Beyond The Spotlight: 5 Shocking Facts About Matthew McConaughey's Brothers, Including The Woody Harrelson DNA Test

The McConaughey family is famously unconventional, and actor Matthew McConaughey's two older brothers are no exception. While the Oscar-winner is a global superstar, his siblings, Michael "Rooster" McConaughey and Patrick "Pat" McConaughey, have carved out fascinating, yet very different, lives for themselves, mostly away from the Hollywood spotlight. The latest and most intriguing chapter in the McConaughey "brotherhood" story, however, involves a decades-long friend and co-star: Woody Harrelson, whose potential biological connection to Matthew has become a massive, current news story. This December 2025 update explores the lives of Matthew's known brothers and the shocking possibility that the McConaughey clan might be even larger than previously thought. The McConaughey brothers share a colorful, Texas-sized upbringing defined by their late father, James Donald "Jim" McConaughey, and their mother, Mary Kathleen "Kay" McCabe McConaughey. The family's dynamic, including their parents' tumultuous but passionate relationship, is the foundation for the unique characters of all three men.

The McConaughey Brotherhood: A Complete Profile of Matthew's Siblings

Matthew McConaughey is the youngest of three boys. Here is a detailed look at his two older brothers, Michael "Rooster" and Patrick "Pat" McConaughey, and the newest addition to the "brother" narrative, Woody Harrelson.

Michael "Rooster" McConaughey (The Texas Tycoon)

• Full Name: Michael McConaughey
• Nickname: "Rooster"
• Date of Birth: August 2, 1954
• Age (as of Dec 2025): 71
• Hometown: Houston, Texas, raised in Uvalde, Texas
• Occupation: Oilfield equipment and services entrepreneur, investor, reality television star
• Business Ventures: Founder of DGM Supply, co-founder of the investment company West Texas Ltd.
• Reality TV: Starred in CNBC's *West Texas Investors Club* (2015–2016) and *Rooster & Butch* (2018)
• Family: Married to Erica McConaughey, with whom he shares two children, Madison and Miller.

Patrick "Pat" McConaughey (The Private Hero)

• Full Name: Patrick McConaughey
• Nickname: "Pat"
• Date of Birth: Circa 1962 (estimated)
• Age (as of Dec 2025): Early 60s
• Adoption Status: Adopted by James and Kay McConaughey
• Occupation: Private life, non-entertainment career
• Relationship with Matthew: Matthew has referred to Pat as his "heroic older brother," highlighting his importance in the family.
• Public Profile: Maintains a significantly low profile compared to his famous younger brother and his entrepreneurial brother, Rooster.

Woody Harrelson (The Potential Half-Brother)

• Full Name: Woodrow Tracy Harrelson
• Date of Birth: July 23, 1961
• Connection: Close friend and frequent co-star of Matthew McConaughey.
• The Twist: Matthew's mother, Kay, revealed to him that she knew Woody's father, Charles Harrelson, during a time when she was separated from Matthew’s father, Jim. This led to the possibility that Matthew and Woody could be half-brothers.
• Current Project: Co-starring with Matthew in the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series *Brothers*, which is loosely based on their friendship and the real-life question of their familial bond.

The Oil Tycoon and the Reality TV Star: Rooster McConaughey's Empire

Michael "Rooster" McConaughey is arguably the most publicly visible of Matthew's siblings, thanks to his own successful career and a brief foray into reality television. Rooster is a self-made Texas oilman, an entrepreneur whose wealth was built on the back of the Texas oil industry and shrewd real estate investments. Rooster's business acumen is no joke. He founded DGM Supply, a successful oil pipe business, and co-founded an investment company called West Texas Ltd. His success led to his starring role on the CNBC reality series *West Texas Investors Club* alongside his business partner, Wayne "Butch" Gilliam. The show, which ran for two seasons, was often described as a "Shark Tank with a twang." Unlike the formal setting of other investment shows, Rooster and Butch would meet entrepreneurs in Texas, often conducting business over beers and offering their "West Texas wisdom" and capital to promising ventures. Rooster's personality is pure Texas—blunt, humorous, and deeply rooted in the state's culture. He famously named his youngest son Miller Lyte, after the popular beer, a move that perfectly captures the McConaughey family's irreverent spirit. Rooster’s relationship with Matthew is a loving, if sometimes competitive, sibling bond, with Matthew often sharing anecdotes about his older brother's wild and successful life.

Pat McConaughey: The Adopted Brother and "Heroic" Anchor

While Rooster embraces the public eye, Patrick "Pat" McConaughey has chosen a dramatically different path, maintaining a fiercely private life outside of the entertainment industry. Pat is the adopted brother, welcomed into the McConaughey family during a period when Matthew's parents, Jim and Kay, were having trouble conceiving their own children. Despite his private nature, Pat's importance to the family is profound. Matthew has spoken openly about his admiration for Pat, once calling him his "heroic older brother." This suggests a strong, supportive, and fundamental role Pat plays in the family dynamic, acting as a stable anchor amidst the more flamboyant personalities of Matthew and Rooster. Pat's decision to pursue a non-entertainment career and focus on personal endeavors and local community work highlights a preference for financial independence and personal growth over the pursuit of fame. His story is a testament to the fact that blood relation is secondary to the love and bond shared within the McConaughey clan.

The Latest Twist: Woody Harrelson, a DNA Test, and the Apple TV+ Series *Brothers*

The most sensational and current development in the "Matthew McConaughey brothers" narrative is the possibility of a third, unexpected sibling: fellow actor Woody Harrelson. This story is fresh, highly publicized, and currently driving significant curiosity. The revelation came from Matthew's mother, Kay, who casually mentioned to her son that she had a past connection with Woody’s father, the late Charles Harrelson, during a period when she and Matthew’s father were separated. This bombshell led Matthew and Woody to seriously consider the possibility that they might be half-brothers. The two actors, who have been close friends for decades and have starred together in multiple projects, are now embracing the mystery. They have confirmed that they are considering taking a DNA test to definitively confirm or deny the biological link. This real-life drama has become the inspiration for their upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series, aptly titled *Brothers*. The show will star McConaughey and Harrelson as fictionalized versions of themselves, exploring their strange and beautiful "odd couple" friendship and the shocking discovery that their fathers may be the same man. While the series has reportedly faced some production setbacks, the high-concept premise and the real-life intrigue surrounding the DNA test have ensured it remains one of the most anticipated television events. The *Brothers* series, which was filming in the Austin area as recently as 2024, promises to be a heartfelt, Texas-flavored exploration of family, friendship, and the meaning of brotherhood. The saga of Matthew McConaughey's brothers is far more complex and entertaining than a simple family tree. From the self-made oil tycoon Rooster, who became a reality TV star, to the private, adopted hero Pat, the McConaughey family embodies the wild, successful, and deeply loyal spirit of Texas. The addition of the Woody Harrelson mystery only deepens the intrigue, proving that for the McConaugheys, the definition of "brother" is always evolving.