Matthew McConaughey Trademarks Himself Against AI Misuse

Matthew McConaughey isn't waiting for AI deepfakes to steal his identity. The Oscar-winning actor just filed eight trademark applications to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized AI use, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved them.

The trademarks include video clips of McConaughey and audio of his iconic "Alright, alright, alright" line from Dazed and Confused. It's a smart legal move that gives him power to stop people from monetizing fake versions of him.

"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. He's creating what he calls a "clear perimeter around ownership" where consent matters.

The timing makes sense. Fraudulent ads have already used Tom Hanks's AI-generated likeness to sell fake "wonder drugs" without his permission. This week alone, a deepfake video swapping faces with the Stranger Things cast racked up over 15 million views on X, showing just how easy this technology is to abuse.

McConaughey's approach builds on protections actors won during the 2023 Hollywood strikes. SAG-AFTRA members fought hard for rules preventing studios from creating digital replicas without consent, but those agreements don't cover everything happening outside traditional film production.

Why This Inspires

McConaughey's trademark strategy offers a roadmap for other performers facing the same threat. By using existing intellectual property law in creative ways, he's showing artists they don't have to wait for new AI regulations to protect themselves.

His action puts the power back where it belongs: with the people whose faces, voices, and years of work built their public personas. It sends a clear message that consent isn't optional, even in an AI world where technology makes copying someone easier than ever.

Other creators are already watching closely to see if this approach works at scale. If successful, trademarking could become standard practice for anyone whose likeness has commercial value, from actors to musicians to influencers.

One actor's legal filing might just spark a movement where artists reclaim control of their own identities.