Matthew McConaughey Learns Mandolin and Beekeeping for ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ as Film Hits US Theatres

Dragon Media News Desk

Matthew McConaughey’s new film “The Rivals of Amziah King” opened in limited US theatres on Friday, introducing the Oscar-winning actor in the unusual role of a bluegrass musician and honey producer in rural Oklahoma.

Directed by Andrew Patterson, the film will expand to a wider theatrical release across the United States on August 21.

McConaughey plays Amziah King, a charismatic musician who oversees a successful local honey-making business while leading an unconventional bluegrass band.

The actor undertook extensive practical preparation for the role. He has revealed that he spent months learning to play the mandolin and sing, developing the musical skills required for scenes in which his character performs on screen.

McConaughey acknowledged that combining the two proved particularly demanding, as playing the instrument while singing required him to concentrate on two different performance skills simultaneously.

Patterson has said music was designed to serve a narrative purpose throughout the film rather than functioning simply as an interruption or background element.

The production also required McConaughey to work with real bees. During filming, the actor discovered that he was highly allergic to bee stings after suffering a reaction that caused significant facial swelling and affected his vision.

As a precaution, the production scheduled one of its most bee-intensive sequences, involving thousands of bees, for near the end of filming to reduce the risk that another reaction could disrupt the shooting schedule.

Angelina LookingGlass co-stars as Amziah’s estranged former foster daughter, whose unexpected return creates an opportunity for the pair to rebuild their relationship and establish a family business together. Their plans, however, are threatened by increasingly ruthless competition within the local honey trade.

The ensemble cast also includes Cole Sprouse, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Jake Horowitz and Kurt Russell.

“The Rivals of Amziah King” combines elements of crime drama, family storytelling, rural American culture and bluegrass music within an unconventional narrative centred on community, business rivalry and personal relationships.

The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in 2025.

It is Patterson’s second feature following “The Vast of Night,” the independent science-fiction drama that established him as a distinctive emerging American filmmaker.

By placing McConaughey in the role of a beekeeper, entrepreneur and musician and requiring extensive practical preparation involving both music and real bees, “The Rivals of Amziah King” has emerged as one of the more distinctive American theatrical releases arriving this August.