrives every year, there's like 100 people in it."

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Robyn Lively & Blake Lively

The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.

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Elle King & Rob Schneider

The "Ex's & Oh's" singer is the SNL vet's daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.

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Ludacris & Monica

The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper's uncle.

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Conan O'Brien & Denis Leary

The late-night host and the Rescue Me alum are third cousins.

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Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw

The onetime Grey's Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.

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Yara Shahidi & Nas

The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis.

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Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch

The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.

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Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland

Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she's also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.

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Phil Collins & Lily Collins

Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.

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Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer

The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he's the first cousin of her father.

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Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning

According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.

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Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein

The actors are actually brother and sister.

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Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown

Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.

"We are blood related!" Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. "REAL cousins!"

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Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt

The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.

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Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane

Yep, Game of Thrones' Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead's Nick Clark.

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Lily Allen & Sam Smith

The brunette beauty and the "Stay With Me" singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is "huge."

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Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber

The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.

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Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy

You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.

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Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts

The We're the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.

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Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer

Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?

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Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård

The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.

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Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola

The Ghost Rider actor comes from an extremely talented family. One of his cousins directed The Bling Ring, the other starred in Saving Mr. Banks and his uncle directed The Godfather.

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Lily Allen & Alfie Allen

The outspoken British singer is the older sister of the Game of Thrones star. She even wrote a song about him titled "Alfie."

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