It’s hard to believe that the classic romantic comedy “How to get rid of a Guy in 10 days” turns 20 in 2023. The film still works well today thanks to the magnetic chemistry between lead stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. However, what’s amazing about this movie is that while viewers have enjoyed the on-screen love affair between him and Hudson, they’ve never heard how the frequent on-screen duo has been put together until now. The Oscar winner told how he was persuaded to play a classic romantic comedy in the McConaughey story itself.
After being nominated for an Oscar for the film “Almost Famous,” Hudson became Paramount Picture’s top choice for Andy Anderson after Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow had to withdraw from the film. After Hudson was selected, it was necessary to find a suitable performer for the main role. McConaughey’s name came up at a meeting that the “Glass Bow” star “thought was a great idea.” Of course, producer Linda Obst called the manager of the “Sing” star as soon as everyone agreed that he was the perfect Benjamin Barry. The Oscar winner told Vanity Fair magazine that he received an offer and thought about it the way Matthew McConaughey did.
I remember walking down Sunset Boulevard one night and wondering if I was going to do it or not. Suddenly this guy comes up to me out of nowhere — he was a fortune-telling guru [and] says, “Can I tell you about your fate quickly?”
Of course, the fortune teller was involved in one of the most important decisions of McConaughey’s career. It reminded him of the days when he was arrested for playing bongos naked or living in his camper van and jogging on the beach. The run-in made sense. In true Matthew McConaughey style, the Dazed and Confused star agreed to the offer. The fortune teller explained to him why he needed to join a romantic comedy.
I thought, “Yeah, man. Of course.” He immediately adds: “Now you are considering the film. It’s a romantic comedy. You have to do it, otherwise it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. It’s going to be a blast, it’s going to be an incredible experience, and it’s going to make a lot of money.”
The fortune-teller seemed to have hit the nail on the head. However, their words seemed to McConaughey too good to be true. He admitted that he was skeptical about the cashier’s vision, because he thought that the person was sent by the studio to convince him to take on the role. The “True Detective” star balanced between funny and serious when she took their words into account.
I laughed at the thought, but I also remember that I made a more serious decision. I think I even accepted the offer the next day.
Fortunately, Matthew McConaughey agreed to the role. The McConaughey and Hudson team paid off: “How to Get Rid of a Guy in 10 Days” became a box office hit, collecting more than $117 million worldwide, despite mixed reviews. The film became a cult classic, and many viewers overestimated it as undermining some of the tropes of romantic comedies, which Kate Hudson agreed with. Cult classics still bring him the most money. The film also spawned a prolific on-screen couple, McConaughey and Kate Hudson, when they teamed up again to shoot the 2008 action-adventure “Fool’s Gold.”
If you want to review all the funny antics of Benjamin Barry and Andy Anderson, watch the broadcast of “How to get rid of a guy in 10 days” on a Paramount+ subscription. After you finish the classic romantic comedy, check out our 2023 movie schedule to find out which Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson movies are coming out this year.
