Overview

• Early August excerpts from late producer Jon Landau’s posthumous memoir disclose that McConaughey lost the role of Jack Dawson after he declined to drop his Southern accent during his audition.
• McConaughey was brought in to screen-test with Kate Winslet to gauge on-screen chemistry, and Winslet was reportedly taken with his presence and charm.
• Director James Cameron asked McConaughey to redo the scene without his drawl, but the actor refused to try a different delivery.
• The part ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance as Jack Dawson became a star-making turn in the 1997 blockbuster.
• The Bigger Picture, Landau’s full memoir, is slated for publication by Disney Publishing on November 4, 2025.