Fool's Gold is an 2008 American adventure/romance film from Warner Bros. Pictures about a recently divorced couple who rekindle their romantic life while searching for a lost treasure. The film was directed by Andy Tennant and reunites the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. The MPAA rated the film PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity, and language.

Plot synopsis[link]

Benjamin "Finn" Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey) is a treasure hunter looking for a treasure from a Spanish galleon, known as the Aurelia, that was lost at sea with the 1715 Treasure Fleet. In his search to find the treasure, his wife, Tess (Kate Hudson), divorces him. Tess has been working as a steward on a huge yacht owned by multi-millionaire, Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland). Finn finds a clue to the location of the treasure and manages to get on Honeycutt's yacht The Precious Gem and convince him, his daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena), and Tess to join him in searching for the treasure. A local gangster named Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart) and Finn's mentor, Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone), are intent on finding the treasure first.

The Precious Gem and Moe's vessel compete to find the treasure in The Bahamas. As Finn attempts to secretly take down Moe's search grid, Finn discovers a sword which is a clue to finding the treasure. Finn and Tess follow the clues to an ancient church and discover a diary describing the location of the treasure. Bigg Bunny and his associates, who have been following Finn and Tess, take Tess hostage and assume (incorrectly) that Finn was killed. Bigg Bunny forces Tess to aid him in the search for the treasure in a blowhole, the location revealed in the diary. Tess finds the treasure in a cave beneath the blowhole. Meanwhile, Finn and the Honeycutts enlist the help of Moe in taking the treasure out of Bigg Bunny's hands. They arrive as Bigg Bunny sends one of his associates back in to the water to find out who was killed in the blowhole. The blowhole kills Bigg Bunny's employee and traps Tess and Finn. Finn saves Tess, only to have Bigg Bunny kidnap an unconscious Tess again. Gemma gets Finn to Bigg Bunny's plane on her jet ski and Finn leaps on the plane's pontoon as the plane takes off. As Bigg Bunny attempts to shoot Finn, Tess begins to wake and kicks Bigg Bunny out of the plane, sending him into the ocean. Bigg Bunny's henchman is then taken prisoner by Moe, after Moe has been shot in the leg with a speargun.

Finn and Tess are reunited and find the treasure together. Tess is shown to be pregnant. Eventually Finn, Tess, Nigel, Gemma, Moe and all those who contributed in finding the treasure open a museum to display all of their finds.

Cast[link]

• Matthew McConaughey as Ben 'Finn' Finnegan
• Kate Hudson as Tess Finnegan
• Donald Sutherland as Nigel Honeycutt
• Alexis Dziena as Gemma Honeycutt
• Ray Winstone as Moe Fitch
• Kevin Hart as BiggBunny Deenz
• Ewen Bremner as Alfonz
• Brian Hooks as Curtis
• Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Cordell
• Michael Mulheren as Eddie
• Adam LeFevre as Gary
• Rohan Nichol as Stefan
• David Roberts as Cyrus
• Roger Sciberras as Andras

Production[link]

Warner Bros. and director Andy Tennant planned to shoot the film in the Caribbean, but decided on Queensland, Australia because the hurricane season in the Caribbean was likely to stall production of the film. The Key West scenes were filmed in Port Douglas. Filming also took place in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Lizard Island, Airlie Beach, and Hervey Bay. Scenes were also filmed at Batt Reef, where Steve Irwin died from a stingray barb in 2006.^[1]

Inside scenes were shot on a sound stage at the Warner Bros studio facility and the actors and crew stayed in luxury homes and apartments on the Gold Coast. McConaughey mentioned having a python in the backyard of his house in Port Douglas. McConaughey said, "There were other days like the day we went out diving and swam with a dugong, which was very cool."

Two crew members were stung by Irukandji jellyfish during filming, so some of the water scenes were shot in the Caribbean because the actors were so frightened.^[1]

The Precious Gem luxury motor yacht in the movie is called the Keri Lee in real life. It was designed by yacht architect Ward Setzer of Setzer Design Group and originally named Status Quo. It is privately owned and operated by Lee Group Charters.^[2]

The yacht's tender was a 2007 Chris-Craft Launch 25.

Release[link]

Critical reception[link]

The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. As of November 28, 2011, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 11% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 143 reviews.^[3] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 29 out of 100, based on 28 reviews.^[4]

Several critics compared the film unfavorably to National Treasure^[5][6][7][8] and Romancing the Stone.^[6][8][9] Some critics referred to the film as "tedious"^[6][10][11] and "listless."^[10][11][12]

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film zero stars out of 4 and said "Paris Hilton's appalling The Hottie and the Nottie is "marginally better." Travers wrote "I defy any 2008 comedy to be as stupid, slack and sexless" as Fool's Gold.^[5]

Lou Lumenick of the New York Post gave the film 1 star out of 4 and called it "excruciatingly lame." Lumenick said "It's all basically an excuse to show off the scenery", including McConaughey's abs.^[10]

Carrie Rickey of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave the film 1½ stars out of 4 and said it "plays like a Three Stooges movie with scuba gear.", but that "a Three Stooges movie is enlightened next to this one." Rickey described McConaughey as "perennially shirtless" and Hudson as "peculiarly mirthless."^[7]

Pete Vonder Haar of Film Threat gave the film 1½ stars and said "the resolution is never in doubt, the villains are comedic rather than menacing, and no one involved seems to care one way or the other that their names are attached to this indifferent mess." Vonder Haar said McConaughey plays Finn "as Sahara's Dirk Pitt minus the SEAL training and a few million brain cells." and asked "Does McConaughey have some codicil in his contract stipulating he must spend at least 51% of a movie shirtless?"^[13]

Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune gave it 2 stars out of 4 and said the characters "are comic book clichés." Smith said "the outcome is predictable" and "The wasted talents include Sutherland, affecting a hokey British accent, and hatchet-faced Ewen Bremner."^[8]

Brian Lowry of Variety said "The lure of Matthew McConaughey shirtless for extended stretches doubtless has some marketing value, but after that, Fool's Gold offers small compensation." Lowry wrote "At times the pic feels like a comedic version of The Deep, only without the comedy." Lowry said the tropic scenery was well-shot but said "there's not much chemistry" between McConaughey and Hudson.^[12]

Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times called it a "cheesy, familiar bore" and said it "feels at times like a third-rate Bond movie set to a Jimmy Buffett album." Chocano said "Hudson is the best thing about the movie. She has a likable, grounded presence and sharp comic timing."^[9]

Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club gave the film a "C+" and called it "the kind of thing people watch because it's the in-flight movie." Rabin called the repeated mentions of Finn's sexual prowess "a delightfully unnecessary move." Rabin said the film "outstays its welcome by a good 20 minutes" and called it "extravagantly stupid", but that the film's strengths were the "photogenic locales, obscenely beautiful stars, a laid-back soundtrack" and an unwillingness to take itself seriously.^[14]

Lou Lumenick said the ending was "surprisingly bloody"^[10] and Brian Lowry said the ending is "a little more violent than necessary" and "a bit grittier than it should be tonally, as if we've detoured into a different movie."^[12]

Simon Braund of Empire magazine gave the film 1 star out of 5 and called it "Absolute tosh. A ridiculous, unerringly tedious plot is weighed down by listless performances from a cast who clearly wished they were somewhere else, despite the sumptuous location."^[11]

The film earned a Razzie Award nomination for Kate Hudson as Worst Actress (also for My Best Friend's Girl).

Box office performance[link]

The film was released February 8, 2008 in the United States and Canada and grossed $21.5 million in 3,125 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the box office.^[15] As of September 14, 2008, the film has grossed over $110.5 million worldwide — $70.2 million in the United States and Canada and $40.3 million in other territories.^[16]

DVD release[link]

Fool's Gold was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 17, 2008.^[17] About 1,225,904 DVD units have been sold, acquiring revenue of $20,502,574. This does not include Blu-ray sales. It was presented in anamorphic widescreen with an English-language 5.1 digital surround soundtrack. The extras for the DVD include Flirting with Adventure McConaughey-Hudson chemistry featurette, and a gag reel.^{[citation needed]} Fool's Gold was released on R4 Australian DVD on June 5, 2008.

References[link]

External links[link]

• February, 2011 copyright infringement lawsuit
• Louis Boudreau's novel, Fandango's Gold.
• Official website
• Fool's Gold at the Internet Movie Database
• Fool's Gold at AllRovi
• Fool's Gold at Box Office Mojo
• Fool's Gold at Rotten Tomatoes
• Fool's Gold at Metacritic

Pyrite
A mass of intergrown pyrite crystals
General
Category	Sulfide mineral
Chemical formula	iron disulfide (FeS2)
Strunz classification	02.EB.05a
Dana classification	2.12.1.1
Crystal symmetry	Isometric diploidal Space group: Pa3 H-M symbol: 2/m3
Unit cell	a = 5.417 Å, Z=4
Identification
Color	Pale brass-yellow, tarnishes darker and iridescent
Crystal habit	Cubic, faces may be striated, but also frequently octahedral and pyritohedron. Often inter-grown, massive, radiated, granular, globular and stalactitic.
Crystal system	Isometric
Twinning	Penetration and contact twinning
Cleavage	Indistinct on {001}; partings on {011} and {111}
Fracture	Very uneven, sometimes conchoidal
Tenacity	Brittle
Mohs scale hardness	6–6.5
Luster	Metallic, glistening
Streak	Greenish-black to brownish-black
Diaphaneity	Opaque
Specific gravity	4.95–5.10
Fusibility	2.5–3 to a magnetic globule
Solubility	Insoluble in water
Other characteristics	paramagnetic
References	[1][2][3][4]

The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS₂. This mineral's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold. The color has also led to the nicknames brass, brazzle and Brazil, primarily used to refer to pyrite found in coal.^[5][6]

Pyrite is the most common of the sulfide minerals. The name pyrite is derived from the Greek πυρίτης (puritēs), "of fire" or "in fire",^[7] in turn from πύρ (pur), "fire".^[8] In ancient Roman times, this name was applied to several types of stone that would create sparks when struck against steel; Pliny the Elder described one of them as being brassy, almost certainly a reference to what we now call pyrite.^[9] By Georgius Agricola's time, the term had become a generic term for all of the sulfide minerals.^[10]

Pyrite is usually found associated with other sulfides or oxides in quartz veins, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock, as well as in coal beds, and as a replacement mineral in fossils. Despite being nicknamed fool's gold, pyrite is sometimes found in association with small quantities of gold. Gold and arsenic occur as a coupled substitution in the pyrite structure. In the Carlin–type gold deposits, arsenian pyrite contains up to 0.37 wt% gold.^[11]

Uses[link]

Pyrite from Ampliación a Victoria Mine, Navajún, La Rioja, Spain

Pyrite enjoyed brief popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries as a source of ignition in early firearms, most notably the wheellock, where the cock held a lump of pyrite against a circular file to strike the sparks needed to fire the gun.

Pyrite has been used since classical times to manufacture copperas, that is, iron(II) sulfate. Iron pyrite was heaped up and allowed to weather as described above (an early form of heap leaching). The acidic runoff from the heap was then boiled with iron to produce iron sulfate. In the 15^th century, such leaching began to replace the burning of sulfur as a source of sulfuric acid. By the 19th century, it had become the dominant method. ^[12]

Pyrite remains in commercial use for the production of sulfur dioxide, for use in such applications as the paper industry, and in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. Thermal decomposition of pyrite into FeS (iron(II) sulfide) and elemental sulfur starts at 550 °C; at around 700 °C p_S2 is about 1 atm.^[13]

Pyrite is a semiconductor material with band gap of 0.95 eV.^[14]

During the early years of the 20th century, pyrite was used as a mineral detector in radio receivers, and is still used by 'crystal radio' hobbyists. Until the vacuum tube matured, the crystal detector was the most sensitive and dependable detector available- with considerable variation between mineral types and even individual samples within a particular type of mineral. Pyrite detectors occupied a midway point between galena detectors and the more mechanically complicated perikon mineral pairs. Pyrite detectors can be as sensitive as a modern 1N34A diode detector.^[15][16]

Pyrite has been proposed as an abundant, inexpensive material in low cost photovoltaic solar panels.^[17] Synthetic iron sulfide is used with copper sulfide to create the experimental photovoltaic material.^[18]

Pyrite is used to make marcasite jewelry (incorrectly termed marcasite). Marcasite jewelry, made from small faceted pieces of pyrite, often set in silver, was popular in the Victorian era.^[19]

Formal oxidation states for pyrite, marcasite, and arsenopyrite[link]

From the perspective of classical inorganic chemistry, which assigns formal oxidation states to each atom, pyrite is probably best described as Fe²⁺S₂²⁻. This formalism recognizes that the sulfur atoms in pyrite occur in pairs with clear S–S bonds. These persulfide units can be viewed as derived from hydrogen disulfide, H₂S₂. Thus pyrite would be more descriptively called iron persulfide, not iron disulfide. In contrast, molybdenite, MoS₂, features isolated sulfide (S²⁻) centers. Consequently, the oxidation state of molybdenum is Mo⁴⁺. The mineral arsenopyrite has the formula FeAsS. Whereas pyrite has S₂ subunits, arsenopyrite has AsS units, formally derived from deprotonation of H₂AsSH. Analysis of classical oxidation states would recommend the description of arsenopyrite as Fe³⁺(AsS)³⁻.^[20]

Crystallography[link]

Crystal structure of pyrite. In the center of the cell a S₂^2- pair is seen in yellow.

Iron-pyrite FeS₂ represents the prototype compound of the crystallographic pyrite structure. The structure is simple cubic and was among the first crystal structures solved by X-ray diffraction.^[21] It belongs to the crystallographic space group Pa3 and is denoted by the Strukturbericht notation C2. Under thermodynamic standard conditions the lattice constant Failed to parse (Missing texvc executable; please see math/README to configure.): a

of stoichiometric iron pyrite FeS2 amounts to 541.87 pm.[22] The unit cell is composed of a Fe face-centered cubic sublattice into which the S ions are embedded. The pyrite structure is also taken by other compounds MX2 of transition metals M and chalcogens X = O, S, Se and Te. Also certain dipnictides with X standing for P, As and Sb etc. are known to adopt the pyrite structure.[23] 

In the first bonding sphere, the Fe atoms are surrounded by six S nearest neighbours, in a distorted octahedral arrangement. The material is a diamagnetic semiconductor and the Fe ions should be considered to be in a low spin divalent state (as shown by Mösbauer spectroscopy as well as XPS), rather than a tetravalent state as the stoichiometry would suggest.

The positions of X ions in the pyrite structure may be derived from the fluorite structure, starting from a hypothetical Fe²⁺(S^-)₂ structure. Whereas F^- ions in CaF₂ occupy the centre positions of the eight subcubes of the cubic unit cell (¼ ¼ ¼) etc., the S^- ions in FeS₂ are shifted from these high symmetry positions along <111> axes to reside on (uuu) and symmetry-equivalent positions. Here, the parameter u should be regarded as a free atomic parameter that takes different values in different pyrite-structure compounds (iron pyrite FeS₂: u(S) = 0.385 ^[24]). The shift from fluorite u=0.25 to pyrite u=0.385 is rather large and creates a S-S distance that is clearly a binding one. This is not surprising as in contrast to F^- an ion S^- is not a closed shell species. It is isoelectronic with a chlorine atom, also undergoing pairing to form Cl₂ molecules. Both low spin Fe²⁺ and the disulfide S₂^2- moeties are closed shell entities, explaining the diamagnetic en semiconducting properties.

The S atoms have bonds with three Fe and one other S atom. The site symmetry at Fe and S positions is accounted for by point symmetry groups C_3i and C₃, respectively. The missing center of inversion at S lattice sites has important consequences for the crystallographic and physical properties of iron pyrite. These consequences derive from the crystal electric field active at the sulfur lattice site, which causes a polarisation of S ions in the pyrite lattice.^[25] The polarisation can be calculated on the basis of higher-order Madelung constants and has to be included in the calculation of the lattice energy by using a generalised Born-Haber cycle. This reflects the fact that the covalent bond in the sulfur pair is ill accounted for in the strictly ionic treatment of Madelung theory.

Arsenopyrite has a related structure with heteroatomic As-S pairs rather than homoatomic ones. Marcasite also possesses homoatomic anion pairs, but the arrangement of the metal and diatomic anions is different than in a pyrite. Despite its name a chalcopyrite does not contain dianion pairs, but single S^2- sulfide anions.

Varieties[link]

Cattierite (CoS₂) and Vaesite (NiS₂) are similar in their structure and belong also to the pyrite group.

Bravoite is a nickel-cobalt bearing variety of pyrite, with >50% substitution of Ni²⁺ for Fe²⁺ within pyrite. Bravoite is not a formally recognised mineral, and is named after Peruvian scientist Jose J. Bravo (1874–1928).^[26]

Synthetically, materials MX₂ with a pyrite structure can be made in the lab with for M a whole series of elements from the Mn column of the d block all the way to the Zn column and for X the chalcogenides S, Se or Te. For most of these systems it is also possible to make continuous solid solution series, so that the Bravo's geological findings are hardly surprising. From a chemical point of view the mineral is therefore likely to vary considerably in composition, depending on which elements were available during its formation.

Distinguishing similar minerals[link]

Chalcopyrite is brighter yellow with a greenish hue when wet and is softer (3.5–4 on Mohs' scale).^[27]

Arsenopyrite is silver white and does not become more yellow when wet.

Hazards[link]

A pyrite cube (center) has dissolved away from a host rock, leaving behind trace gold.

Iron pyrite is unstable in the natural environment: in nature it is always in the process of being created or being destroyed. Iron pyrite exposed to air and water decomposes into iron oxides and sulfate. This process is hastened by the action of Acidithiobacillus bacteria which oxidize the pyrite to produce ferrous iron and sulfate. These reactions occur more rapidly when the pyrite is in fine crystals and dust, which is the form it takes in most mining operations.

Acid drainage[link]

Sulfate released from decomposing pyrite combines with water, producing sulfuric acid, leading to acid rock drainage and potentially acid rain.

Dust explosions[link]

Iron pyrite oxidation is sufficiently exothermic that underground coal mines in high-sulfur coal seams have occasionally had serious problems with spontaneous combustion in the mined-out areas of the mine. The solution is to hermetically seal the mined-out areas to exclude oxygen.^[28]

Weakened building materials[link]

Building stone containing pyrite tends to stain brown as the pyrite oxidizes. This problem appears to be significantly worse if any marcasite is also present.^[29] The presence of pyrite in the aggregate used to make concrete can lead to severe deterioration as the pyrite oxidizes.^[30] In early 2009, problems with Chinese drywall imported into the United States after Hurricane Katrina were attributed to oxidation of pyrite.^[31] In the United States, in Canada,^[32] and more recently in Ireland,^[33] pyrite contamination has caused major structural damage. Modern tests for aggregate materials^[34] certify such materials as free of pyrite.

Prevention in mines[link]

In modern coal mines, limestone dust is sprayed onto the exposed coal surfaces to reduce the hazard of dust explosions. This has the secondary benefit of neutralizing the acid released by pyrite oxidation and therefore slowing the oxidation cycle described above, thus reducing the likelihood of spontaneous combustion. In the long term, however, oxidation continues, and the hydrated sulfates formed may exert crystallization pressure that can expand cracks in the rock and lead eventually to roof fall.^[35]

Gallery[link]

The following images show other pyrite forms:

• 

  Disc or "pyrite dollar" from south of Tucson, Arizona; diameter 10 cm

• 

  Cubes in rock

• 

  Crystal cluster from Elba, Italy

• 

  As a replacement mineral in an ammonite from France

See also[link]

• Chalcopyrite (Copper Pyrite)
• List of minerals

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• American Geological Institute, 2003, Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms, 2nd ed., Springer, New York, ISBN 978-3-540-01271-9
• Mineral galleries

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pyrite

• How Minerals Form and Change "Pyrite oxidation under room conditions".

Majekodumni Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek, is a Nigerian reggae singer and guitarist.^[1][2] Various translations of his name include "high priest who does not lie", "powers of miracles" and "the high priest does not live".^[3][4][5][6]

Early life[link]

Fashek was born in Benin City, Nigeria to an Edo mother and a Yoruba father.^[3][4]

Musical career[link]

Fashek first gained national fame on a television show in the early 1980s as a member of Benin-based reggae group Jastix. His bandmates included Ras Kimono and Amos McRoy Gregg. They toured for many years with fellow reggae group The Mandators. In 1988, shortly after Jastix disbanded, he began a solo career and quickly became the best-known reggae artist in Nigeria.^[7] His song "Send Down The Rain" was a hit, and he won six US-based PMAN Music Awards.

After leaving Tabansi Records, he was signed to CBS Nigeria in the early 1990s before moving to Island Records' Mango imprint, a label more accustomed to marketing reggae internationally. His first album for the company included a cover version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". In 1990 he was signed to Interscope Records and released the critically acclaimed album Spirit Of Love, produced by "Little Steven" Van Zandt. Flame Tree released The Best of Majek Fashek in 1994. He has recorded several albums for various labels since, including Rainmaker for Tuff Gong (1997) and Little Patience for Coral (2004).

Fashek is one of the increasing number of African artists to be drawn to the music of the Caribbean, specifically reggae, rather than indigenous hybrids such as fuji, jùjú,^[8] or highlife. Having grown up in a fervently religious and musical family, he was exposed to the imported sounds of Bob Marley at an early age, alongside the innovations of local stars such as Fela Kuti.

Fashek's major influences are Bob Marley (whom he strongly resembles vocally^[9][10]), Fela Kuti, and Jimi Hendrix.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Majek Fashek interview
• Majek Focus

Matthew McConaughey
McConaughey at the 83rd Academy Awards in 2011
Born	Matthew David McConaughey (1969-11-04) November 4, 1969 (age 42) Uvalde, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1991–present
Partner	Camila Alves (2007–present; 2 children)

Matthew David McConaughey ( /məˈkɒnəheɪ/;^[1] born November 4, 1969) is an American actor.

After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused (1993). He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall. McConaughey is best known more recently for his performances as a leading man in the romantic comedies The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Fool's Gold.

Early life[link]

McConaughey, the youngest of three boys, was born in Uvalde, Texas. His mother, Mary Kathleen "Kay" (née McCabe), was a kindergarten teacher, and his father, James Donald McConaughey, was a gas-station owner who ran an oil pipe supply business and once played football for the Green Bay Packers.^[2][3][4] McConaughey has Irish ancestry^[5] and had a Methodist upbringing.^[6][7][8] McConaughey's mother and late father had a very stormy relationship, so much so that they divorced and re-married each other several times.^[9]

McConaughey moved to Longview, Texas — located east of Dallas, where he attended Longview High School. While in high school, he was voted most handsome in the Longview Lobo Yearbook. He lived for a year in Warnervale, New South Wales, Australia, as a Rotary exchange student in 1988.^[10] McConaughey attended the College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, where he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity and lived at The Castilian residence hall.^[11] He began in fall of 1989 and graduated in the spring of 1993 with a B.S. degree in Radio-Television-Film.^[12]

Career[link]

McConaughey began his acting career in 1991, appearing in television commercials, before being cast in Richard Linklater's film Dazed and Confused, which became a critical success, garnering largely positive reviews.^[13] After appearing in some smaller roles in Angels in the Outfield, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, Boys on the Side, the television series Unsolved Mysteries, and as the male lead in the Trisha Yearwood music video for the song Walkaway Joe, McConaughey's big break came as the lawyer "Jake Brigance" in the 1996 film A Time to Kill, based on the John Grisham novel of the same name.^{[citation needed]}

McConaughey was cast in leading roles in many more movies: Contact, Amistad, The Newton Boys, EDtv, and U-571. By the early 2000s, he was frequently cast in romantic comedies, including The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, both of which were successful at the box office. During this period, he appeared as a firefighter in the low-budget film Tiptoes, opposite Rene Russo, in Two For The Money as a protege to Al Pacino's gambling mogul, and in Frailty, cast against type as a serial killer, opposite Bill Paxton. On September 10, 2000, he appears as himself on the show Sex and the City on HBO, talking with Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) about optioning her columns to make a movie.^[14]

McConaughey starred in the feature film Sahara, along with Steve Zahn and Penélope Cruz. Prior to the release of the movie, he promoted it by repeating some trips he took in the late 1990s, including sailing down the Amazon River and trekking to Mali.^{[citation needed]} That same year, McConaughey was named People magazine's “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2005.^[15]

In 2006, he co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker in the romantic comedy Failure to Launch, which was reasonably successful at the box office. McConaughey also provided voice work for an ad campaign of the Peace Corps in late 2006. Matthew's production company, j.k. livin, is currently in development on projects with Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. McConaughey starred in the football drama We Are Marshall. He also appeared in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder, replacing Owen Wilson after Wilson's suicide attempt.^[16]

On January 21, 2008, McConaughey became the new spokesman for the national radio campaign, "Beef: It's What's For Dinner", replacing actor Sam Elliot.^[17][18]

In June 2010 it was announced that McConaughey is teaming up with Marc Hyman to develop a scripted comedy for TV channel FX based on material from J. R. Reed.^[19]

McConaughey was one of the presenters at the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony.

Personal life[link]

McConaughey approaching the finish line in a triathlon, September 2008.

McConaughey is an avid fan of the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Redskins.^[20]

McConaughey's personal motto is "Just Keep Livin". His foundation is called j.k. livin foundation (all lower-case), which "is dedicated to helping teenage kids lead active lives and make healthy choices to become great men and women."^[21]

Arrest[link]

On October 26, 1999, McConaughey was arrested in Austin, Texas, for resisting arrest following a disturbance in the early hours of the morning and for possession of cannabis.^[22] He had been found to be playing music very loudly on bongo drums while nude in his own home.^[23] McConaughey denied the drug charges (which were subsequently dropped),^[24] but was charged with disturbing the peace. He pled guilty and paid a fine of $50.

Animal rescue[link]

McConaughey rescued various pets stranded after the flooding of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina.^[25] In 2006, in Sherman Oaks, California, he rescued a cat from two youths who had doused the animal in hairspray and were attempting to set it on fire.^[26]

Family[link]

McConaughey with partner Camila Alves in 2010.

McConaughey met his partner, Brazilian model and television performer Camila Alves, in 2007, and they are currently living in Austin, Texas. Together they have two children, son Levi Alves McConaughey (born July 7, 2008),^[27] and daughter Vida Alves McConaughey (born January 3, 2010).^[28] McConaughey proposed to Alves on Christmas Day 2011.^[29]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Matthew McConaughey

• Matthew McConaughey Official Site
• Matthew McConaughey at the Internet Movie Database
• Matthew McConaughey at People.com
• "Walkaway Joe" video Trisha Yearwood, CMT
• Matthew McConaughey's Guest DJ Set on KCRW KCRW Guest DJ Set
• 2008 interview with Bullz-Eye.com
• Matthew McConaughey Jump Roping Challenge

Kate Hudson
Hudson after an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, July 2006
Born	Kate Garry Hudson (1979-04-19) April 19, 1979 (age 33) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1996–present
Spouse	Chris Robinson (2000-2007)
Partner	Matthew Bellamy (2010-present)
Children	2
Parents	Bill Hudson, Goldie Hawn
Relatives	Oliver Hudson (brother)

Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) which gained her wider fame. She has since established herself in Hollywood after starring in several productions including Raising Helen (2004), The Skeleton Key (2005), You, Me and Dupree (2006), Fool's Gold (2008) and Bride Wars (2009).

Early life[link]

Hudson was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Academy Award-winning actress Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson, an actor, comedian, and musician.^[1] Her parents divorced eighteen months after her birth; she and her brother, actor Oliver Hudson, were raised in Colorado by her mother and her mother's long-time boyfriend, actor Kurt Russell.^[2]

Hudson has stated that her biological father "doesn't know me from a hole in the wall", and that she considers Russell to be her father.^[3] Her biological father has indicated that he has made several efforts to connect with Kate and Oliver, but neither has reciprocated.^[4] Hudson has described her mother as "the woman that I've learned the most from, and who I look up to, who has conducted her life in a way that I can look up to".^[5] She has four half-siblings: Emily and Zachary Hudson, from her biological father's subsequent marriage to actress Cindy Williams; Lalania Hudson, from his relationship with another woman;^[4] and Wyatt, from her mother's relationship with Russell.

Hudson is of Italian (from her paternal grandmother),^[6] English, and Hungarian Jewish descent.^[7] She was raised in her maternal grandmother's Jewish religion.^[8][9] In 1997, she graduated from Crossroads, a college preparatory school in Santa Monica. She was accepted to New York University but chose to pursue an acting career instead of an undergraduate degree.^[2]

Career[link]

Hudson's breakthrough was as Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous (2000), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture.^[2] She had previously appeared in the lesser-known films Gossip, a teenage drama, and 200 Cigarettes, a New Year's-set comedy with a large cast of actors. Regarding her early career and success, Hudson has noted that she is a "hard worker", and did not want to be associated with her well-known parents, wishing to avoid the perception that she "rode on somebody's coattails".^[2]

In 2002, she starred in the remake of the historical romance The Four Feathers, a film which was not well-received by critics or audiences. Her next film, the romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, was a box office success, grossing over $100 million after its February 2003 release. Hudson subsequently appeared in several romantic comedies, including Alex and Emma and Raising Helen; the films met with varying degrees of success.

Hudson signing autographs in July 2006

Hudson headlined a thriller called The Skeleton Key in 2005. The film, which had a production budget of $43 million, enjoyed box office success, grossing over $91.9 million worldwide ($47.9 million in North America).^[10] Her later film, a comedy titled You, Me and Dupree and co-starring Owen Wilson and Matt Dillon, grossed $21.5 million on its opening weekend of July 14, 2006.^[11]

In 2007, Hudson directed the short film Cutlass, one of Glamour magazine's "Reel Moments" based on readers' personal essays. Cutlass co-stars Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Virginia Madsen, Chevy Chase and Kristen Stewart.^[12]

In 2008, she appeared in Fool's Gold, a romantic comedy released on February 8, and her second film to co-star Matthew McConaughey. She had been certified in scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef for the movie's underwater scenes. Also the same year, she appeared in another romantic comedy, My Best Friend's Girl, which was released in September.

Hudson next appeared in the musical film Nine, alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench. The film, directed by Rob Marshall, was released in December 2009. Hudson was critically acclaimed for her unknown dancing skills, showcased in a stylish 60's inspired original piece called "Cinema Italiano", which was written specifically for the film and for Hudson's character.

She starred in the film adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me. The film premiered on January 24, 2010 at the Sundance Film Festival.

In 2011, she played Darcy in Something Borrowed, based on Emily Giffin's novel of the same name.

Personal life[link]

Hudson married Chris Robinson, the frontman for The Black Crowes, on December 31, 2000 in Aspen, Colorado. The couple lived in a house that was once owned by director James Whale and traveled together during Hudson's film shoots or Robinson's music tours.^[2] Hudson gave birth to son Ryder Russell Robinson in January 2004. On August 14, 2006, Hudson's publicist announced that Hudson and Robinson had separated. On November 18, 2006, Robinson filed divorce papers, citing "irreconcilable differences".^[13] The divorce was finalized on October 22, 2007.^[14]

In spring 2010, Hudson began dating Muse frontman Matthew Bellamy.^[15] In January 2011, it was announced Hudson and Bellamy were expecting a child.^[16][17] In February 2011, Hudson bought a house in London, England. A Daily Mail source reported that she plans to live in London with her partner six months a year.^[18] On April 27, 2011 on The Today Show she said that she and Matthew Bellamy got engaged the prior week. Their son Bingham Hawn Bellamy was born in July 2011.^[19][20]

Hudson has also said that she does not enjoy seeing herself on screen, specifying that she "gets cold... shakes and... sweats" when watching her performances for the first time.^[5]

In July 2006, Hudson sued the British version of the National Enquirer after it reported she had an eating disorder, describing her as "painfully thin". Hudson said the tabloid's statements were "a blatant lie" and she was concerned about the impact the false report could have on impressionable young women.^[21] The newspaper apologized and compensated her.^[22]

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

Television[link]

References[link]