- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Oscar nominees McConaughey and Leto reunite at premiere
- Date: 29th January 2014
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 29, 2014) (REUTERS) MCCONAUGHEY BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ON WEIGHT LOSS FOR ROLE, SAYING: "Look this was not a choice I made out of my imagination. It was not an affectation where I say 'Oh I think it'd be neat if I lost weight. This was something that was a responsibility to my man, the gu
- Embargoed: 13th February 2014 12:00
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- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVABB3CDTDOY83HSLUHMA5NS03DK
- Story Text: Oscar nominees Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto were reunited at the UK premiere of the critically-acclaimed "Dallas Buyers Club" on Wednesday (January 29).
The pair are nominated for best actor and best actor in a supporting role respectively at the upcoming Academy awards for their roles in the movie which tells the real-life story of an unlikely activist in the fight against AIDS.
McConaughey plays the lead role of Ron Woodroof, with Leto as his transsexual side-kick, Rayon.
McConaughey's portrayal of the homophobic Texas electrician who fights for AIDS treatment after he contracts the disease in the 1980s is one that has got critics talking about the new, more serious direction in his career.
He explained how he prepared for the part by talking with Woodroof's family at length.
"They opened up their home, they opened up their history, they opened up every intimacy they had with Ron. And they were very honest about who he was. He was no saint, he was no white flag carrying altruistic man. He was a son a bitch and he was into taking care of himself, self-preservation and he gained compassion and understanding for others with HIV," he said.
He reminisced about his own memories of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s as a young man growing up in the United States.
"The main thing I remember is in 1988 when I was a senior and I was eighteen years old. I remember going to three different doctors saying look I am a heterosexual young man, I am getting sexually active, give me some percentages, what do I need to worry about? And all three doctors had amazingly different things to say," he said.
"Dallas Buyers Club" garnered six Oscar nominations in total, predictably for McConaughey and Leto who both shed dozens of pounds (kilos) for their roles and were rewarded with Golden Globes for best actor in a drama and best supporting actor, respectively.
"I am excited because Dallas Buyers Club took 20 years to get to screen. It's a minor miracle that we even got the film made but now to be recognised and be in this conversation, people saying we think this is one of the top pictures, we think your performances are one of the top performances. All these things feel very good because a lot of us sacrificed a lot of things just to get it made," said McConaughey.
Leto said his Oscar nomination for best actor in a supporting role is 'a dream'.
"It's incredible, it's a dream, I never thought that I would get any recognition from anyone for anything so I feel really fortunate," he said.
Dallas Buyers Club opens in UK cinemas on February 7. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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