Renowned Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey has taken a strategic legal step by registering several trademarks to protect his voice, image, and iconic phrases from misuse by artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Through entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, McConaughey has successfully secured eight trademarks from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) over the past few months.
Among those protected is the audio sound mark of his famous phrase “Alright, alright, alright!” — an iconic line from the 1993 film Dazed and Confused that has become synonymous with him.
In addition, several short video clips and other audio recordings featuring McConaughey’s voice and distinctive speaking style are also protected. The trademark application for the phrase was filed in December 2023 and received official approval in December 2025.
Although existing right-of-publicity laws in the US already protect celebrities from the exploitation of their image and likeness, his legal team chose the trademark approach to enable legal action in federal court, including against AI misuse that does not involve commercial purposes.
The move also opens the door for McConaughey to explore new opportunities in a controlled manner, including collaborations with AI voice company ElevenLabs to produce a Spanish-language version of his newsletter using AI technology legally. – BOOM!
