Why Did Matthew McConaughey Say 'Alright Alright Alright' In Speech Accepting Oscar 2014 Best Actor Award?

Matthew McConaughey gave a heart-warming speech after winning the Oscar for Best Actor Sunday night. The 44-year-old won for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club,” portraying AIDS activist Ron Woodroof.

The actor gave a touching speech, thanking God, his fellow nominees, his family and fellow actors. Towards the end, he caused the audience to erupt in cheer, after repeating one of his famous movie lines. "So, to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to and whoever it is we’re chasing -- to that I say, 'alright, alright, alright.' And then I say, just keep livin’. 'Alright, alright, alright.'”

Some people were confused as to what McConaughey was referencing with that last line. The line was made famous by the actor in 1993, when he made his film debut in the coming-of-age film “Dazed and Confused.” He played David Wooderson, a 20-something-year-old who still hangs out with high school students. He drives a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport 454 and is very careful that nobody messes up the leather. He likes redheads, as well as high school girls, mainly because as he gets older, they stay the same age. His life philosophy is to “just keep livin'.”

So why did McConaughey reference the Richard Linklater classic in his speech on Oscar night?

"1992 I was one week into working on my first job, 'Dazed and Confused,' my father moved on [passed] six days into working on my job," he said. "Now in hindsight I've looked back, he got to be alive for me doing the one thing that was not my fad, hobby or job. We didn't know it then, but it turned out to be my career … he came to my mind tonight," he said backstage at the Oscars after his acceptance speech.