Why has Matthew McConaughey trademarked his iconic phrase? Landmark AI case explained

Matthew McConaughey has trademarked his iconic phrase “Alright, Alright, Alright!” – here’s why the actor has taken that surprising legal step.

Matthew McConaughey first said the words “Alright, Alright, Alright!” in the movie Dazed and Confused. Playing the part of Wooderson, the actor decided that his character only cares about four things – his car, getting high, rock n roll, and girls.

During the scene in question, he’s got three of them, so says three “alrights” as he’s pulling up to flirt with the fourth.

Both the scene and line in question quickly became famous, and “Alright, Alright, Alright!” turned into something of a catchphrase for the star, with McConaughey saying it in countless interviews, and repeating the words in movies and adverts. Which is why he’s so protective of the phrase, especially from the potential threat of AI.

Matthew McConaughey fights AI with eight trademarks

McConaughey has secured eight trademarks from the US Patent and Trademark Office to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized AI misuse.

According to Variety, attorneys for entertainment law firm Yorn Levine took the “alright” action in December 2023, and the USPTO granted approval in December 2025.

Regarding that specific phrase, the trademark registration states, “The mark consists of a man saying ‘ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT’, wherein the first syllable of the first two words is at a lower pitch than the second syllable, and the first syllable of the last word is at a higher pitch than the second syllable.”

Other trademarks taken out in the action include “a seven-second video clip of him standing on a porch; a three-second clip of him sitting in front of a Christmas tree; and audio of him saying ‘Just keep livin’, right?’ followed by a pause, then ‘mean,’ followed by another pause, and ending with ‘What are are we gonna do?'”

State rights already protect celebrities from having their likeness used to sell products, but this trademark is for more broad misuse – including AI video that isn’t selling anything – and gives McConaughey the ability to sue in federal court if required.

“I don’t know what a court will say in the end,” says Yorn Levine co-founder Kevin Yorn. “But we have to at least test this.”