Both McConaughey and Harrelson have deep ties to Austin and the series leans into the city’s identity as much as the actors’ own, as it’s based on the running joke that the pair could be brothers. From a viral UT Austin student making his professional acting debut to a legendary Texas barbecue pitmaster serving up brisket to McConaughey, the star power in the show is undeniable.
Here are some of the biggest Austin cameos we noticed in Brothers:
University of Texas at Austin junior, Preston Powe, was featured in the pilot episode of Brothers, during a scene where his full body is painted orange and he rides in car with McConaughey and Harrelson. The 20-year-old acting student, known for his viral moments at Texas football games as “Big Red,” landed his first professional acting role in the show as “Crazy College Kid.”
Franklin BBQ owner, Aaron Franklin made a cameo in the show slicing up brisket to McConaughey from the restaurant’s original food trailer. In an Instagram post, Franklin said the trailer had been sitting for 15 years since moving into their current building in East Austin, but it was restored with fresh paint, new tires, and a recreation of its original menu board for the show’s filming.
According to the Texas Film Commission, McConaughey who plays a fictional version of himself exploring a run for Governor of Texas, stops for a scoop from Amy’s Ice Cream on South Congress. The website called it “a classic retail-politics moment played for laughs.”
As McConaughey strolls down South Congress in the series, he also passes by Jo’s Coffee, home of Austin’s iconic “i love you so much” mural and the Continental Club, per the film commission. While the green Jo’s wall is one of Austin’s most popular tourist attractions for photo ops, the Continental Club is one of Austin’s most storied live music venues.
In May last year, Radio Coffee’s South Austin location mysteriously closed for an undisclosed filming project and Austinites who speculated it could be for Brothers were right. In “The Band” episode, Harrelson and McConaughey try to teach their kids a lesson by booking a gig at the coffee shop (Radio) where they show up in a disguise.
In episode 3, McConaughey’s fictional gubernatorial run goes public and the Capitol building is the backdrop for his campaign kickoff, according to the Texas Film Commission. The campaign scenes continue around downtown as McConaughey holds a rally at Republic Square, one of Austin’s four original city squares.