Varsity shells out for McConaughey graduation turn

THE University of Houston is set to pay a heavy price to have Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey speak at its graduation ceremony. It will be paying the 45-year-old Oscar winner a whopping $135 000 (about R1.6-million) for his speech, the New York Post reports. The organisers will also pick up the bill for his travel expenses and a 15% commission to his agency.

But McConaughey will not pocket his earnings — they will it will go to his charity, the Just Keep Living Foundation.

The university initially kept his fee under wraps, but disclosed it after the confidentially agreement expired.

McConaughey will not be far from home when he speaks. He lives in Austin, Texas, about three hours from Houston.