Fame & fatherhood
‘The Dark Tower’ co-stars talk fame, fatherhood and who should be Sexiest Man Alive
Idris Elba says one thing surprised him as he got to know Matthew Mcconaughey. “When he talks to you, he looks you dead in the eye, to the point to where you’re like, ‘Should I look away?’ ” Elba says, laughing. The London-born leading man, 44, can unleash quite the smouldering stare himself. Now these superstar dads—texas native Mcconaughey, 47, has Levi, 9, Vida, 7, and Livingston, 4, with wife Camila Alves, 35, while the single Elba has a daughter, Isan, 15, and son Winston, 3—star in the new movie The Dark Tower, based on Stephen King’s fantasy-adventure books.
Idris, you recently started moonlighting as a pro kick-boxer—how does that help with an action role? Mcconaughey Undefeated K1 career! Elba One fight. Who’s counting? I just wasn’t beaten! I was training for my fight while I was making this film. I was in good shape. Idris’s character repeatedly dies and is reincarnated with a chance to change his life. If you could redo anything in your life, what would that be? Mcconaughey I wouldn’t touch that with a 100-ft. pole. There’s been thousands of times in my life where I was like, “Oh no!” in regret. There comes a time where we go, “Now I get what that was for.’’ Elba Honestly I’ve made some clangers in my life, but the truth of the matter is, I wouldn’t be here today had I not made those clangers. What advice would you offer your younger selves? Mcconaughey I’d go back to when I was 11, 12, 13, early teens. I’d go back and say, “Hey, enjoy those years.” I see my sons now, and one is like, “I’m not the biggest one in class.” We always tell our kids, “Don’t rush that year.” Idris, what do you teach your kids? Elba I try to get them to be appreciative for what they have. And that it’s okay to be who you are. Let’s talk People’s Sexiest Man Alive! Matthew, you’ve won. Idris, you’re clearly a contender. Mcconaughey I know he’s been sneaking around your top three for a while. You just gotta call it. Elba [Blushing] Such a compliment, coming from this man. Mcconaughey [Laughing] The thing about this crown ... You get it until the day you leave this earth. If you’re a believer you take it into the next life. How important has your family been in getting you where you are today? Mcconaughey The person I’m most thankful for is my wife. Every day she says, “Go, I got this.” So when I go to work or I head out the door to do whatever I have to do that day, I never have to look over my shoulder. Elba My children are a part of me. They are the reason I get up. When it’s a hard day and I think about bringing them up, I go, “Thank you for existing, so I have a purpose.”