Actor Matthew McConaughey is taking a stand against the misuse of his iconic catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright" by trademarking it and other properties tied to his likeness. The move comes as artificial intelligence (AI) technology becomes increasingly prevalent in entertainment, with many celebrities facing concerns about AI-generated content that uses their likenesses without permission.
McConaughey's attorneys, from the law firm Yorn Levine, applied for the trademark protection on the phrase in December 2023 and had it approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in December 2025. The actor is now seeking to protect his intellectual property rights against unauthorized use of his catchphrase, which he first made famous in the 1993 comedy film "Dazed and Confused."
The trademark covers not only the phrase itself but also several related properties, including a 7-second video clip of McConaughey standing on a porch and a 3-second audio clip of him saying "Just keep livin', right?" The actor's attorneys believe that this move will provide him with a stronger legal basis to sue in US federal courts if his likeness is used without permission.
Yorn Levine partner Kevin Yorn explained that while state rights-of-publicity laws already protect celebrities from having their likenesses stolen for commercial purposes, this trademark strategy provides McConaughey with more comprehensive protection against AI misuse. "In a world where we're watching everybody scramble to figure out what to do about AI misuse," Yorn said, "we have a tool now to stop someone in their tracks or take them to federal court."
McConaughey's move comes as the entertainment industry grapples with the implications of AI-generated content. The actor has announced plans to partner with an AI voice company called ElevenLabs to replicate his voice and create a Spanish version of his "Lyrics of Livin'" newsletter. However, this partnership also raises questions about the use of celebrity likenesses in AI-generated content.
The trademarking of McConaughey's catchphrase is not unique, as Paris Hilton trademarked her "That's hot" catchphrase back in 2007. However, with the increasing prevalence of AI technology in entertainment, it appears that celebrities are taking proactive steps to protect their intellectual property rights.
In a recent interview, McConaughey discussed the origins of his iconic catchphrase during filming of "Dazed and Confused." The phrase was reportedly improvised by the actor, who has since become synonymous with it. Despite saying the line over 30 years ago, McConaughey still looks back on it fondly, even including it in his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for "Dallas Buyers Club" at the 2014 Academy Awards.
The use of AI-generated content featuring celebrities' likenesses raises important questions about ownership and control in the digital age. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve with technology, it's likely that we'll see more celebrities taking steps to protect their intellectual property rights and assert control over their likenesses.
McConaughey's attorneys, from the law firm Yorn Levine, applied for the trademark protection on the phrase in December 2023 and had it approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in December 2025. The actor is now seeking to protect his intellectual property rights against unauthorized use of his catchphrase, which he first made famous in the 1993 comedy film "Dazed and Confused."
The trademark covers not only the phrase itself but also several related properties, including a 7-second video clip of McConaughey standing on a porch and a 3-second audio clip of him saying "Just keep livin', right?" The actor's attorneys believe that this move will provide him with a stronger legal basis to sue in US federal courts if his likeness is used without permission.
Yorn Levine partner Kevin Yorn explained that while state rights-of-publicity laws already protect celebrities from having their likenesses stolen for commercial purposes, this trademark strategy provides McConaughey with more comprehensive protection against AI misuse. "In a world where we're watching everybody scramble to figure out what to do about AI misuse," Yorn said, "we have a tool now to stop someone in their tracks or take them to federal court."
McConaughey's move comes as the entertainment industry grapples with the implications of AI-generated content. The actor has announced plans to partner with an AI voice company called ElevenLabs to replicate his voice and create a Spanish version of his "Lyrics of Livin'" newsletter. However, this partnership also raises questions about the use of celebrity likenesses in AI-generated content.
The trademarking of McConaughey's catchphrase is not unique, as Paris Hilton trademarked her "That's hot" catchphrase back in 2007. However, with the increasing prevalence of AI technology in entertainment, it appears that celebrities are taking proactive steps to protect their intellectual property rights.
In a recent interview, McConaughey discussed the origins of his iconic catchphrase during filming of "Dazed and Confused." The phrase was reportedly improvised by the actor, who has since become synonymous with it. Despite saying the line over 30 years ago, McConaughey still looks back on it fondly, even including it in his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for "Dallas Buyers Club" at the 2014 Academy Awards.
The use of AI-generated content featuring celebrities' likenesses raises important questions about ownership and control in the digital age. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve with technology, it's likely that we'll see more celebrities taking steps to protect their intellectual property rights and assert control over their likenesses.
. It's about time someone took a stand against AI-generated content that's using famous folks' likenesses without permission 
. I mean, who doesn't want to protect their brand and prevent their face from being used in some weird AI-generated video 
? And kudos to his team for getting the trademark approved 
️. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in court, especially with the increasing use of AI in entertainment 
. Maybe other celebs will follow suit and take control of their own likenesses 
.
. this trademark thingy is a good move, especially w/ ai gettin so prevalent in the entertainment industry. celebs gotta protect their rights and make sure their likenesses ain't bein used for somethin they don't want 
.
the fact that matthew mcconaughey is trademarking his catchphrase is kinda wild - like, what's next? 
his move makes sense though, especially with ai-generated content becoming more prevalent. i mean, who wants to see themselves on a billboard or in a movie without their permission? 
Like, what if some robot starts saying "Just keep livin', right?" or something and people start thinking its actually me 
.
. McConaughey is literally making us all feel like we need to get our intellectual property rights sorted out 
around Matthew McConaughey's iconic catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright"... with lines connecting it to his likeness and the properties tied to it 
This is what he's trying to protect - like a fortress 
. If AI-generated content starts using his catchphrase without permission 
, McConaughey can sue them in federal court 
... because of this trademark protection 
.
... the USPTO just gave him that piece to protect his intellectual property rights 
. His attorneys are saying this move will give him more power to stop AI misuse 
... in a world where we're trying to figure out what's going on with AI-generated content 
... but now it seems like celebrities are taking proactive steps to protect themselves 
. This is the future of entertainment - and who knows? Maybe we'll see more people doing this 
. its kinda wild tho that paris hilton trademarked her "that's hot" catchphrase back in 2007 
i guess celebs gotta watch out for those AI-generated content creators who might be trying to use their likenesses without asking 
. But seriously, with AI technology advancing so fast, it's about time celebs took action to protect their intellectual property rights. I mean, who doesn't want to own the rights to their own likeness and sayings? It makes sense that McConaughey is taking proactive steps to safeguard his brand and prevent unauthorized use of his catchphrase. But at the same time, this raises interesting questions about ownership and control in the digital age 
. I guess trademarking his phrase is the least he could do to stop people from profiting off his "fame" (if you can even call it that anymore). It's about time someone took steps to protect themselves from getting used and exploited, but at the same time... isn't this just a bit rich coming from someone who's made a career out of being carefree and nonchalant? 
what's next? Celebrities creating their own AI avatars 
? 
. And what about when we're using it in AI-generated content? Is that still "borrowing" or is it just a different form of creative expression? 
gotta give props to celebrities who are savvy business folks
It's a slippery slope, you know? And while I'm all for artists having control over their work, isn't this just another way of exploiting the system to line their pockets with cash 
.
Now that Matthew McConaughey has trademarked it, I'm wondering if I'll need permission to use it or if I can just keep on truckin' with it? 
Maybe this is the start of a new trend where we have to pay royalties for using our favorite catchphrases... wouldn't that be something?