In a bold move to safeguard his iconic catchphrase against potential AI exploitation, Matthew McConaughey has taken legal action to trademark the famous line "Alright, alright, alright." This phrase, which has become synonymous with the actor since its debut in the 1993 cult classic film "Dazed and Confused," is now protected by McConaughey's legal team at Yorn Levine, who have successfully obtained eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over recent months.
The trademarks include a unique sound mark featuring McConaughey himself saying the catchphrase, as well as various video clips of him in casual settings—one where he stands on a porch for seven seconds, and another where he sits in front of a Christmas tree for three seconds. Additionally, they've trademarked audio of him saying, "Just keep livin’, right?" followed by pauses and then asking, "What are we gonna do?"
According to the trademark registration, the sound mark describes a specific way McConaughey delivers the catchphrase: the first syllables of the first two words are pitched lower than the second syllables, while the first syllable of the last word is pitched higher than its counterpart. The application for this protection was filed in December 2023, with the approval granted two years later in December 2025.
While existing state laws concerning rights of publicity already offer some level of protection for celebrities against unauthorized use of their likeness, the Yorn Levine team has opted for this innovative trademark approach. This strategy not only enhances McConaughey's ability to take legal action in federal courts if necessary, but it also aims to deter broader misuse, particularly concerning AI-generated videos that may not be directly commercial.
Kevin Yorn, a partner and co-founder at Yorn Levine, expressed a mix of uncertainty and optimism about the court's final stance on the matter, stating, "I don’t know what a court will say in the end. But we have to at least test this." Alongside McConaughey, Yorn also represents other major Hollywood figures, including celebrated actors like Zoe Saldaña and Scarlett Johansson, both of whom have achieved remarkable box office success.
Jonathan Pollack, an attorney associated with Yorn Levine, emphasized the importance of these trademarks in light of the ongoing challenges posed by AI misuse. He commented, "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."
Beyond protection, these trademarks could open new avenues for McConaughey in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology. Recently, he announced a collaboration with ElevenLabs, an AI voice company, to create a Spanish version of his newsletter titled "Lyrics of Livin’" using a digital version of his voice. Both McConaughey and Yorn are investors in ElevenLabs through their venture-capital firm, BroadLight Capital.
All eight trademarks linked to McConaughey are registered under J.K. Livin Brands Inc., located in Sherman Oaks, California, which serves as the parent company for his Just Keep Livin apparel line.
