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The Alamo Drafthouse Mueller location in Austin officially became the Matthew McConaughey Cinema on Monday night, joining an exclusive roster of filmmakers and performers honored by the theater chain, according to reports from CBS Austin.
During a dedication ceremony held ahead of an advance screening of his new film, the Academy Award-winning actor unveiled a plaque outside the building. According to Alamo Drafthouse representatives, McConaughey joins a select group previously recognized by the company, including Bong Joon Ho, John Hughes, Ivan Reitman, Pam Grier, and Christopher Nolan.
Austin Mayor Proclaims Special Day for Local Icon
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson attended the ceremony to read an official proclamation declaring August 10, 2026, as “Matthew McConaughey Cinema Day” in the city. Watson praised the actor, calling him a beloved local icon and a good guy contributing positively to young people across the community and nationwide, as reported by CBS Austin.
McConaughey, a native of Uvalde and a University of Texas graduate, took the opportunity to reflect on a three-decade career that began just miles from the Mueller theater. He recalled meeting casting director Don Phillips at an Austin bar during the summer of 1992—an encounter that secured his first film role in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. McConaughey noted that the very first line he delivered on camera in that film, “Alright, alright, alright,” has followed him throughout his career.
“To have a cinema named after me, have a day in the town that I started my career in, a town that I still live in with my family here by choice—thank you,” McConaughey said during the event, according to CBS Austin.
Advance Screening and Cast Performance
Following the dedication plaque unveiling and red carpet walk, attendees watched an advance screening of McConaughey’s upcoming film, The Rivals of Amziah King, which is scheduled to open in theaters on August 14. The celebration concluded with an afterparty featuring a live musical performance by McConaughey alongside cast members from the movie.
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