Matthew McConaughey's decision to make a career course change and take on more daring roles paid off Sunday, March 2 night as he won his first Oscar for best actor for his daring role in Dallas Buyers Club, The Hollywood Reporter said.

"I took a couple of years off...then did films like Killer Joe, Lincoln Lawyer and Magic Mike," McConaughey told reporters backstage after his win (it also was his first nomination).

"I've been more of a process actor than ever before. I said, 'f---k it, go for the experience of it, Matthew. The results were better than ever by just putting my head down and sticking to the process," he continued.

McConaughey said the Oscar win was the end of a long journey. "The movie, no one wanted to make it for 20 years. It got turned down 137 times," he said.

Gazing down at his Oscar, McConaughey said it felt wonderful. "I got a prize for excellence for something that's not my job, it's not my hobby, it's not my fad, it's my career."

He laughed when a reporter asked about a new term that's been floated since Sundance -- "McConaugh-ssance."

"I don't know what that is," he said, "but it sounds good."

McConaughey, who also is earning critical acclaim for his role in HBO's True Detective, made it clear he won't be back for a second season of the show. "It was a finite."