Matthew McConaughey Reveals He Was 'Nervous' During Intense Scene With a Real-Life Tiger in 'Gold'

Matthew McConaughey revealed he was "nervous" about having to shoot with a real life tiger in Gold

Matthew McConaughey isn’t afraid to admit when he gets a little spooked!

The actor spoke to reporters at the New York premiere of his new movie Gold on Tuesday night and opened up about a tricky scene involving a living, breathing tiger.

“That was a curious experience,” McConaughey, 47, said at the premiere. “It was also a curious that it was scheduled as the last scene of the movie. I was like, ‘That is smart because if number one on the call sheet, something happens to him, we’ve already got all these other scenes in the can.’ ”

The animal trainer did little to assuage McConaughey’s fears after referring to the tiger as a “mammal” that “lives for meat.”

Another big topic surrounding the film is the intense transformation McConaughey went through in order to look the part of Kenny Wells. The actor gained 47 pounds through the course of six months, shaved his head and even wore false teeth — a surprise his onscreen love interest Bryce Dallas Howard wasn’t expecting!

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“I knew that he had gained some weight, so he’s got his belly,” Dallas Howard told reporters Tuesday night. “The hair was a bit of a surprise. The teeth, I guess a revelation. Didn’t really pick up on them at first, then of course there were some kissing scenes. He was definitely not like anything I expected to see.”

Apart from the surprise teeth, the actress also opened up to PEOPLE at the premiere about getting to know McConaughey as a person. “It’s been more interesting in the aftermath of shooting and getting to spend time around him now during press and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh you’re kind of a different person!’ I mean I love them both, but it’s been great.”

Gold hits theaters nationwide on January 27.