Matthew McConaughey has clarified that he "didn't turn down" Titanic.

The 56-year-old star has dismissed claims that he rejected the chance to play Jack Dawson in James Cameron's acclaimed 1997 movie - a part that ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McConaughey said: "I've been told many times, 'Hey, I can't believe you turned down Titanic.'

"I'm like, 'I didn't turn down Titanic.' And they're like, 'Well, (James) Cameron said (that)', and I said, 'I never got offered that part.' And if I did, I need to find that agent. That agent owes me money."

The Interstellar actor continued: "I never got offered that. So, whatever that mixed story is, I had heard that. The truth is, I never got offered that."

However, McConaughey did confirm that he auditioned for the role of Jack.

The Oscar-winning actor said: "I did have a great - what I thought - was a great audition. The producers were there. I had it with Kate (Winslet). Um, I walked out of there feeling like, 'I think I got that role.' And did not."

Titanic's late producer Jon Landau previously recalled how McConaughey squandered his opportunity to star in Titanic after auditioning in his trademark Texan drawl.

Landau, who died aged 63 in 2024, wrote in the memoir The Bigger Picture: "Matthew did the scene with the drawl.

"'That's great', said Jim (Cameron). 'Now let's try it a different way.' Matthew said, 'No. That was pretty good. Thanks.' Let's just say, that was it for McConaughey."

Meanwhile, McConaughey branded the 2003 film How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days as his "favourite" romantic comedy as it still rakes in plenty of money for him.

He said: "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is the gift that keeps on giving. I think it's probably my favourite romcom I've done."

"And it still pays the best mailbox money of any film I've ever done. By far. By lengths."

The True Detective star explained how he would always receive a big windfall in the weeks following Valentine's Day.

McConaughey said: "When it used to be just DVDs or cable, every March I'd get a big cheque because Valentine's Day.

"But, I mean, look: the movie for me, for that genre, let me just own that genre. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days … that's a real anchor in the rom-com genre through time."