Matthew McConaughey shares iconic role he turned down despite being offered $15 million

Matthew McConaughey has explained why he turned down a whopping $14.5 million (£11.45 million) role.

For normal folk, refusing that kind of cash would be very, very irresponsible.

But McConaughey had a very good reason for turning down that massive payday.

Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey has explained why he refused the eye-watering amount (YouTube/Chris Williamson)

Whenever the star does an interview, there's an element of self-awareness that comes across, which is always refreshing to hear.

This time the 55-year-old appeared on a recent episode of Chris Williamson's Modern Wisdom podcast to speak about his career and how money isn't always the defining factor.

"Now, money, fame, that’s the definition of success. It seems to be whoever has more – more access, more money – you’re the winner," he began.

"I’ve met many very rich men who’ve chased that dollar to be successful and to be relevant for having the most money," adding that many actors tend to 'sacrifice quality for quantity'.

The actor believes that money isn't everything (Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

He insisted that 'there’s no way I’d be less happy' by earning a less amount of money, revealing that he turned down $14.5 million.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, McConaughey was offered millions to star in a remake of Magnum, P.I. in 2008.

But he was playing the long game.

“I’d been gone long enough to become a new good idea. ‘Where’s McConaughey?’," telling the host that he didn't just want to do comedy movies for the rest of his life.

“You don’t say no to a $14.5m offer.”

Two years later he was offered to the role of Ron Woodroof in 2013's Dallas Buyers Club, which won him an Oscar.

“Taking a year and a half off and saying no to things in some form or fashion made me a new good idea,” he told the outlet at the time.

“Sometimes the target draws the arrow.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, McConaughey spoke about the idea of people not being pleased enough when they achieve something great.

"What do you think when you do succeed and a lot of people go 'nope, that's nothing'?" he said.

"I prescribed that I think we should take some time to be able to look in the mirror and own that thing that we pulled off and go 'good job, that's what you wanted, that's what you got'.

"At the same time, be able to, as we do more often, look in the mirror when we fail and go 'ah bogey you [did] not pull that off'.

"You know what I mean?"