Matthew McConaughey has revealed that one of his most famous romantic comedies is still making him money more than 20 years after its release.
The actor, 56, said How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days remains his biggest earner when it comes to residual payments, with the film continuing to bring in what he described as “mailbox money” more than two decades later.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McConaughey called the 2003 movie “the gift that keeps on giving” and revealed that it is probably his favourite rom-com he has made.
He added: “It still pays the best mailbox money of any film I've ever done – by far!”
According to McConaughey, the movie traditionally brought him a particularly large payment every March, thanks to viewers watching it around Valentine's Day.
"When it used to be just DVDs or cable, every March I'd get a big check because, Valentine's Day," he explained.
The actor said the movie has become a lasting part of the romantic comedy genre.
"The movie, for me, for that genre, let me just own that genre," he said.
"How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days... that's a real anchor in the rom-com genre through time."
The film, directed by Donald Petrie, stars McConaughey as advertising executive Ben Barry and Kate Hudson as women's magazine writer Andie Anderson.
Andie is tasked with writing an article about how to drive a man away in 10 days, while Ben makes a bet with his colleagues that he can make her fall in love with him in the same amount of time.
The two end up falling for each other despite both initially having ulterior motives.
The movie became one of McConaughey's best-known romantic comedies and helped establish him as one of the genre's leading stars during the 2000s.
He had already appeared in The Wedding Planner alongside Jennifer Lopez before going on to star in Failure To Launch, Fool's Gold and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
McConaughey later moved towards more dramatic roles, culminating in his Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club in 2013.
Despite the change in direction, he has continued to speak fondly about How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.
He previously revealed that a fortune teller once approached him on the street and encouraged him to take the role.
"There's a movie you're considering right now. It's a romantic comedy. You have to do this or it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life," the mysterious man reportedly told him.
He also predicted that the film would “make a bunch of money.”
McConaughey initially suspected the man had been hired by the studio to convince him to take the role, but the unusual encounter stayed with him.
"I laughed at the thought, but I also remember taking a more serious consideration," he recalled. "I think I even accepted the offer the next day."
Hudson has also previously spoken warmly about their experience working together.
"He's one of my great loves," she said of McConaughey when discussing her favourite professional collaborations.
"I feel really lucky that I got to experience that with someone as talented and as fun as Matthew."
