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Actor Matthew McConaughey is officially trademarking his iconic "Alright, alright, alright" catchphrase in a preemptive move against unauthorized AI replication. At 56, McConaughey is seeking legal protection for the three-word signature he first made famous over 30 years ago as David Wooderson in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused. The trademark filing is his latest effort to maintain control over his vocal likeness and personal brand amidst the rapid rise of AI voice-cloning technology.
McConaughey has had eight trademark applications approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) over the past several months in an attempt to stop AI apps or users from simulating the Magic Mike actor's voice or likeness without his permission, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing his attorneys.
According to a document filed by the USPTO seen by PEOPLE, an application to trademark "Alright, alright, alright" was filed in December 2023, and it was granted approval in December 2025.
The trademarks include a seven-second clip of McConaughey standing on a porch, as well as a three-second clip of the actor sitting in front of a Christmas tree, the WSJ reported, citing the approved applications.
There's also audio of McConaughey saying "Alright, alright, alright," as well as audio of him saying, “Just keep livin’, right?” before he paused and said, “I mean,” pausing again, before adding, “What are we gonna do?” according to Variety.
The Oscar winner told the WSJ in an email, “My team and I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it’s because I approved and signed off on it. We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world.”
Jonathan Pollack, one of McConaughey’s attorneys at law firm Yorn Levine, said, “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,” per the WSJ.
State rights-of-publicity laws are already in place to protect celebrities from having their image or likeness stolen to sell products, the outlet noted. McConaughey's lawyers are hoping that by taking this step, the actor will help stop AI misuse, given that there's a threat of a lawsuit in federal courts.
Many celebrities have spoken out about AI in recent years, with Tom Hanks issuing a "public service announcement" from his official Instagram account in August 2024, warning fans not to be "fooled" by ads using his likeness without permission.
