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VIDEO: Matthew McConaughey's Audition for 'Dazed and Confused'

Screengrab via Criterion Collection's YouTube channel
Wiley Wiggins and Matthew McConaughey audition for Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused."

Last night, as lawmakers were polishing up their boots for the 84th Texas Legislature’s kickoff and Richard Linklater was, presumably, spit-shining his Golden Globe for Boyhood he won on Sunday, the Internet, as it often does, produced a nugget of gold.

As the Wall Street Journal writes, the Criterion Collection released Matthew McConaughey’s audition from Linklater’s seminal Austin-based comedy Dazed and Confused on YouTube. The film launched McConaughey’s career, proved Linklater could be both a commercially and critically successful filmmaker, and educated those outside of Austin on moontowers and Top Notch hamburgers.

Below, check out a 23-year-old McConaughey, along with co-star Wiley Wiggins, in his first iteration of the Dazed character David Wooderson.

Andrew Weber is a general assignment reporter for KUT, focusing on criminal justice, policing, courts and homelessness in Austin and Travis County. Got a tip? You can email him at aweber@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @England_Weber.
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