27 Years Ago, King of the Hill Finally Made an Iconic Texas Actor Part of the Cast (He Needs to Come Back)

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Unlike many other cartoons, King of the Hill stood out by focusing on relatable, everyday situations—more like a realistic sitcom. This approach was evident from the very beginning, with the first episode showing Bobby getting hurt during a baseball game and Hank having a public outburst, which led to a visit from Child Protective Services. This focus on grounded stories, combined with the show’s memorable characters, is what made King of the Hill so popular and long-lasting.

As the show gained popularity, it started attracting celebrity guests, who either played themselves or new characters. This eventually led to a major moment when musician Tom Petty joined the cast as a recurring character, voicing Lucky in 29 episodes. This week, we’re remembering another notable guest star: fellow Texan Matthew McConaughey, who briefly voiced a character and made a memorable impression on the show.

King of the Hill Finally Brings In Matthew McConaughey

This week marks the 27th anniversary of a classic ‘King of the Hill’ episode. “The Wedding of Bobby Hill,” which aired on February 9, 1999, starts with a familiar sitcom setup: Hank asks Bobby to house-sit for a neighbor while Boomhauer is out of town to meet a woman he connected with online. Meanwhile, Luanne is practicing her cosmetology skills at the Arlen Beauty Academy on a client named Rad Thibodeaux (who pronounces his name differently than expected) – and that client turns out to be none other than Matthew McConaughey!

It doesn’t take long to realize Rad is a charming con artist who manipulates people to get what he wants, preying on those easily impressed – like Luanne, whom he captivates in just minutes. Their relationship quickly intensifies, with Luanne spending a lot of time with Rad, even at the Hill house. He easily wins over Bobby with his stories, and briefly even impresses Hank, who quickly sees through Rad’s act, particularly noticing his odd way of saying his own name.

When this episode aired, Matthew McConaughey was still early in his career. He hadn’t yet become the romantic comedy star he’d later be known as, before reinventing himself with more serious roles. He’d already made a name for himself in films like Dazed and Confused and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, and had roles in A Time to Kill, Contact, and Amistad (with EdTV coming out shortly after). Interestingly, McConaughey appears only briefly in the episode, as the main storyline focuses on a prank war between Luanne and Bobby that escalates out of control. Rad uses Boomhauer’s empty house to throw a party, which ultimately gets both of them in trouble with Hank.

King of the Hill’s Guest Stars Are Unbeatable

I’ve been a fan of King of the Hill for years, and it’s always been fun to see who they get to guest star! Before Matthew McConaughey joined the show, they’d already had some great names voicing themselves – people like Dennis Hopper, Willie Nelson, and even Chuck Mangione. But it was in the second season that they really started having celebrities play characters, bringing in talents like Wallace Shawn, Burt Reynolds, Carl Reiner, and Jennifer Jason Leigh for single episodes. Seeing Matthew McConaughey appear in Season 3 felt special – he was one of the first big names to really become part of the King of the Hill world.

King of the Hill consistently featured well-known performers, either voicing original characters or playing themselves. A prime example of this is the Season 4 episode “Peggy’s Fan Fair,” where the Hill family goes to a Nashville music festival filled with country stars making guest appearances as themselves, including Brooks & Dunn, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Wynonna Judd, and Randy Travis.

The latest season of King of the Hill, which picks up the story ten years later, didn’t feature many big-name guest stars. But good news for fans – three more seasons are already planned! This means we could see celebrity cameos and even new characters voiced by familiar actors. There’s even a chance we might see Rad Thibodeaux again, seemingly unchanged after a decade.

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2026-02-10 17:15