Matthew McConaughey calls rumor he rejected 'Titanic' lead role 'not factual'

Once upon a time, Matthew McConaughey was in consideration to play the heartthrob lead male character of "Titanic," which ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio.

But McConaughey shut down rumors that he actually turned down the opportunity to play Jack Dawson in the Oscar-winning film, clarifying the situation with Rob Lowe on Thursday's episode of the "Literally! With Rob Lowe" podcast.

"So I went and read for 'Titanic' with Kate Winslet and it was not one of the auditions; it was like they filmed it, so it was like into screen test time," the 51-year old actor said, recalling how Winslet and producers followed him outside when it was over and made him believe he smashed it out of the park.

"They were like, 'That went great!' I mean, kind of like hugs. I really thought it was going to happen," the "Dallas Buyers Club" star continued.

"It did not," he sighed, which led to years of rumors speculating why McConaughey lost out to DiCaprio.

He eventually confronted director James Cameron about the scuttlebutt to ask if any of it was true.

"I asked Cameron about this because the sort of gossip over the years that I had heard and would see written about me was that I had the role of 'Titanic' and turned it down," said McConaughey, adding that he partially believed the rumor and thought an agent of his was responsible for passing on a role of a lifetime.

"Not factual. I did not get offered that role," he said. "I never got offered that as far as I know, I'm telling you. I did go have a good screen test [and] thought I had the role, but did not get the role."

Meanwhile, Lowe revealed that he also screen tested for "Titanic" -- in the role of the villainous Cal Hockley, which ultimately went to Billy Zane.