The Interstellar actor said that the topic of discussion one day turned to the fact that he and Harrelson often get mistaken for one another in photographs.
“In Greece a few years ago, we’re sitting around talking about how close we are and our families,” McConaughey said.
“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.”
After that revelation, McConaughey decided to do a little digging to ascertain the truth about his family history. As it turns out, the 53-year-old discovered that while his parents were going through their second divorce, Harrelson’s father was on furlough.
For his part, 63-year-old Harrelson suggested that the pair get DNA tests done, though McConaughey remains unconvinced.
“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?” McConaughey said.
“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.”
Harrelson’s father was handed a 15 year prison sentence in 1973 for the murder of a grain dealer – something Harrelson found out via radio broadcast.
The Hunger Games star told The Guardian: “I was in the car waiting for a lady who was picking me up from school, helping my mum, and anyway I was listening to the radio and it was talking about Charles V Harrelson and his trial for murder and blah blah blah blah and I’m sitting there thinking there can’t be another Charles V Harrelson. I mean, that’s my dad!”
Imagine the shock if it turned out that these two incredible entertainers are brothers?
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