{"id":857705,"date":"2026-09-23T11:26:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T11:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/857705\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T11:26:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T11:26:17","slug":"woody-harrelson-matthew-mcconaughey-explain-emmys-and-brothers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/857705\/","title":{"rendered":"Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey Explain Emmys and ‘Brothers’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tWoody Harrelson<\/a> won the Emmy in 1989 for his role in the classic sitcom Cheers. But anyone who tuned into the end of the 2026 Emmys may have thought he also picked up another trophy for the big comedy winner of the night, Widow\u2019s Bay<\/a> \u2014 a show he is not in. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDid you congratulate Woody on his second Emmy?\u201c Matthew McConaughey<\/a> jokes about his friend of three decades crashing the Widow\u2019s Bay team\u2019s acceptance speech (the internet also noticed<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\n\tMcConaughey and Harrelson were presenting the night\u2019s final award together because they are preparing to launch their new Apple<\/a> comedy series, Brothers<\/a>. You\u2019ve probably heard the story by now<\/a>: McConaughey\u2019s mother, Kay McConaughey a.k.a \u201cMa Mac,\u201d has implied that she had relations with Harrelson\u2019s father, Charles Harrelson, around the time that McConaughey was conceived, suggesting that the True Detective co-stars and longtime friends could actually be half-brothers. Harrelson is already convinced they are related because of their closeness, but McConaughey doesn\u2019t want to take a DNA test because it will leave him with too much to unpack about his own family. This predicament sparked the idea for Brothers, their new semi-scripted comedy from writer-producer Lee Eisenberg. <\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re wondering what it\u2019s like to watch the pair play fictionalized versions of themselves<\/a> on that series, read below as the pair chat \u2014 with plenty of brotherly love and ribbing \u2014 about the show, their relationship and that big Emmys finale.<\/p>\n

\n\t***<\/p>\n

\n\tWe had a lot of conversations in The Hollywood Reporter newsroom about you two closing out the Emmys.<\/p>\n

\n\tMATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY Did you congratulate Woody on his second Emmy, for Widow\u2019s Bay? Did you see him standing up there front and center? His only regret is he didn\u2019t get time to speak after the producer.<\/p>\n

\n\tWOODY HARRELSON (Laughing.)<\/p>\n

\n\tI was shocked they didn\u2019t hand you the mic while you were up there on stage.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY He was about to take it, wasn\u2019t he?! (Laughs hysterically.)<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON You know what happened was\u2026 it happened all very organically. We announced the winner\u2026<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY I handed the trophy off and then scooted over to the side.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON And I said hello to [creator Katie Dippold]. I love the show, so I was telling everybody. I said, \u201cYou guys, the show is so great.\u201d And then, before I know it, she\u2019s answering the thing.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY She\u2019s not answering. She\u2019s thanking people for the win. They just won an Emmy for best comedy series.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Yeah, no, I get that.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Her and the cast of Widow\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON You don\u2019t have to [explain] \u2014<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY And then, Woody red shirt! Woody red shirt!<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON I look over, and I see Matthew\u2019s in the mix, and then when I look back a minute later, I realize, \u201cNo, he\u2019s on the periphery. He\u2019s not in the mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY I wasn\u2019t being shy. I was just being respectful.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON And then I think to myself, \u201cI really should be on the periphery, too, but now it\u2019s more embarrassing to walk out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY And therein lies Woody\u2019s genius. When he\u2019s in a pickle, he\u2019s the first guy in the world to go, \u201cWell, I mean, if I got out of the pickle now, it\u2019d be more embarrassing than if I doubled down and stayed right in.\u201d [He\u2019s] looking right down the pipe\/blue steel of this thing, sitting there going, \u201cThat\u2019s right, Widow\u2019s Bay. I\u2019m right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tPresenter Woody Harrelson (in his red shirt) with the cast and crew of Widow\u2019s Bay during their best comedy series acceptance speech, including, Matthew Rhys, creator Katie Dippold, Carver Karaszewski, Neil Casey, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Jeff Hiller.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTrae Patton\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tIt was all over TikTok, and it was perfect marketing for Brothers, since you two play fictionalized versions of yourself on the comedy series, similar to Larry David with Curb Your Enthusiasm. The moment could have been overlaid with Veep or Curb music, which really makes it a perfect tease.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Thank you, thank you.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Speaking of\u2026 Apple, grab this! This is a great idea as a meme that should be out there as press for the show.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Great idea. By the way, I wouldn\u2019t mind being in the second season of Widow\u2019s Bay, I just want to say.<\/p>\n

\n\tCan you two take me inside the moment where you realized that this friendship and possible brother-ship would make a great TV show?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY We\u2019d been chatting for years, and it was becoming quite an entertaining narrative amongst he and I and our families every time we got together since my mom said that line that night in Greece [about Harrelson\u2019s dad]. And then, a few years ago, Woody came up with, \u201cYou know what? Why don\u2019t we make this a TV show?\u201d I was like, \u201cOkay, that\u2019s kind of a good idea.\u201d And we talked about it and, all of a sudden, I get a thing, \u201cHey, we got pitch meetings.\u201d \u201cOh, we do? All right, great. I\u2019ll be there.\u201d Then, all of a sudden, we get together and hang and meet with this guy, a showrunner, and meet this other showrunner. The next thing you know, we\u2019ve got a production office and people are being cast. It\u2019s like, \u201cOh, this is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON (Laughs.) That\u2019s how it happened for him, but for me, once he said, \u201cOh, that\u2019s a cool idea,\u201d I\u2019m thinking, \u201cOkay, this is happening.\u201d He\u2019s kind of placating me a little bit, like, \u201cOh sure, whatever. No problem.\u201d And then suddenly, we\u2019re on set.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY He\u2019s the engine trying to get it done because he\u2019s the one who believes it\u2019s true, and who wants it to be true! For us to be brothers.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON It is true!<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Listen, to him, he\u2019s like, \u201cIt is true.\u201d Then I go, \u201cIt\u2019s not true,\u201d and he loves to go, \u201cNo, Matthew, you want it not to be true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON He wants it not to be true \u2014<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY It is not true.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON \u2014 because Ma Mac did say, \u201cI knew\u2026 your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Which, for him, means more than a DNA test. And if a DNA test comes out and says we\u2019re not brothers, he\u2019s gonna say, \u201cThat\u2019s why you can\u2019t trust science.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON (Laughs.)<\/p>\n

\n\tWill you actually share the results, if the results aren\u2019t what you want? Or will you keep it private?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Well, here\u2019s the thing\u2026<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON He won\u2019t take the test.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY If we do the test and, say it\u2019s true \u2014 which it\u2019s not \u2014 [but if it is], then I\u2019ve got to unpack 56 years of who I thought my dad was. But the worst-case scenario is actually if it\u2019s not true, because he\u2019s [Harrelson] gonna be horrible to be around.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Oh yeah, I\u2019ll be depressed for a while. It\u2019s a lose-lose situation. It\u2019s nice to think of him as my brother. He is more my brother than my brothers in reality, for years and years. But when I found out that he\u2019s actually my brother \u2014 and by the way, there was more to it than just that one statement. And I didn\u2019t tell him, but I talked to her [Ma Mac] later. I got certainty that those guys were, uh, you know.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Listen, don\u2019t think science doesn\u2019t matter in this, but inclination of words \u2014 like K N E W\u2026 knew\u2026 That ellipses is what sealed it for him. And then the fact that my mom has gone on to say that when she went to go to the hospital to give birth to me and she called my dad, and my dad said, \u201cOh, I\u2019m not showing up at the hospital, Kay. That ain\u2019t my boy.\u201d He [Woody] loves that line. \u201cWell, does that mean that\u2019s what your dad was saying? \u2018But that\u2019s Charlie\u2019s boy\u2018?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON It\u2019s true! Because he done the math, and it wasn\u2019t mathin\u2019. It was during their second divorce that he [McConaughey] got procreated.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY What he [my dad] meant was that they tried to have a child for five years and nothing stuck, and finally, it did.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON But, is that the way it happens?<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tMcConaughey and Harrelson in Brothers.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApple TV+<\/p>\n

\n\tOk, so, was this your pitch for the show? Did you two just go into Apple\u2019s offices and riff with each other, like this?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY This is kinda what got the show made, yes. This is pretty much what made the studio go, \u201cYes, we\u2019d like that show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWas there a bidding war? Did you pitch it around, or did you go right to Apple?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY There was interest from more than one studio.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Yeah, but we like Apple a lot. I think Apple\u2019s the new HBO.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Do you mean the new old HBO?<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON What\u2019s that mean, dude?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Because HBO still exists, and you said, \u201cthe new HBO\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON The new HBO in the sense that HBO used to be the highest level of television. And now Apple is the highest level, with one great show after another. <\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Thank you, I think you\u2019re glad I asked.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Okay, thank you for making me clarify that. I do appreciate it. I think she understood what I meant.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Well, The Hollywood Reporter, she\u2019s an industry reporter, she knows that most of the players are going to read this, so I thought you might want to be clear.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON [To Jackie, the interviewer] What do you think? Do you like the way HBO is shaping up?<\/p>\n

\n\tI get why you wanted him to clarify.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Ooh, ooh!<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON (Laughing.) God damn. Well, where are you anyway [to Jackie]. You are outside. Are you on a boat?<\/p>\n

\n\tNo, that would be fun. I\u2019m outside my daughter\u2019s gymnastics class.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON A gymnastics class? Are you outside the class right now?<\/p>\n

\n\tYes.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Can you walk over and look in?<\/p>\n

\n\tThe moms would all freak out if they saw you guys. (Laughs.) I can\u2019t bring you in there.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Say hi to the gymnastics class.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Let\u2019s go say hi!<\/p>\n

\n\tI have more questions for you! I also spoke with your showrunner, Lee Eisenberg, who said you end the show making a statement about whether or not you are brothers, but that you also leave it open-ended enough to do another season. Do you want to do many seasons?<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Hold on, you\u2019re not a futurist are you?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY No, that was two interviews ago.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON I know, but she could be a futurist, you never know. Are you focused on the future?<\/p>\n

\n\tI am right now.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON (Laughs.)<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY The Hollywood Reporter mind would like to know.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Ok, I would like to say, personally, I haven\u2019t thought one iota about a second season, and I think I can speak for my brother. But I do believe that if people like it, then we\u2019ll do another season. And if not\u2026<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY I think it\u2019s fair to say, if you\u2019re planning for a second season before the first season\u2019s out, that\u2019s sort of like writing your accepting speech before you won the award.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON The Emmy?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY Or the Oscar.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Well, in your case, the Oscar.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY You won two Emmys.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Did you have yours written before you gave that Oscar speech [for Dallas Buyer\u2019s Club]? <\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY No.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Before you won the Oscar, you didn\u2019t have it written?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY No, sir.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON But, I mean, you kind of knew it was coming, right?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY No.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON No?<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY I mean, I\u2019d done well.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON You went to the SAG Awards. This and that.<\/p>\n

\n\tMCCONAUGHEY But I\u2019m talking to a double Emmy winner now, the newly Emmy Award winner [for Widow\u2019s Bay]. You would think \u2014 and I thought \u2014 that it was an ensemble. It\u2019s strange that the lead is not Matthew [Rhys]<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s Woody Harrelson in Widow\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON I thought it was Matthew Rhys all this time.<\/p>\n

\n\tSadly, I\u2019m being told I have to wrap this interview.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Are you sure you don\u2019t want us to say hi to the class?<\/p>\n

\n\tThe next time we chat, I\u2019m going to do it from inside my daughter\u2019s gymnastics class.<\/p>\n

\n\tHARRELSON Perfect!<\/p>\n

\n\t***<\/p>\n

\n\tBrothers releases the first two of eight season one episodes Wednesday on Apple TV.<\/p>\n