Matthew McConaughey marked a major milestone in his family life, paying tribute to his son Levi as he celebrated his 18th birthday on Tuesday July 7.
THE Dallas Buyers Club The 56-year-old actor shared a photo on Instagram of him and Levi standing together in a grassy area in Austin, Texas, both wearing matching button-down shirts and sporting the “Hook ’em Horns” hand sign, a nod to the University of Texas, where McConaughey himself went to college.
His caption was brief but heartfelt: “18. He’s a #buddy. Enjoy and embrace your new freedoms. @levimcconaughey.”
McConaughey shares Levi, Livingston, 13, and daughter Vida, 16, with wife Camila Alves McConaughey, 43.
Fatherhood is clearly something he thinks deeply about.
In an April episode of Bear Grylls goes wildhe spoke at length about what becoming a husband and father meant to him, telling host Bear Grylls that he considered being a good parent to be the greatest thing a man could do.
“I think a man is a prince until he has children, then he becomes king. I don’t think there’s anything more important a man can do,” he said.
“Man, we’re mortal. This is the beginning of our immortality, and hopefully we’re lucky enough that they have offspring, and that continues to be passed down. I think the greatest art a man can achieve is to be a good father to a son or daughter.”
He also explained how parenthood has shaped his approach to his work.
Talk to PEOPLE in April 2024, he said that having children “made me a better actor”, in part because explaining adult-themed projects to his children forced him to become a more inventive storyteller.
“I had to become a better storyteller to tell my kids about a good guy, a bad guy and a monster,” he said.
As for his parenting style, he has previously described himself as the more permissive of the two parents, the “yes man”, while recognizing that true love sometimes means the more difficult option.
“Sometimes loving your kids means giving them exactly what they want. Other times it means tough love,” he said. Town and country in 2020.
“Loving a child is much more difficult if you really care about them.”
Levi, meanwhile, is now officially an adult. His father’s advice: enjoy it and manage it well.
