Matthew McConaughey says he cried three times watching "Interstellar"

Matthew McConaughey got choked up during his new film "Interstellar," telling People that he cried three times while watching it.

The 45-year-old actor said, "It throttled me," adding, "Even if you don't care that much about the science of it or even the love story between a parent and a child, you just want to go for the wild, epic ride it is."

"Interstellar," directed by Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight," "Inception"), co-stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. It follows group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel.

Chastain told The Associated Press recently, "When I watch the film now, I still don't understand everything in it, but the main part of this film isn't about science. It's about love. You have to feel it. If you go into the movie -- even though the scope is large with space travel -- at its core, it's a story about a father and a daughter. If you let it wash over you, that is enough."

The movie cost an estimated $165 million to make. It opens in U.S. IMAX theaters on Wednesday and goes wide Friday. Industry insiders predict the film could rake in $55 million domestically during its debut weekend.