Matthew McConaughey Has a Tearjerking Reaction to Sam Shepard's Death on the Red Carpet

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Matthew McConaughey is making the press rounds to promote his new science fiction film The Dark Tower, but things took a decidedly sad turn when the actor stopped for an interview during the red carpet premiere of the movie in NYC on Monday night. After an Associated Press reporter asked him a question about the sudden passing of actor and playwright Sam Shepard, who died of complications from ALS on July 27, Matthew looked stunned, asking, "Sam Shepard moved on?"

While visibly trying to process the news, Matthew gave a heartfelt tribute to Sam, whom he costarred with in 2012's Mud: "I'm not going to trivialize that situation . . . But I always told [director] Jeff Nichols this, I said the whole trailer for Mud could be Sam Shepard sitting in that green chair telling the boy about who Mud is." He added, "We lost one of the great ones. Great writer, great mind." Matthew then pointed to the sky and said, "See you at the next one, Sam," before moving down the red carpet. Watch the touching moment now.