Real-Life Brothers Theory Explored
Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson's 'Brothers' Comedy Series Debuts Sept. 23 on Apple TV+
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Key Points
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In describing how the “brother” theory emerged, Matthew McConaughey said on Kelly Ripa’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera” that his mother’s “bombshell” to Woody Harrelson was: “Woody, I knew your dad,” adding they then “did some math” after learning their parents’ timelines overlapped enough to suggest they “might be” related.
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Woody Harrelson later discussed the same real-life possibility on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” saying that around nine months before McConaughey was born, Harrelson’s mother was “on a sabbatical” from the relationship with McConaughey’s supposed father, and he noted McConaughey was hesitant to do a DNA test because it’s “a much more big deal” for him.
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Apple TV did not release a trailer for “Brothers” yet, but the first-look image of Harrelson and McConaughey was shared by Apple TV ahead of the September 23 debut.
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The series was picked up in March 2023, and at that time the production company behind it was still branded as “Skydance Television” (before being folded into Paramount).
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Beyond their long-running friendship, McConaughey and Harrelson have previously worked together on-screen in 1999’s “EDtv” and again in 2014 on the first season of HBO’s “True Detective.”
Apple TV+ has set September 23 as the premiere date for Apple TV's new eight-episode comedy series *Brothers*, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as fictionalized versions of themselves. The first two episodes drop that day, with one new episode weekly through the November 4 season finale.
The show centers on a decades-old secret — that the two longtime friends may actually be brothers. It is a premise ripped straight from real life, where both actors have publicly discussed the possibility and reportedly weighed DNA testing to settle the question, according to TV Insider.
How a Greece Trip Sparked a Hollywood Series
The story starts with a single sentence from McConaughey's mother. In April 2023, McConaughey told Kelly Ripa's podcast *Let's Talk Off Camera* that his mother looked at Harrelson and said, "Woody, I knew your dad." McConaughey added that everyone caught the loaded meaning behind that word "knew," spelling it out as "K-N-E-W," according to CBS News.
The two men then "did some math." Harrelson told Stephen Colbert on *The Late Show* that nine months before McConaughey was born, his own father was on a "sabbatical" from the relationship — a timeline that lines up with McConaughey's birth. Harrelson noted that McConaughey was reluctant to take a DNA test because, as McConaughey put it, "It's a much more big deal" for him — potentially meaning his father of 53 years may not be his biological dad, per Yahoo.
What the Show Actually Looks Like on Screen
In the series, Woody's family travels to Austin for a retreat at Matthew's ranch after a daughter's wedding falls apart. Matthew's mother, "Ma Mac," played by Holland Taylor, accidentally drops clues about the family secret. The chaos that follows includes a subplot about Matthew's fictional run for Governor of Texas, according to TV Insider.
Lee Eisenberg, a multi-Emmy nominee known for *The Office* and *Jury Duty*, serves as showrunner. Trent O'Donnell directed the pilot and several other episodes. The ensemble cast includes Natalie Martinez as Valentina McConaughey and Brittany Ishibashi as Joy Harrelson, per MovieWeb.
A 12-Year Small-Screen Reunion for the Duo
*Brothers* marks the first time McConaughey and Harrelson have worked together on television since 2014, when they starred in HBO's *True Detective* Season 1. Before that, they appeared together in the 1999 comedy *EDtv* and the 2008 film *Surfer, Dude*, making this their fourth major on-screen pairing, according to MovieWeb.
The project was first picked up in March 2023, when it was produced under the Skydance Television banner. That company has since been folded into Paramount Television Studios. McConaughey's production company, J.K. Livin Productions, is also attached, per WebWire.
Is the DNA Mystery Real or a Marketing Play?
Some critics have pointed out that the real-life "brother" story went public almost exactly when Apple TV+ greenlit the series in 2023. Several outlets and online communities have questioned whether the whole DNA mystery is a long-form marketing campaign built around the show, according to reporting flagged by AOL.
Others take the story at face value. McConaughey has framed a positive DNA result as potentially "losing a father," while Harrelson sees it as "gaining a brother" — a real emotional divide that the show appears to dramatize directly. Apple TV+ has not yet released a trailer, but a first-look image of the two stars was shared ahead of the September 23 debut, per WebWire.
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