Matthew McConaughey visited his hometown of Uvalde, Texas on Friday (May 27) after the school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
The actor, who spent the first 12 years of his life in the city and whose mother was a teacher at a local school, visited to console the community. He was accompanied by Republican Representative Tony Gonzalez and did not speak to the press.
Gonzalez, a vocal supporter of gun ownership rights, tweeted later: “Thank you Matthew for helping to heal our community. Your visit brought so many smiling faces to Uvalde. See you soon my friend” [via The Independent].
On Tuesday (May 24), 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and fatally shot schoolchildren and teachers. He was killed by officers at the scene.
In the wake of the shooting, McConaughey wrote on Instagram that Americans needed to find “common ground” in “an epidemic we can control”. He said “action must be taken”.
He highlighted how important it is for “every American to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror, and ask ourselves, ‘What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state and neighbourhood tomorrow?’”
McConaughey also pleaded for US citizens to “renegotiate our wants from our needs”.
Several figures in entertainment have called for greater gun control after the latest mass shooting in the US including Taylor Swift, Madonna, Jack White and Olivia Rodrigo.
