Matthew McConaughey Confesses Name-Dropping Jennifer Lopez Once Saved Him From a “Major Mess” in Mexico

Rachel BurchfieldFri, August 14, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC

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Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey on June 15, 2010.Credit: GettyThe Gist -

Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, both experts at the romantic comedy genre, starred together in 2001’s The Wedding Planner.

It was his connection to Lopez and the film that once got McConaughey out of a “major, major mess up in Mexico,” he explained on the August 13 episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast.

After the police officer realized who he was, they took a photo with him and “then they let me go,” the actor explained.

Matthew McConaughey turned to Jennifer Lopez, his co-star in 2001’s The Wedding Planner, in his time of need—although she had no idea that it happened (well, until now, anyway).

On the August 13 episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, the actor admitted that he name-dropped Lopez to get out of a police stop at the Mexico border.

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez.Credit: Getty

“Wedding Planner got me out of a major, major mess up in Mexico one time,” the Oscar winner said on the show. “I pulled in one late night and [was] crossing the border going way down south, and I get pulled over, and it’s one of those pulled-overs, where they noticed me—gringo in the truck, nice truck. This is that dress down, and I’m like, ‘Aw, geez, get the wallet out. Here we go.’ And it was going down.”

McConaughey decided to try his luck. “And then I brought up, ‘You guys know Jennifer Lopez?’” he said. “And I was like, ‘Ever see Wedding Planner?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, it was me.’”

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez in ‘The Wedding Planner.’Credit: Getty

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez starring in 2001’s ‘The Wedding Planner.’Credit: Getty

After this, the officers recognized him as the celebrity that he is and even wound up taking a picture with him. More importantly? “And then they let me go,” he said.

Lopez and McConaughey played Mary and Steve, the leads in the romantic comedy. To mark the 20th anniversary of the movie in 2021, the two reunited for an Instagram Live, where Lopez told McConaughey, “I so enjoyed working with you.”

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Matthew McConaughey played Steve to Jennifer Lopez’s Mary.Credit: Getty

“We had such a nice rapport and chemistry,” she added. “We were somewhat at the beginning of our careers at that time. It was exciting to be working on any movie. I still feel that way. It was a magical time. I’m such a romantic, too, that working on those types of movies have a real feel for me.”

McConaughey returned the high praise. “You prepare so well for everything you do,” he said. “I love your intentionality—I love how deliberate you are. You would have it down. You love the choreography. I love your deliberation and the preparation you have.”

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez in 2001’s ‘The Wedding Planner.’Credit: Getty

Both Lopez and McConaughey established themselves in the rom-com genre, and on “Happy Sad Confused,” he chose 2003’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days as “probably my favorite rom-com I’ve done, and a lot of people love that rom-com,” he said. “And it still pays the best mailbox money of any film I’ve ever done. By far. By lengths.”

The Wedding Planner, for its part, opened at No. 1 at the box office and went on to gross nearly $100 million worldwide. The film’s director Adam Shankman told Yahoo! Entertainmentthat his two leads “got on like wildfire.”

Jennifer Lopez in Paris on July 10, 2026.Credit: Getty

Matthew McConaughey in Austin, Texas on August 10, 2026.Credit: Getty

“I have never seen two people who, on the surface, are more different than Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, but they were absolutely adorable together,” he continued. “They had very different processes, but they allowed each other the space and freedom to work those processes.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”