The banter between Matthew McConaughey and Timothée Chalamet has always carried the easy rhythm of family. Long before awards campaigns and global premieres, McConaughey played Chalamet’s on-screen father in Interstellar, the film that marked a pivotal early chapter in Chalamet’s career. More than a decade later, the affection remains intact, part mentorship, part mutual admiration, all genuine.

But every so often, McConaughey drops a detail that reminds audiences just how closely he has stayed woven into Chalamet’s life, the kind of story only someone in the inner circle could tell.

Speaking during the upcoming Variety and CNN event previewed by Variety on X, Matthew McConaughey revealed that Kylie Jenner once orchestrated a deeply personal birthday surprise for Chalamet: a private IMAX screening of Interstellar. Not just any showing, but a full-scale theatrical experience of the very film that bonded the two actors.

According to McConaughey, Jenner arranged the screening without Chalamet knowing where they were headed. It was not a splashy red-carpet spectacle, but something far more intimate, a nod to nostalgia, craft, and the emotional legacy of the film. 

Chalamet later shared his side of the story, and admitted he did not initially appreciate the mystery.

“I was grumpy on the way because I didn’t know where she was taking me,” he recalled. “I was like, ‘It’s my birthday. Why are we driving 30 minutes outside of L.A.?’ I got to the theater, it was ‘Interstellar’ in IMAX. I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’”

The actor has said he has watched the film more than twenty times, underscoring how formative the project remains in his life. The surprise, in retrospect, was perfectly calibrated.

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If that anecdote highlights their off-screen closeness, their reunion underscores their professional evolution.

Variety and CNN have announced a special town hall event that will bring McConaughey and Chalamet together for a one-on-one conversation, their first public reunion since Interstellar. Filmed before a live audience at the University of Texas at Austin, the event will air across CNN platforms, on February 21. 

Unlike a typical press tour stop, the session is designed to focus on craft, process, instincts, evolution. CNN executive Amy Entelis described the pairing as a “masterclass in craft and creativity,” reflecting a broader push toward thoughtful programming that resonates with both broadcast and streaming audiences. Set in an academic environment rather than a studio, the conversation promises reflection rather than promotion.

The timing is significant. McConaughey, a UT alumnus who has taught film at the university since 2015, returns to familiar ground. Chalamet, meanwhile, is riding sustained momentum from his Marty Supreme, positioning this reunion as a meeting of two artists at distinct yet equally compelling stages of their careers.

From IMAX birthday surprises to academic-stage reunions, their dynamic continues to evolve, grounded in respect, memory, and shared cinematic history.

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What do you think about Kylie Jenner’s surprise and this upcoming reunion? Share your thoughts below.