`Sahara' star McConaughey wows fans on battleship

Thursday, March 3, 2005

By MICHAEL T. BURKHART
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

Stacey Huaracha approached actor Matthew McConaughey and, blushing a bit, asked if her friend could snap a picture of the two.

"He's very sexy," said Huaracha, 28, of Indianapolis, who is stationed at Willow Grove Naval Air Station, as she reviewed the digital photos.

Wednesday afternoon McConaughey, who is on a cross-country trip in his 28-foot Airstream to promote his latest movie, Sahara, made a stop at the Battleship New Jersey on the Camden Waterfront. He mingled with sailors who were invited onto the ship, posing for photos and answering questions.

Co-starring with Penelope Cruz and Steve Zahn, McConaughey plays Dirk Pitt, an adventurer and explorer in the action-adventure film adaptation of Clive Cussler's 1992 novel. The story revolves around the hunt through West Africa for a long-lost Civil War battleship, which protects a secret cargo.

"I'm chasing a ship myself in the film," said McConaughey. "It's a little smaller than the Big J."

Sahara opens in theaters nationwide on April 8.

McConaughey said he was drawn to the Pitt character because he sees a bit of that adventurous spirit in himself. While the explorer is in his 30s, he has the spirit of a child.

"This is a great mix of the treasure hunter and the senator's son," said McConaughey. "He's chasing down the commas in the history books. If you have trouble on the left and safety on the right he always goes left."

The film crew spent five months filming in the Sahara Desert. The crew dealt with numerous sandstorms that sometimes delayed filming.

"You can tell it's not the Nevada desert," he said.

The actor, who played roles in Contact (1997), Reign of Fire (2002), and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), hopes his latest movie leads to future projects based on other Cussler novels.

McConaughey kicked off his road tour in Daytona Beach, Fla., last month. He is making stops in big cities, small towns, and military bases, camping at RV parks along the way.

"I love to drive," he said. "It's my favorite seat."

While McConaughey has been on the road only a few days, he said he has enjoyed meeting fans and learning a bit about history as he travels. At the RV parks, he has sat around the fire, drinking beer and barbecuing with other travelers.

"I like to take road trips," he said. "I'm having a good time."

Jessie Williams, who is originally from Florida but works as a Navy recruiter in Philadelphia, also had a friend snap a few photos. His favorite McConaughey movie is A Time To Kill, which also stared Samuel L. Jackson and Sandra Bullock.

"I got a couple photos with him," said Williams, 29. "I'm a big fan."