The 'Pointing Rick Dalton' meme originates from Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, specifically a scene where Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) enthusiastically points at himself appearing on a television screen while drinking a beer and smoking. It first went viral on Twitter in early 2020 as a way to express the feeling of recognizing a subtle reference, a cameo, or a specific detail in media. The template resonates because it perfectly captures that split-second surge of excitement when you see something you know. It is widely used across social media to highlight Easter eggs in movies, recurring themes in pop culture, or even relatable life situations where a pattern is finally identified.