Lance Armstrong’s recent doping confession prompted a roller coaster of emotions for his fellow Austinite and good friend Matthew McConaughey, according to MTV News.

At first, the actor said he was “pissed off.” McConaughey, who was at the Sundance festival to promote his new film Mud, said he wanted to be “delicate” in discussing the controversy. He said he felt mad and “kind of sad for him,” admitting that he took the news personally.

His reaction makes sense, considering the pair’s close relationship over the years. The two have been known to jog, cycle, party, go to the beach, and work on Armstrong’s nonprofit Livestrong together.

However, McConaughey’s feelings shifted after further consideration. He said he realized he would have been even more “pissed off at him” if he had been forced to carry around Armstrong’s secret. “What was he supposed to do?” McConaughey said. “Call me to the side and go, ‘Hey man, I did it but don’t tell anybody.’”

Now that McConaughey’s recovered from his initial anger, he is “happy for this guy, who has now chosen to reenter this new chapter of his life a truly free man.” McConaughey said he believes “at the end of it all … his legacy will be what he did for cancer.”

Of course, the very beginning of that new chapter, McConaughey conceded, will be miserable for Lance, but McConaughey concluded, “He’ll deal.”