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It is common for marital relationships to be challenged by strained relationships with in-laws, and even celebrities are not immune. Camila Alves, the wife of Matthew McConaughey, has personally experienced this with her mother-in-law, Mary Kathlene ‘Kay’ McCabe, as she describes their relationship as “tricky.”
In an episode of Southern Living’s “Biscuits & Jam” podcast, the 41-year-old Brazilian model discussed her experiences with Kay, who is fondly referred to as “Ma Mac” by the family.
According to Alves, who has been married to the 53-year-old Oscar winner since 2012 and share three kids, when she first started dating him in 2006, Kay began “testing” her.
“She did all these things when I first came in the picture, right? She was really testing me. I mean, really testing me,” she recalled. “She would call me by all of Matthew’s ex-girlfriends‘ names, she would start speaking Spanish with me in a very broken way, kind of putting [me] down a bit. I mean, all kinds of stuff.”
How did Camila Alves demand respect from her mother-in-law?
Camila recounted the event that led to Kay accepting her as a family member. She shared how she secured a modeling job in Istanbul with an additional first-class ticket and a complimentary hotel stay. Excitedly, she invited her mother-in-law to come along with her.
“The whole way there, the whole plane ride to Istanbul, she was telling me all these stories and putting all these things in my head,” Camila said. “When we landed, I was like, ‘Okay, all right. Let me buckle up. Let me get ready for this situation.”’
Alves then went on to recount the moment that changed their relationship forever. “About day three, I was taking her to her room, and she got into this whole other thing that it’s not my place to share, and she starts crying, and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ You know, ‘Ma Mac!’ and feeling so sorry. And as I put her to bed, I look at her, and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s full of s**t.’”
“So I just [flipped] it on her and brought my spicy Brazilian, Latin side, and I let her have it. So I went back at her, and we had it back and forth, back and forth,” she shared.
“She just looked at me, and she was like, ‘Okay. Now you’re in,”’ Camila said, adding, “All she wanted was for me to fight back.”
What happened to Camila Alves and her mother-in-law after their fight?
Camila disclosed that despite their fight, they have a great relationship, although it can sometimes be challenging. “From that day on, that night on, we have the most amazing relationship, and I have so much respect for her,” she assures. “She has so much respect for me,” she shared.
“It can get tricky sometimes; however, we always end with a good laugh and a joke.”
How is Matthew McConaughey’s relationship with his mom?
Matthew and his mother had a falling out that lasted for eight years. This was due to her habit of sharing their private conversations with the media. Eventually, Matthew had to establish some boundaries to protect his privacy.
“I would have conversations, and then all of a sudden—whoop—what we’d talk about would end up in the paper three days later,” the actor shared on The Howard Stern Show in 2020.
Matthew has forgiven her over time, and she even quarantined with him, Camila, and their children Levi, Vida, and Livingston during the Covid pandemic lockdowns in 2020.