Actor Matthew McConaughey has ruled out running to be governor of Texas, after months of publicly flirting with the idea of becoming the latest celebrity candidate.

The Academy Award winner says in a video released on Monday (Australian time) that political leadership is not a route he’s choosing to take “at this moment”.

McConaughey, 52, said he would instead focus on supporting businesses and foundations that create pathways for others to succeed.

Tweet from @McConaughey

The Texas governor’s race is already shaping up to be one of the US’s highest-profile contests in 2022.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott is seeking a third term and Democrat Beto O’Rourke, coming off failed bids for the US Senate and president, announced month he was getting in the race.

McConaughey, the star of Dazed and Confused and Dallas Buyers Club, never said what party – if any – he would run under while acknowledging he was mulling a run for governor in his home state.

He also shied away from going into policy specifics and positions on contentious issues in Texas.

“Politicians? The good ones can help us to get to where we need to go, yeah,” McConaughey said in the video posted to Twitter posted on Sunday night.

“But let’s be clear, they can’t do anything for us unless we choose to do for ourselves.”

-with AAP