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It’s True Detective’s McConaughey vs. Harrelson this Award Season

By Reuben Levine

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Now that the official nominations for the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and the Golden Globes are in, we can begin dissecting the choices. What immediately pops up is that, once again, Matthew McConaughey is going to go up against Woody Harrelson at both the SAG’s and Golden Globes for True Detective. Pitting actors of the same series against each other brings a certain level of excitement, but it also forces us to take sides.

Much has been said concerning McConaughey’s performance in True Detective, and with good reason. His role as Rust Cohle helped to revitalize his career, and it’s also a stunning performance. Rust isn’t the type of character that we see often; a hard-edged pessimistic with a serious philosophical bent. Also a complete jerk, depending on your point of view.

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On the other hand we have Harrelson’s Marty Hart, the character that brings a sort of morality to True Detective. Hart is the easiest to relate to, as Rust is oftentimes drowning in his own unique set of issues. Marty’s role as the tortured family man who’s just trying to do right and get by is much more conventional, and therefore easier to relate to.

Both actors give fantastic performances that are high-water marks in their respective careers. True Detective has so far been able to bring out the best of its actors, and that’s why we now have this particular dilemma. Mcconaughey and Harrelson both deserve awards, but only one can walk away with gold. It’s not difficult to jump the gun and say that one deserves it more than the other, but it’s a decision that’s seriously worth spending time mulling over.

The answer may seem obvious, but taking a second look with show that both bring valuable performances to the table, and not just one.

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