Matthew McConaughey certainly didn’t hide the fact that he pulled strings to get his eldest child – son Levi Alves McConaughey – cast in his upcoming film The Lost Bus.
Last Friday, the 55-year-old Oscar winner revealed at the TIFF world premiere of the 129-minute survival drama that the 17-year-old nepo baby asked him ‘four times’ if he could audition for the role of his bus driver character Kevin McKay’s son Shaun.
‘Pulled out the camera, worked with him on a scene, and sent that [tape] to [casting director] Francine Maisler,’ Matthew recalled during the Q&A.
‘And I said — remember I had a note? — I said, “I think it might be good enough for a callback.” And she wrote back, “I think it might be good enough to show to [director] Paul [Greengrass].”‘
McConaughey asked Maisler: ‘When you do that, will you do me one favor? Will you pull the last name off so it’s just, there’s no McConaughey on the end of that?’
Francine agreed and the 70-year-old filmmaker declared ‘That’s the guy, that’s the son’ and when she informed him that Levi was the Zach Bryan video star’s real-life son, he exclaimed: ‘Even better!’
Matthew McConaughey certainly didn’t hide the fact that he pulled strings to get his eldest child – son Levi Alves McConaughey – cast in his upcoming film The Lost Bus
Last Friday, the 55-year-old Oscar winner revealed at the TIFF world premiere of the 129-minute survival drama that the 17-year-old nepo baby asked him ‘four times’ if he could audition for the role of his bus driver character Kevin McKay’s son Shaun
Jamie Lee Curtis produced The Lost Bus – also starring America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, and Ashlie Atkinson – which hits limited US theaters September 19 before streaming October 3 on Apple TV+.
The big-screen adaptation of Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire currently has an impressive 100% critic approval rating (out of 12 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.
Last year, Matthew also supervised the WME-repped actor on the set of McG’s upcoming Navy SEAL-inspired teen drama Way of the Warrior Kid, which premieres December 25 on Apply TV+.
Levi’s first-ever job was getting ‘cash for catering’ on McConaughey’s movie sets and, last year, he made his acting debut in a Father’s Day-themed Lincoln car commercial.
The LA-born Zoomer – whom calls the Deadpool & Wolverine actor ‘Papai’ – enjoys surfing, tennis, and making music in his free time.
Levi was permitted to join Instagram and TikTok on his 15th birthday in 2023, and he’s since amassed 444K followers.
Matthew also welcomed 15-year-old daughter Vida and 12-year-old son Livingston during his 13-year marriage to Women of Today founder Camila Alves.
McConaughey originally met the Brazilian 43-year-old housekeeper-turned-model at Hollywood hotspot Hyde back in 2006.
![Matthew recalled during the Q&A: 'Pulled out the camera, worked with him on a scene, and sent that [tape] to [casting director] Francine Maisler. And I said — remember I had a note? — I said, "I think it might be good enough for a callback." And she wrote back, "I think it might be good enough to show to [director] Paul [Greengrass]"'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/09/07/19/101918997-15074867-Matthew_recalled_during_the_Q_A_Pulled_out_the_camera_worked_wit-m-69_1757270345023.jpg "Matthew McConaughey Hides Nepo Son's Last Name in Audition 27")
Matthew recalled during the Q&A: ‘Pulled out the camera, worked with him on a scene, and sent that [tape] to [casting director] Francine Maisler. And I said — remember I had a note? — I said, “I think it might be good enough for a callback.” And she wrote back, “I think it might be good enough to show to [director] Paul [Greengrass]”‘
McConaughey asked Maisler: ‘When you do that, will you do me one favor? Will you pull the last name off so it’s just, there’s no McConaughey on the end of that?’
Francine (L, pictured in 2023) agreed and the 70-year-old filmmaker (R, pictured last Friday) declared ‘That’s the guy, that’s the son’ and when she informed him that Levi was the Zach Bryan video star’s real-life son, he exclaimed: ‘Even better!’
Jamie Lee Curtis produced The Lost Bus – also starring America Ferrera (L), Yul Vazquez, and Ashlie Atkinson – which hits limited US theaters September 19 before streaming October 3 on Apple TV+
The big-screen adaptation of Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire currently has an impressive 100% critic approval rating (out of 12 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes
Last year, Matthew also supervised the WME-repped actor on the set of McG’s (R) upcoming Navy SEAL-inspired teen drama Way of the Warrior Kid, which premieres December 25 on Apply TV+
Levi’s first-ever job was getting ‘cash for catering’ on McConaughey’s movie sets and, last year, he made his acting debut in a Father’s Day-themed Lincoln car commercial
The Deadpool & Wolverine actor also welcomed 15-year-old daughter Vida and 12-year-old son Livingston during his 13-year marriage to Women of Today founder Camila Alves (pictured in 2024)
Matthew will next kick off his five-date Poems & Prayers Book Tour on September 16 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY with special guest Jon Bon Jovi moderating
The Golden Globe winner will next kick off his five-date Poems & Prayers Book Tour on September 16 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY with special guest Jon Bon Jovi moderating.
Matthew’s other upcoming acting projects include Andrew Patterson’s crime thriller The Rivals of Amziah King, Nic Pizzolatto’s untitled Netflix series about brothers, Nic Pizzolatto’s untitled Mike Hammer film.
McConaughey will also star in Apple TV+’s 10-episode comedy Brother from Another Mother with Woody Harrelson as well as a big-screen adaptation of the Wisdom Tree video game Exodus.
