NEWSMatthew McConaughey Explains Why He's Hesitant to Get a DNA Test to See If He's Related to Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson has been pushing for a DNA test that will confirm if he and Matthew McConaughey are brothers.
Sept. 21 2026, Updated 1:19 p.m. ET
Matthew McConaughey has a very specific reason for putting off a DNA test that would confirm whether he and Woody Harrelson are actually brothers.
"If it's true, I got a lot to unpack," McConaughey said.
McConaughey made the comment when The Hollywood Reporter asked the pair at the September 18 Los Angeles premiere of their new show, Brothers, whether they'd ever take the test.
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star in 'Brothers.'
Harrelson Has Been Pushing for the Test
Matthew McConaughey has been turning down the DNA test, according to Woody Harrelson.
Harrelson made clear he's the one ready to move forward.
"I've been wanting to but he refuses," Harrelson expressed, prompting McConaughey to reply, "I'll probably come around to it."
He also joked about what might happen if the results don't go the way Harrelson expects. "If it's not true, he's not gonna be near as fun to hang out with," McConaughey quipped.
Harrelson Admitted the Results Could Sting
Woody Harrelson admitted he would be 'really sad' if they find out they aren't related.
Harrelson conceded there's real emotional risk in finally getting an answer, admitting, "I'm going to be really sad for a while if it's not true."
McConaughey used that admission as fresh justification for stalling. "Let's just keep floating this idea, because I don't want him being all upset," he joked.
Harrelson stayed firm in his belief. "I don't think that's going to be a problem because I think we're brothers," he maintained.
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The Rumor Traces Back to a Trip to Greece
Matthew McConaughey's mother said he knew Woody Harrelson's father, prompting Woody to suspect he and Matthew are biological siblings.
The whole theory started with an offhand comment from McConaughey's mother years ago.
"In Greece a few years ago, we're sitting around talking about how close we are… and my mom says, 'Woody, I knew your daddy,'" McConaughey recalled in 2023, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The Interstellar star continued, "It was a loaded 'k-n-e-w.' Well, we went on to unpack this, what 'knew' meant, and did some math and found out that his dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce."
Harrelson is already one of three brothers. His older brother Jordan Harrelson and younger brother Brett Harrelson grew up with him in Texas and Ohio. Brett later followed Woody into acting, while Jordan has largely stayed out of the spotlight.
'Brothers' Brings the Real-Life Mystery to TV
The new show centers around Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson discovering they might be related.
Matthew and Woody previously shared the screen on the first season of True Detective over a decade ago.
Now they're playing heightened versions of themselves in Brothers, an eight-episode Apple TV comedy built around the same unresolved family question.
In the series, Woody heads to Austin with his family after his daughter's engagement falls apart. Matthew's mother then accidentally reveals a long-buried secret, sending Woody looking for answers.
The show premieres with two episodes on Wednesday, September 23.
