Matthew McConaughey refuses DNA test to prove if Woody Harrelson is his brother

14 April 2023

Matthew McConaughey is reluctant to get a DNA test to prove if Woody Harrelson is his brother.

Matthew McConaughey says he's reluctant to get a DNA test to prove if he's related to Woody Harrelson

The two actors have been friends for years and their families often remark on their physical similarities - and now Matthew has revealed they have both started questioning whether they could be blood relatives after the 'Mud' star's mum revealed she previously knew Woody's dad.

Speaking during an appearance on Kelly Ripa’s 'Let’s Talk Off Camera' podcast, Matthew, 53, explained: "You know, where I start and where he ends, and where he starts and I end, has always been like a murky line. And that’s part of our bromance, right? My kids call him Uncle Woody. His kids call me Uncle Matthew. And you see pictures of us and my family thinks a lot of pictures of him are me. His family thinks a lot of pictures of me are him ... "

Matthew went on to reveal questions about whether they could be brothers first surfaced on a family holiday in Greece when his mum made a surprise admission. He added: "In Greece a few years ago, we’re sitting around talking about how close we are and our families. 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."

The revelation prompted the pair to do some digging and they were shocked by what they found out. Matthew added: "We went on to unpack what this ‘knew’ meant and did some math and found out that [Harrelson’s] dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce. 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."

However, Matthew admits he's not keen on getting a DNA test because a positive result would mean having to question his own parentage.

He concluded: "Look, it’s a little easier for Woody to say, ‘Come on, let’s do [DNA tests],’ because what’s the skin in it for him? 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."