Matthew McConaughey is revealing an important lesson his dad taught him.
In an appearance on the premiere episode of Amanda de Cadenet‘s new podcast The Conversation: About the Men, McConaughey, 52, was asked by Cadenet, 50, about the sexual abuse he experienced as a teenager and how he knew the right way to approach sexual situations as he moved through adolescence. (He wrote about the abuse in his 2020 memoir Greenlights.)
McConaughey said his parents taught him to be respectful in such situations and credited his father with teaching him about consent.
“[My father is] talking to me as his son, as a male in this situation and speaking to me about a heterosexual relationship,” the actor recalled in a clip from the episode, exclusive to PEOPLE. “He says, ‘If you ever feel the girl the female hesitate, stop.’ “
“Wow, he told you about consent,” de Cadenet said in response.
“He even said this: ‘You may even feel them hesitate and then after you stop, then they go, ‘Oh no, no, c’mon,’ Don’t. Wait until next time,’ ” McConaughey said.
“And he was right. I got in circumstances where I was like, ‘Nah nah nah, okay, I’m out’ and then saying, ‘Okay, cool, I’m out.’ The girl went, ‘Oh, well, no c’mon,’ and I was like, ‘No, no, no,’ ” the actor added. “And he said, ‘Trust you’ll have another day if it’s to be.’ “
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De Cadenet, who in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in June opened up about a life-saving abortion she had in 2003, hopes to engage in difficult conversations with men with her new podcast series, according to a press release.
“Men have undeniably had a massive cultural reckoning over the last few years. The existing concepts of masculinity have been shattered and need to be rebuilt. Men’s voices are crucial in the restructuring of modern masculinity,” De Cadenet said in a statement.
“My hope is that I can create a space for men to speak honestly and openly in a collaborative way,” she added. “Consent, parenting, race, cancel culture, porn, Roe V Wade and toxic masculinity are just some of the subjects we get into in an uncensored and authentic way.”
Future episodes of the The Conversation: About The Men will feature Charlamagne tha God, Zachary Levi, Dr. Terry Real, Nick Viall, Kal Penn and Mike Tyson, among others.
The series’ first episode featuring McConaughey releases Monday, Sept. 19. New episodes will air every Monday and can be heard on all podcast streaming services.
