Matthew McConaughey has entered tricky political waters by appearing to endorse Donald Trump’s presidency, and suggesting that Hollywood needs to “embrace” it.

In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr, McConaughey was asked by Marr if it was time “the cultural elite of America should give [Trump] a break”. McConaughey, in the UK to promote his new film Gold, replied: “Well, they don’t have a choice now. He’s our president. And it’s very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time we’ve ever had. At the same time, it’s time for us to embrace and shake hands with this fact and be constructive with him over the next four years.”

McConaughey added: “Even those who most strongly disagree with his principles, or what he’s said and done. Which is another thing: we’ll see what he does compared to what he had said. No matter how much you disagreed along the way, it’s time to think about how constrctive you can be, because he’s our president for the next four years – at least.”

The interview took place on 20 January, the day of the presidential inauguration, but were first broadcast on 29 January on BBC1.

McConaughey has tried to remain studiously apolitical as a public figure, preferring to instead channel his energies into the Just Keep Livin Foundation, which is “dedicated to empowering high-school students … to lead active lives and make healthy choices for a better future”. However, both sides of the American political divide have seized on his comments, after Breitbart drew attention to them by calling them a “sobering message”. McConaughey’s representatives have been contacted for a response, but have not replied as yet.