Matthew McConaughey opened up about the night he first met his wife Camila Alves and admitted tequila gave him the push he needed. 

The Oscar-winning actor recalled crossing paths with the model at a bar in Los Angeles in 2006 and revealed that drinks helped him find the courage to approach her. 

Matthew told Australia’s Stellar magazine that they “met over margaritas almost two decades ago” and said he looked across the room and thought, “What is that?” before inviting her over. 

“Tequila gave me the liquid courage to call her over and we’ve been together ever since,” he shared.

The couple’s romance quickly grew and by 2012 they tied the knot and they later became parents to three children and even built a business together with their tequila brand Pantalones.

But the early days of their relationship were not without challenges, as Camila admitted she faced a tough welcome from Matthew’s mother, Mary Kathlene “Kay” McCabe. 

The fashionista revealed on the Biscuits Jam podcast that Kay used to call her by the names of the actor’s ex-girlfriends and would sometimes speak to her in broken Spanish to unsettle her. 

Camila said she felt tested constantly but over time built a strong bond with her mother-in-law. However, she explained they now share mutual respect and often end their conversations with laughter.

Furthermore, the Interstellar star defended his mother’s behavior, saying it was part of the family’s traditions. 

Matthew earlier told ET Canada that his family believed in “rites of passage” and enjoyed testing new people before truly welcoming them. He added proudly that Camila “passed with flying colours.”