Matthew McConaughey registers trademarks for memes featuring his image

Actor Matthew McConaughey has registered eight trademarks covering images of himself, securing legal protection for some of his most recognizable online meme personas against unauthorized use, including AI-generated content.

The registration also includes the iconic phrase “Alright, alright, alright” from his 1993 film "Dazed and Confused".

“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,” McConaughey told The Wall Street Journal.

Representatives for the actor say the goal is to help establish a framework that could eventually become a legal standard for the use of personal likeness in AI.

In 2025, major U.S. actors’ unions backed legislation aimed at banning the unauthorized use of a person’s appearance and voice in AI-generated content.