At the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival world premiere of The Lost Bus on Sept. 5, actor Matthew McConaughey said he secretly submitted a self-tape of his 17-year-old son, Levi, omitting the McConaughey surname so director Paul Greengrass would judge him on merit; Levi was later cast to play the actor’s on-screen son.
Key Takeaways
- Matthew McConaughey brought his son Levi, 17, onstage at The Lost Bus premiere at TIFF.
- McConaughey says he filmed a self-tape of Levi and asked casting director Francine Maisler to remove the family name.
- Director Paul Greengrass ultimately cast Levi to play the on-screen son of McConaughey’s character.
- The Lost Bus is based on a book by Lizzie Johnson about the 2018 Camp Fire; the film stars Matthew McConaughey and supporting cast including America Ferrera.
- The film opens in limited release Sept. 19 and streams Oct. 3 on Apple TV+.
Verified Facts
At the TIFF premiere, McConaughey introduced Levi Alves McConaughey and described how Levi asked to read for the part after Matthew mentioned the role while pitching the script to his family. McConaughey said Levi returned to rehearse multiple times; Matthew filmed a scene with him and sent the tape to casting director Francine Maisler.
According to McConaughey’s account, Maisler suggested the tape might merit a callback and could be shown to director Paul Greengrass. McConaughey asked Maisler to omit the family name from the submission so Levi would be evaluated without the immediate recognition of his surname.
McConaughey, 55, and his wife Camila Alves were present as Levi joined the cast onstage; producers Jason Blum and Jamie Lee Curtis and supporting actress America Ferrera also appeared at the premiere. The film dramatizes the real-life events involving bus driver Kevin McKay and teacher Mary Ludwig during California’s 2018 Camp Fire.
Release plans are confirmed: limited theatrical release on Sept. 19, 2025, followed by streaming on Apple TV+ beginning Oct. 3, 2025.
Context & Impact
The anecdote speaks to two persistent industry issues: how family ties can open doors in Hollywood, and how anonymized auditions can change evaluation dynamics. McConaughey’s choice to hide Levi’s surname highlights a deliberate effort to have a director assess performance first.
For Levi, the role offers a high-profile screen credit alongside an Oscar-winning parent; for The Lost Bus, the story and its casting choices add promotional interest ahead of its release. The episode also feeds ongoing discussions about casting transparency and fairness in film and television.
- Anonymized submissions: used in some casting processes to reduce bias.
- Publicity effect: family-related casting stories often generate media attention ahead of release.
“Will you pull the last name off so there’s no McConaughey at the end of that?”
Matthew McConaughey
Unconfirmed
- Levi’s prior acting résumé and credits were not detailed during the premiere remarks.
- Full details of Warren Greengrass’s initial awareness of Levi’s family connection beyond the casting call are limited to McConaughey’s account.
Bottom Line
Matthew McConaughey’s decision to remove his son’s surname from a self-tape underscores an attempt to blend parental support with a level of anonymity so the director could evaluate Levi’s performance on its own terms. Whether as a casting anecdote or a modest experiment in fairness, the story adds a personal note to The Lost Bus’s festival debut and the film’s upcoming release.
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