We can’t imagine the film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days being quite as magical and iconic as it is without its two stars, Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. But according to Hudson, McConaughey almost didn’t land the role as the advertising executive Benjamin Barry. The actress revealed at the BAFTAs Life in Pictures Event in London that she pushed for McConaughey to join the cast.
Hudson told moderator Briony Hanson that she and the executive producers “kept hitting our heads against the wall,” the actress explained per the Daily Mail, “We had an energy together, I wanted to play with him.”
While Hudson and the studio were having trouble seeing eye-to-eye, ultimately, she said she had, “approval over everything” regarding the 2003 Donald Petrie-directed film. Eventually, Sherry Lansing, the then-CEO of Paramount Pictures, asked Hudson who would be her first pick to play Ben. Of course, she chose McConaughey.
“We both have a competitive spirit. We’re both super athletic,” said Hudson. “We like to push each other, and I just love Matthew’s commitment to everything; he’s razor-focused.”
Just last month, Hudson told Jonathan Ross that she would “revisit” the film given the opportunity. “We both [Matthew and I] have the same feeling about it. If for some reason a great idea came across our desk and it read well, yeah I would totally revisit it,” said Hudson. “I love working with Matthew. I don’t know — I’m sure it would start with marital conflict. Or maybe — I have no idea. How to Lose a Husband in 20 Years…?”
The 2003 hit follows magazine advice columnist Andie Anderson (Hudson) who comes up with the idea to imitate her friend’s needy behavior when dating to show that it drives men away with the article, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Seeking the perfect man for the experiment, Andie stumbles upon the cocky executive Ben Berry (McConaughey). Overly confident in his skills as a ladies’ man, Ben is under the impression he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Chaos ensues and plans backfire.
The pair also starred alongside one another in the 2008 flick Fool’s Gold, where they portrayed an estranged married couple seeking buried treasure who then rediscover their love.
A dynamic duo if we ever saw one!
