How Matthew McConaughey Came Up With His Catchphrase

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Proud Texan Matthew McConaughey is known for many things–including his recent bestselling autobiography, Green Lights–but even more people know him for his famous catchphrase, “Alright, alright, alright.”

The actor’s wide variety of films have shown his range over the years, yet he’s remembered often for his three-word line in Dazed and Confused.

In a video, the actor explains that the iconic scene in Dazed and Confused was the first movie scene he’d ever shot, and there was no dialogue written for him in the scene. It was his job to come up with what his character would say when he was trying to pick up a girl.

McConaughey decided that his character, Wooderson, was about four things: his car, rock and roll, getting high, and getting girls. He decided that his character had three out of the four, and he was on his way to getting the fourth. With that, he landed on the iconic line, “Alright, alright, alright.” If you listen closely in Dazed and Confused, you’ll hear the line as he drives off into the distance.