'Alright, alright, alright!' Matthew McConaughey reveals the origins of his iconic catchphrase during SNL monologue

He is a man's man. A Texan. An Oscar winner. A father and husband. 

But there is one catchphrase that perfectly encapsulates the myth and complexity that is the legend we know as Matthew McConaughey. 

During his opening monologue for Saturday Night Live, the 46-year-old explained the origins of the highly quotable, 'Alright, alright, alright!' line.

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Alright, alright, alright! Matthew McConaughey explained the origins behind his iconic line in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused during the opening monologue for Saturday Night Live

Alright, alright, alright! Matthew McConaughey explained the origins behind his iconic line in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused during the opening monologue for Saturday Night Live

The 46-year-old actor said that he hadn't even given acting a thought as a college student at the University of Texas at Austin College of Communication in 1992 when he began speaking with a producer at a bar.

After chatting for four hours and getting kicked out of the bar, Matthew said the producer encouraged him to consider a role in a new movie he was working on.

The very next day when he picked up the script, Matthew said he learned the movie in question was Dazed And Confused, and that the role was of Wooderson, a 20-something man who runs in a crowd of high school students.

It's a classic! In Dazed And Confused, Matthew starred as a twenty-something man who still ran with a crowd of high schoolers 

It's a classic! In Dazed And Confused, Matthew starred as a twenty-something man who still ran with a crowd of high schoolers 

Wooing her over: McConaughey's character won the attention of Cynthia (Marissa Ribisi) when he invited her to a new party

Wooing her over: McConaughey's character won the attention of Cynthia (Marissa Ribisi) when he invited her to a new party

'My character, David Wooderson, he has three lines in the entire film. Alright, but one of those lines is what I like to call a launch pad line. Now what I mean by that, a launch pad line is a line that if a character really believes it, then I can feel like I can write a whole book on this character.' 

'The scene goes like this, "Wooderson's hanging out at a pool hall with some buddies, some girls walk by, he smacks one of them on the a** and his buddy says, "Man you're going to go to jail for that, Wood Man." And Wooderson says "nah. That's what I love about those high school girls, man. I get older, but they stay the same age."'

The actor was brought in for a wardrobe makeup test, where he encountered director Richard Linklater, who was shocked at how closely Matthew embodied Wooderson.

Getting started: The Oscar winning actor explained he hadn't given acting a thought before he befriended a producer as a college student  

Getting started: The Oscar winning actor explained he hadn't given acting a thought before he befriended a producer as a college student  

'The director comes up to me, Richard Linklater, and he says, "Oh my God, you look great man, this is Wooderson, this is exactly who I hoped you'd be."

'And he says, "Listen, we're doing this drive-through scene tonight, and I know you're not supposed to work, but you think Wooderson might be picking up on the red headed intellectual? 

'"You know, he's already been with the cheerleader and the 'typically' hot girls, what about a red headed intellectual?"'

Why not? The 46-year-old told director Richard Linklater that he believed Wooderson would pursue 'a red headed intellectual' when he asked him for his opinion

Why not? The 46-year-old told director Richard Linklater that he believed Wooderson would pursue 'a red headed intellectual' when he asked him for his opinion

Matthew explained that Wooderson would indeed be interested in the red headed intellectual and at Richard's urging, decided to film the famous scene where he hits on the young woman from inside a car.

'Next thing I know, I'm in a car, getting ready to shoot the very first scene of my film acting career, unscripted. Am I nervous? Damn right, I'm nervous. 

'So I'm thinking, "Who is Wooderson? Who is my man? You know, what's he about?" And I tell myself, "Wooderson's about four things: he's about cars, weed, rock 'n' roll, and chicks." 

Here comes trouble! In the original film, Matthew immediately opened with 'alright, alright, alright' as he approached the young woman

Here comes trouble! In the original film, Matthew immediately opened with 'alright, alright, alright' as he approached the young woman

It worked! After Wooderson invited Cynthia to the party, her guy friends are surprised that she responded positively to his advances
It worked! After Wooderson invited Cynthia to the party, her guy friends are surprised that she responded positively to his advances

It worked! After Wooderson invited Cynthia to the party, her guy friends are surprised that she responded positively to his advances

'I look around, where I am, well I'm in my 70's Chevelle. That's one. I've got Slater riding shotgun, so I'm definitely getting high, that's two. And we've got Ted Nugent playing Stranglehold on the 8-track, well that's three. '

It was not until the after they began rolling that the catchphrase entered Matthew's mind.

'At this point I hear over the intercom, "Action!" And I look up across the drive-through at this red headed intellectual and I say to myself, "Buddy, you got three out of four. Alright, alright, alright!" 

Making history: Dazed and Confused was released in 1993 and also starred Jason London and Milla Jovovich

Making history: Dazed and Confused was released in 1993 and also starred Jason London and Milla Jovovich

Dazed and Confused, which is about high school life in 1976, was released in 1993 and also starred Jason London and Milla Jovovich. 

Matthew, who took home the Oscar for Best Actor in 2014 for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, has three more films set up for next year: The Free State Of Jones, Kubo And The Two Strings, and Sing. 

The True Detective actor has three children with his wife Camila Alves: sons Levi, seven, Livingston, nearly three, and daughter Vida, five.

 

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