'I've never felt as helpless as I did in that moment,' Oscar-winning actor said of 'nightmare' experience

Matthew McConaughey has recalled being abducted as a teenager, saying he was lucky to get away alive.

The Oscar-winning actor revealed in his 2020 book Greenlights that he was knocked unconscious and taken to the back of a van where he was sexually assaulted by a man when he was 18.

The star, whose credits include Interstellar and Dallas Buyers Club, said he has never felt as helpless as he did in that moment, stating in a new interview: "I've never felt so vulnerable and unable to do anything about it."

McConaughey, 55, was able to escape after waking up "right before it could have been worse", with the star telling The Guardian: "Talk about divine intervention. I got out relatively unscathed. It could have been worse is what I'm saying."

He said the nightmare experience, which he escaped from, was defining in ways he doesn't even understand.

"Did it crush some innocence of mine? That my nice guy, young Matthew, believed in the innocence of the world and no one would try to do harm to me or anyone else unless I provoked it? Sure."

Elsewhere in the interview, McConaughey said he doesn't know what to believe anymore when it comes to politics - and that Trump's disregard for the truth concerns him.

"I've been around politics and politicians enough to see and hear that the score is not always what they say it is; that they don't keep the score accurately," he said.

"But that's nothing new, either. You can go back and there are many things to question over decades and centuries about what the truth was.

"Trump's going about things in a different way than other politicians have. It's direct. He's cutting out the middle man."

The How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days actor recently reflected on his decision to quit acting for two years because of the romantic comedies he repeatedly got offered.

McConaughey shot to fame after appearing in the courtroom drama A Time to Kill in 1996, and became one of the most illustrious leading stars of romantic comedies in the 2000s.

Among his credits are The Wedding Planner (2001) co-starring Jennifer Lopez, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), which he starred in alongside Kate Hudson, and Failure to Launch (2006) with Sarah Jessica Parker.

After a solid decade of starring in these films, though, McConaughey, 54, had had enough - and considered changing professions over fears he was typecast.

McConaughey described the acting break as "scary", and said he considered teaching high school or becoming a wildlife guide as he "stepped out of Hollywood" and had "got out of my lane".

However, he secured a series of more serious roles, which led to what was branded by film critic Mark Kermode as the McConaissance.

He turned his career around after starring in William Friedkin's Killer Joe, Richard Linklater's Bernie, Jeff Nichols's Mud and Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike.

The actor also won the Academy Award for Best Actor with his performance in Dallas Buyers Club.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)

Matthew McConaughey recalls being abducted as a teenager