Dallas Buyers Club's director has admitted that he was initially unsure about casting Matthew McConaughey, Digital Spy said.

Jean-Marc Vallée confessed that he had preconceived notions about the Magic Mike star before meeting him.

"I wasn't sure about Matthew at first," Vallee told The Hollywood Reporter. "Mr The Most Handsome Man with Muscles?

"Then I met him and found a man who really wanted to change perceptions and have new challenges in his career."

McConaughey stars in the film as Ron Woodroof, a Texas electrician who is told by doctors that he is HIV-positive and only has 30 days to live.

Inspired by real events, the movie is set in 1986 and charts the story of Woodroof's battle to try and discover alternative treatments for those suffering from HIV, which culminates in him setting up an illegal operation smuggling medication over the Mexican border.

McConaughey and co-star Jared Leto both undertook extreme weight loss regimes in preparation for their roles.

Jennifer Garner also features in the movie.

Dallas Buyers Club premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September. It will arrive in the UK on February 7.