Kate Hudson Says She Could Smell Matthew McConaughey On Set

Matthew McConaughey’s well-documented distaste for deodorant certainly left an impression on his “Fool’s Gold” co-star Kate Hudson.

Appearing on “Watch What Happens Live” Wednesday, Hudson dismissed the long-standing rumor that she “forced” McConaughey to wear deodorant while working with him on the 2008 romantic comedy, much of which was filmed in Australia and the Caribbean.

“He doesn’t wear deodorant — and by the way, I don’t either,” she said, though it wasn’t clear if the latter part was a joke.

Directed by Andy Tennant, “Fool’s Gold” follows a recently divorced couple, Finn (played by McConaughey) and Tess (Hudson), who rekindle their relationship while on an expedition for lost treasure.

The movie wasn’t as acclaimed as the 2005 rom-com “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” which also starred Hudson and McConaughey, but it was nonetheless a hit at the box office.

On “Watch What Happens Live,” Hudson acknowledged being able to smell McConaughey “from a mile [away]” while on the “Fool’s Gold” set.

“We’re au naturel,” she quipped.

McConaughey spoke out against odor-masking products in a 2005 interview with People, when the magazine named him the “Sexiest Man Alive.”

“I haven’t worn deodorant in 20 years,” he said, arguing that a man should smell like “a man.”

Speaking to Playboy shortly before the release of “Fool’s Gold,” McConaughey claimed that Hudson had gifted him a type of natural deodorant as they were filming the movie ― but he “just never wore it.”

“The women in my life, including my mother, have all said, ‘Hey, your natural smell smells, one, like a man, and, two, smells like you,’” he said.

Among those who’ve defended McConaughey’s personal hygiene choice is his “Tropic Thunder” co-star Yvette Nicole Brown.

“He did not have an odor,” Brown said in an interview with SiriusXM’s Jess Cagle in 2021. “He smells like granola and good living. That’s all I can say. He has a sweet, sweet scent that is just him, and it’s not musty or crazy.”