When Matthew Mcconaughey first read the script for Dallas Buyers Club, he knew he wanted to make the film. The screenplay had been circulating for more than 15 years, and he saw it as something original. As he says, "This would work as good entertainment and an important story even it it was fiction. But it wasn't! It was based on this real man's life."

Matthew McConaugheyJared Leto [L] and Matthew McConaughey [R] in 'Dallas Buyers Club'

For McConaughey, it's the film's utter lack of sentimentality that makes it different. Ron Woodroof is an obstinate homophobe when we meet him, and the film never gives him some sort of epiphany or turnaround. "Ron's redemption always had to be subtle because that's who he was," he says. "By keeping him the hardcore selfish businessman and cantankerous SOB, we had to trust that his humanity was going to rise." Read our Dallas Buyers Club review now. 

McConaughey found it liberating to become Ron, losing weight to show the ravages of Aids while never letting his harder edges slip. He also found it helpful that Jared Leto never stepped out of character as Ron's unlikely buddy, the transgendered Rayon, until after the cameras stopped rolling. "Our relationship was a living thing that was happening day by day, hour by hour. I met Rayon each day, and I didn't ever meet Jared until filming was over."

Having won the Screen Actors Guild awards, both McConaughey and Leto are favourites to take home Oscars on March 2nd.

Watch the Dallas Buyers Club trailer: