A growing number of celebrities are filing trademark applications to protect their likenesses, voices, and iconic phrases as AI-generated deepfakes become increasingly realistic and widespread. The trend reflects mounting concerns about nonconsensual AI content, from sexualized deepfakes to unauthorized videos featuring trademarked characters. Matthew McConaughey, Taylor Swift, Jimmy Kimmel, Lionel Richie, Jeremy Clarkson, and the Backstreet Boys have all recently submitted trademark filings to establish legal ownership over their identities in the AI era.

Why Are Celebrities Suddenly Protecting Their Identities?

The urgency stems from real-world harms already occurring. OpenAI's video generation platform, Sora 2, faced significant backlash after launching last year when it allowed users to create videos featuring trademarked characters without copyright holders' consent. Actor Bryan Cranston flagged unauthorized videos featuring his character Walter White from "Breaking Bad." Following industry pushback, OpenAI implemented an opt-in approach for copyright holders before shutting down the platform altogether in April.

Beyond video generation, AI-powered deepfakes have caused tangible damage to public figures. Taylor Swift became a victim of nonconsensual deepfake images, some of which drew criticism from politicians and tech leaders like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In 2024, President Donald Trump shared AI-generated images of Swift with his supporters ahead of that year's presidential election. Swift condemned the images in an Instagram post, writing that the experience "really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation".

Donald Trump

Jeremy Clarkson, the British TV presenter known for "Top Gear" and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?," has experienced similar harassment. In January, he condemned AI-generated images in an opinion piece for The Sun, describing false reports about his family and friends at his farm in Cotswolds. "On Facebook this week, we heard from just my farm alone that Gerald has died, Kaleb has had another kid, Lisa has left me and I've broken my leg," Clarkson wrote, referring to his wife and friends. "All of the stories were accompanied by a completely realistic photograph. And all of them were complete nonsense".

What Specific Protections Are Celebrities Seeking?

The trademark filings reveal the breadth of what celebrities consider part of their identity. Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks related to his likeness as of February, including his iconic "Dazed and Confused" quote, "Alright, alright, alright." Taylor Swift filed three trademark applications through her company, TAS Rights Management, in April. Two trademarks are for the spoken phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." The third is a detailed image of Swift taken during The Eras Tour, described as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multi-colored microphone with purple lights in the background".

Jimmy Kimmel filed three trademark applications in April related to his likeness. One trademark is associated with a specific phrase and vocal pattern: "Hi I'm Jimmy I'm the Host of the show... thank you.. thank you.. thank you.. thanks for coming.. thanks for watching at home.. thank you for joining us here," wherein the first several words are spoken at a higher pitch than the remaining words that gradually move to a lower pitch. The other two were related to images of Kimmel during his time on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Lionel Richie, through RichLion Holdings LLC, submitted four trademark applications in early June to protect his voice and iconic phrases. The applications cover audio recordings of Richie saying "Hello is it me you're looking for," "All Night Long," "Easy Like Sunday Morning," and "Say you say me." Jeremy Clarkson submitted trademark applications through the UK's Intellectual Property Office in November 2025, officially registered in January. Two of the trademark applications are for images of his face, while a separate trademark is for the words "Jeremy Clarkson." The Backstreet Boys, through BSB Entertainment, Inc., submitted two trademark applications on June 24, one for the spoken words "HI, WE'RE THE BACKSTREET BOYS" and another for a picture of the band wearing white outfits in a "futuristic hallway setting".

How Can Trademark Protection Actually Stop AI Misuse?

Matthew McConaughey has become a vocal advocate for this legal strategy, arguing that passive resistance won't work against the financial incentives driving AI development. In an interview with Timothée Chalamet, McConaughey explained the practical power of trademark protection: "It's not enough, it may be for you, but it's not going to be enough to sit on the sidelines and make the moral plea that 'no, this is wrong!' That's not going to last. There's too much money to be made, and it's too productive. It's here".

"So, when it comes, not if it comes, no one can steal you. They're going to have to come to you and go, 'Can I?' Or, they're going to be in breach. And you'll have the chance to be your own agency and go, 'yeah, for this amount,' or 'no,'" McConaughey said during CNN and Variety's Town Hall.

Matthew McConaughey, Actor

The trademark approach gives celebrities legal leverage to negotiate licensing deals or block unauthorized use entirely. Once a trademark is registered, any company or individual using that protected likeness, voice, or phrase without permission faces potential legal liability. This transforms the relationship between creators and AI companies from a power imbalance into a negotiation, where celebrities can demand compensation or refuse permission outright.

Steps Celebrities Are Taking to Protect Their Digital Identity

• Filing Trademark Applications: Celebrities are submitting formal trademark applications to government intellectual property offices to establish legal ownership over their likenesses, voices, iconic phrases, and distinctive visual presentations.
• Protecting Specific Vocal Patterns: Some celebrities, like Jimmy Kimmel, are trademarking not just words but the unique vocal delivery, including pitch variations and cadence that make their speech distinctive and recognizable.
• Documenting Visual Identity: Detailed trademark filings include specific descriptions of clothing, stage settings, and poses, creating a legal record of what constitutes an unauthorized use of their likeness.
• Registering Iconic Phrases: Celebrities are securing trademarks for catchphrases and signature expressions that have become synonymous with their public personas, preventing AI systems from generating content using these distinctive verbal markers.
• Using Corporate Entities: Many celebrities file trademarks through their own companies or management entities, centralizing control over their digital identity and making enforcement easier.

The broader context reveals why this legal strategy has become urgent. Grok, a chatbot developed by Elon Musk's xAI, which is now part of SpaceX, garnered widespread criticism in January for allowing users to create sexualized deepfakes of real people, some of which included minors. The company is facing legal action in response. Additionally, celebrities like Sarah Silverman have voiced concerns over startups stealing content to train large language models. Silverman and a group of plaintiffs sued OpenAI in 2023 for copyright infringement, though a federal judge narrowed the scope of the lawsuit in February 2024.

Not all celebrities are taking a purely defensive stance. Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys said in a 2025 interview with Billboard Brazil that AI needs checks and balances but acknowledged its potential benefits. "We embrace technology and AI evolution, as long as there's no abuse," Carter said. "You have to care about melody, music, and the intention behind it. We've released over 10 albums in our career. Each contains our voices, blood, sweat, tears, emotions. You can't replace that." In a separate 2025 interview with The Comics Beat, Carter revealed he used AI to help craft the official lyric video for his song "Hey Kid" and his comic book-themed music video series, demonstrating that some artists are finding ways to leverage AI tools while protecting their core identity.

The trademark trend signals a shift in how the entertainment industry is responding to AI. Rather than waiting for legislation or relying on moral arguments, celebrities are using existing intellectual property law to establish clear boundaries. As AI technology continues to advance and become more accessible, this proactive legal strategy may become the industry standard for protecting digital identities.