Matthew McConaughey does not hesitate to perform his own stunts, and that even includes mastering the technique of holding a swarm of bees in his hands. Even after being injured while performing one of his stunts for Reign of Fire, the actor has never shied away from taking on demanding physical stunts. He later trained in underwater diving for Fool’s Gold.
In his recent movie, the actor had to perform a scene in which thousands of bees covered his hands and swarmed around him. Not only did McConaughey show a convincing performance, but he has now also revealed how he managed to pull off the challenging scene.
Matthew McConaughey’s wild bee scene in The Rivals of Amziah King
Matthew McConaughey recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about his new film, The Rivals of Amziah King. During the conversation, the actor clarified that CGI was not used to create the bee scene in the film. He recalled filming the special scene in which he holds thousands of bees in his hands and revealed the special trick used to pull it off.
“I’m holding the queen bee. And if you hold the queen bee, the rest of the hive will come to protect her. If the queen bee is not irritated. They will not be irritated,” he said.
AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 02: Matthew McConaughey on the sidelines before the MLS,
Fussball Herren, USA playoff match between Austin FC and Los Angeles FC on
November 2, 2025, at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono Icon
Sportswire) SOCCER: NOV 02 MLS Cup Playoffs Austin FC vs LAFC EDITORIAL USE ONLY
Icon251102001
AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 02: Matthew McConaughey on the sidelines before the MLS,
Fussball Herren, USA playoff match between Austin FC and Los Angeles FC on
November 2, 2025, at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono Icon
Sportswire) SOCCER: NOV 02 MLS Cup Playoffs Austin FC vs LAFC EDITORIAL USE ONLY
Icon251102001
As he recalled, the queen bee was placed between two of his fingers while the entire swarm remained close to his hand. It took nearly 40 minutes for the team to film the entire scene. During the interview, McConaughey shared that during the scene, he had to make sure to avoid any sudden movements.
What is intriguing is that he managed to film the scene without getting stung. However, the host was quick to bring up one of McConaughey’s social media posts, in which the actor shared a selfie showing his swollen face. It turns out that McConaughey is allergic to bee stings, and he did get stung, but it happened before filming began. McConaughey’s appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show came after his recent European adventure.
Now, as for the reason why McConaughey was required to hold the bees in his hands lies in the story of his new film.
What is The Rivals of Amziah King about?
The reason Matthew McConaughey was holding a swarm of bees in his hands is that he played a beekeeper in The Rivals of Amziah King. The film is a crime thriller that follows Kateri, who tries to reconnect with her former foster father, Amziah, following the death of her mother. As Amziah helps her to find meaning in her life, the two find themselves caught in a dangerous situation.
November 9, 2025, Austin, Tx, USA: Actor MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY reads poetry from
his new book Poems & Prayers while closing out the 30th Texas Book Festival in
downtown Austin on November 9, 2025. He was later accompanied by singer Lyle
Lovett Austin USA – ZUMAd150 20251109_znp_d150_029 Copyright: xBobxDaemmrichx
November 9, 2025, Austin, Tx, USA: Actor MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY reads poetry from
his new book Poems & Prayers while closing out the 30th Texas Book Festival in
downtown Austin on November 9, 2025. He was later accompanied by singer Lyle
Lovett Austin USA – ZUMAd150 20251109_znp_d150_029 Copyright: xBobxDaemmrichx
McConaughey is joined by Angelina LookingGlass, who plays Kateri in the movie. Kurt Russell, Rob Morgan, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, and Tony Revolori are also part of the movie. The film is directed by Andrew Patterson and is set to be released on August 21, 2026.
What do you think about Matthew McConaughey’s bee scene in The Rivals of Amziah King? Let us know in the comments.
