Using artificial intelligence to impersonate celebrities is not “alright, alright, alright.”
Matthew McConaughey has trademarked “Alright, alright, alright,” the iconic catchphrase that he first made famous in Richard Linklater’s 1993 comedy classic “Dazed and Confused.”
The “Interstellar” star, 56, trademarked the phrase and seven other properties tied to his likeness in an effort to protect against unauthorized “AI misuse.”
“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,” read the trademark registration, per Variety.
Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represents McConaughey, reportedly applied for trademark protection on “Alright, alright, alright” in Dec. 2023. The US Patent and Trademark Office was said to have approved the trademark in Dec. 2025.
The “Lincoln Lawyer” star’s attorneys have secured a total of eight trademarks for the actor over the last few months.
In addition to “Alright, alright, alright,” the USPTO approved trademarks for a 7-second video of McConaughey standing on a porch and a 3-second video of the actor sitting in front of a Christmas tree.
A fourth approved trademark was an audio clip of the “Mud” star saying, “Just keep livin’, right? I mean, what are we gonna do?”
Yorn Levine partner and co-founder Kevin Yorn explained that while state rights-of-publicity laws already protect celebrities from having their likeness stolen to sell products, this trademark strategy provides McConaughey with a stronger legal basis to sue in US federal courts.
Yorn added that these trademarks could help avoid “misuse” more generally, including for AI-generated videos of celebrities that aren’t explicitly being used to sell anything.
“I don’t know what a court will say in the end. But we have to at least test this,” Yorn told Variety.
“In a world where we’re watching everybody scramble to figure out what to do about AI misuse, we have a tool now to stop someone in their tracks or take them to federal court,” Yorn Levine of-counsel attorney Jonathan Pollack added.
Yorn and Pollack went on to say that McConaughey’s trademarks provide him protection to develop opportunities offered by AI technology.
The “True Detective” alum announced back in November that he was partnering with an AI voice company called ElevenLabs to make a Spanish version of his “Lyrics of Livin’” newsletter by replicating his voice.
McConaughey’s eight trademarks were registered to J.K. Livin Brands Inc. – the parent company of the “Dazed and Confused” actor’s Just Keep Livin apparel business.
The Post has reached out to McConaughey’s reps for comment.
McConaughey, meanwhile, opened up about the origins of his “alright, alright, alright” catchphrase during a chat with People in 2024.
He said the iconic “Dazed and Confused” line while in character as David Wooderson, and revealed that the scene was completely improvised.
“That [came] out of my mouth in a scene that I was never supposed to be in, that was never written,” he told the outlet.
The scene in question saw McConaughey’s character pull his car alongside Marissa Ribisi’s while trying to pick her up. But because “Dazed and Confused” marked the actor’s first major role, he was “a little nervous” about figuring out how he would make David Wooderson his own.
“I started to go, Well, who’s my man? Who’s Wooderson? I said, Wooderson loves his car, and I’m like, well, I’m in my car. There’s one,” he explained. “I said, Wooderson loves rock and roll…Well, I got Ted Nugent in the 8-track. That’s two. I said, Wooderson loves to get high, and I’m like, well, Slater’s riding shotgun. He’s always got a doobie rolled up.”
“Then I said Wooderson likes picking up chicks…Then all of a sudden, I heard, ‘Action!’ As I put it in drive, I thought to myself, ‘I got three out of four, and I’m going to get the fourth. Alright, alright, alright,” McConaughey added with a laugh. “That was three affirmations for the thing that my character had as he was going to get his fourth. It was a kick-starter.”
Despite saying the line more than 30 years ago, McConaughey still looks back on it fondly. He even included it in his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for “Dallas Buyers Club” at the 2014 Academy Awards.
“I had no idea that that line would precede me for the rest of my life,” he told People two years ago. “People ask me all the time, ‘Are you tired of that preceding you?’ And I’m like, ‘Hell, no.’”
“Every time I hear it, I’m like, ‘That was the first three words you said ever on film 30-something years ago,’” he added. “I take it as a compliment.”
McConaughey wouldn’t be the first celebrity to trademark an iconic catchphrase tied to his likeness.
Paris Hilton, 44, applied to trademark her “The Simple Life” catchphrase, “That’s hot,” with the USPTO in 2004 before it was approved in 2007, per CNBC. She went on to use it to sell alcohol and clothing products.
Taylor Swift has filed to trademark several of her song lyrics – including “This sick beat,” “Nice to meet you,” “Where you been?” and “Party like it’s 1989.” However, many of the 36-year-old pop superstar’s trademark applications are said to be still pending, according to USA Today.
Eminem recently sued an Australian beach brand called Swim Shady for trademark infringement.
The “Lose Yourself” rapper, 53, argued that the company’s name was too similar to his trademarked “Slim Shady” alter ego.
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