If you recall the hit Western movie Tombstone of 1993, it is impossible not to mention Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer delivering the portrayal of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, correspondingly. The movie, which is a rather convincing remake of the shooting at the O.K. Corral, is a favorite of the genre. However, what if another popular actor was included in the cast?
And whereas now many people might recognize the distinct Texas drawl and debonair mustache of Matthew McConaughey, star of Dallas Buyers Club, True Detective, and many others, he could have been playing his six-shooter in Tombstone. While he never did end up getting involved, the story behind this casting “What If” offers an interesting look at the complexity of the decision-making process within Hollywood. It’s time to dwell on the untold story of how Matthew McConaughey was nearly cast in this great Western movie.
McConaughey’s Rising Star in the Early 1990s
However, McConaughey was an aspiring actor in Hollywood in the early 1990s, trying to get a break in the industry. His first big break came in 1993 with Dazed and Confused, in which he famously said ‘Alright, alright, alright.’ Before this brief yet memorable scene, he was said to be in discussions for other films such as Tombstone.
When Tombstone was still in pre-production, McConaughey’s name was brought up for a role in the movie. Regardless of which of the two he was up for, it has been said that he was being considered for one of the Earp brothers, likely either Virgil Earp portrayed by Sam Elliott, or Morgan Earp portrayed by Bill Paxton. Both roles were central to the film’s plot and would have given McConaughey a chance to be quintessentially Southern and spirited as he later became.
The Role That Never Was
The fact that McConaughey could have turned down the role or that the makers could have let go of him might be owing to several factors. In this period, McConaughey was not a big name and Tombstone highlighted its list of cast with several experienced performers. Producers could have felt more at ease in choosing known actors such as Sam Elliott, who was already associated with Westerns, or Bill Paxton, who was only starting to gain fame after the movies Aliens and Predator 2.
A third factor could have been timing. Given that McConaughey’s early career was not yet fully developed, it is likely that he was applying for many parts, and perhaps schedules did not work, or he opted to take other parts instead. There are many such stories of promising actors coming close to bagging a role that would have changed their fortunes in Hollywood..
How Tombstone Might Have Looked with McConaughey
As entertaining as it is to picture McConaughey as John Dunbar in Tombstone, the movie that we have come to appreciate so much today would not be the one that we might have seen had McConaughey taken that role. McConaughey, with his distinct Southern accent and undeniable charisma, could have brought a different dynamic to one of the Earp brothers, or even a more minor character from the film.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing “what ifs” can be associated with McConaughey accepting the role of Doc Holliday and the outstanding performance in this picture should be attributed to Val Kilmer. Portraying the notorious gunslinger humorously and outrageously, Kilmer’s performance is hailed as one of the best in the movie. McConaughey, who would demonstrate his ability to play intense dramatic roles in the future, could have brought a slightly more reserved or Southern drawl next to Kurt Russell’s Wyatt Earp in Doc Holliday.
In the same vein, McConaughey could have assumed the role of antagonist or the villainous character. His performance in darker movies such as Killer Joe and The Gentlemen proved that he could be almost as effective in playing antiheroes or even straight-up villains that is why he would have been an interesting cast choice for Johnny Ringo, played here by Michael Biehn.
McConaughey’s Path After Tombstone
While McConaughey did not appear in Tombstone, the years following the film saw his career slowly gather momentum. Having acted in Dazed and Confused in 1993, he was later given main acting roles in A Time to Kill (1996), and Contact (1997), and then transitioned and became a romantic leading man in films such as The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. By the nineties, McConaughey was a familiar face to most, though his career only skyrocketed in the following decade when he began to seriously pursue dramatic performances. With his Oscar-winning portrayal of Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club (2013) and his questionable portrayal of Detective Rust Cohle in True Detective (2014), he paved his way to the upper echelons of Hollywood.
In retrospect, perhaps Tombstone was not a vital transitional film for McConaughey in any way. This was made possible by his past performances that embraced his origins in Texas charm, his easygoing demeanor, and his ability to deliver the dramatics. That intensity of a star rebirth may never have happened if he had starred in Tombstone.
Conclusion: The Legend of McConaughey and Tombstone
In Tombstone, for instance, it is peculiar to note that Matthew McConaughey nearly landed a role in the movie but never did – that is one more Hollywood story that narrates how Hollywood came close to something completely different. Despite this, fans of Tombstone are probably content with the sheer star power that was on offer and, thus, what could have been with McConaughey’s oddball spin on the role remains in the realm of speculation from this armchair quarterback. Sadly, we couldn’t see him wearing his cowboy hat for this particular ‘Western’ movie; However, McConaughey’s subsequent roles in The Newton Boys (1998) and other related films gave him a proper platform for exploring his abilities to portray a period character.
Thus, Tombstone is still the story of the Earp brothers turned into a cult Western film, while McConaughey’s career was incredible before and even more incredible after that traveling through the positions of the film just became a legend and a missed chance simply makes a place for a new success. As McConaughey himself might say, “Alright, alright, alright”—everything turned out just fine.
