The Role Matthew McConaughey Took Instead of Becoming a Monk

The role Matthew McConaughey took instead of becoming a monk

Faced with a crisis of faith, Matthew McConaughey almost left the movie business to become a monk, until one script pulled him back in.

'Where's the meaning in everything?' Lessons learned from a week as a Buddhist monk

Press the play button above to hear this story. In late February, 2024, the WPLN newsroom received an intriguing email. It was from Don Srisuriyo, a student engagement coordinator at Middle Tennessee State University. He was about to take part in a rite of passage. One that is common in Thailand, his parents’ home country, but not to Thai communities in the U.S. Srisuriyo would be temporarily ordained as a Buddhist monk, and live for eight days …