Parenting

Matthew McConaughey’s Mother Shares the Story of Three Weddings and Divorces with the Same Man


Matthew and Kay McConaughey in 2012.
(Michael Buckner/Getty Images for SXSW)

Kay McConaughey, mother of Matthew McConaughey, is sharing her unique story of marrying the same man — three times.

In a recent interview with Austin Lifestyle, the 93-year-old reflected on her late husband, Jim McConaughey, and their remarkable marital journey: They were married and divorced thrice over the course of 39 years.

“Not many people can say that,” Kay remarked. “I had three traditional weddings, one each in the Presbyterian, Catholic, and Methodist churches.”

Before their first wedding, Jim was uncertain about marriage. “I met him in college and we were quite close, but he just couldn’t decide. I knew he loved me, but if we didn’t marry, I could return to New York and model.”

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“So,” Kay continued, “I sent him a wedding invitation and said if you can attend, great, but if you’re absent at the altar, then it’s over and I’m leaving for New York. He did show up though. It wasn’t that he didn’t love me; he just couldn’t make a decision. I think he wasn’t ready for marriage, but I certainly was!”

Kay and Jim welcomed three children: Michael, Patrick, and Matthew, who rose to fame as a movie star in the 1990s. According to Kay, becoming pregnant with Matthew was unexpected.

“He was such a surprise that my friend took me to the hospital for Matthew’s birth, and Jim McConaughey said, ‘Well, I don’t know if that’s my son,’ so I replied, ‘Then don’t come to see if he is!’” Kay recounted to Austin Lifestyle. “But he came up to see the baby, and I asked, ‘What do you think?’ He came around. I mean, who else’s baby would it have been?”

Jim passed away in 1992, and years later, Kay entered a long-term relationship with businessman Clyde “CJ” Carlig, whom she refers to as “my soulmate.” They shared a beautiful bond for 17 years until his death from leukemia in 2017.

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Kay and Clyde never got married. She preferred it that way and said, “I was just so grateful to have two men in my life whom I truly loved.”

Matthew, now 55, has spoken in the past about his parents’ tumultuous relationship. In a 2006 interview with Barbara Walters, he shared that they would jokingly say, ‘Well son, I love your mother. Six days a week.’ Conversely, Mom would express the same sentiment about Dad. While it didn’t imply they didn’t care for each other on the seventh day, it illustrated the importance of self-care within relationships.”

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