Actor Matthew McConaughey has suggested that a recent meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City has fueled his interest in political ambitions. McConaughey, who has previously considered a run for Texas governor and advocated for bipartisan gun-safety measures, described himself as politically centrist.
In an interview, McConaughey discussed his conversation with the Pope, stating that life is fundamentally a religious experience and that lessons on how to treat others and oneself can be learned from religious texts. "Even though I agree with the separation of church and state, the values of those should bleed down into the values of any political system," he told Fox News Digital.
McConaughey expressed excitement about the idea of a constitution that "all religions could agree on," suggesting that such a document would highlight commonalities and could be something he might want to "add to or work on."
During their discussion, McConaughey also brought up the topic of artificial intelligence, questioning the standards that will be set for its use. He noted that some people are already looking to AI as a "digital God" and that AI could reflect a true image of mankind through the questions asked of it. While acknowledging the potential for AI to reveal greater truths about humanity, he also stressed the need for caution. "We’re going to have to be the users of that tool and not let it tool us, so to speak," McConaughey stated.
The actor also reflected on the decline of religion in today's world and the surge of young people turning toward it, suggesting they are seeking structure and something more substantial than what they perceive in their current environment. "It’s a good reason to pick some things out of religion, for sure," he added.
McConaughey's meeting with Pope Leo XIV took place earlier in August. McConaughey attended the papal audience with his wife, Camila Alves.
