Matthew Lillard still fighting for jobs: ‘They look for a movie star’
After 30 years of iconic roles, Matthew Lillard says the work still isn’t flowing — and he’s spelling out what he thinks is to blame.
On the latest episode of the I've Never Said This Before podcast, Matthew Lillard didn’t sugarcoat what it ’s like to be a familiar face who still has to hustle for work. At 56, the Scream and Scooby-Doo staple said the roles don’t exactly chase him — not because he can’t deliver, but because of what the industry tends to prize.
“But I think what Hollywood looks for is — they look for a movie star. They look for dashing.”
Lillard said he’s long felt undervalued by the system, but added that time has changed how he carries it. He’s often seen as a character actor or a key supporting player, and he says he’s made peace with that lane rather than chasing a matinee-idol mold he was never asked to fill.
Tarantino dust-up
That perspective hardened after a public slight from Quentin Tarantino. According to the account, during an appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast late last year, the director lumped Lillard into a list of actors he said he didn’t care for while critiquing a Paul Dano performance.
“I’m saying he’s giving a non-entity [performance]. I don’t care for him. I don’t care for Owen Wilson, I don’t care for Matthew Lillard.”
The reaction was immediate. Fans rallied, and — according to the report — industry figures including James Gunn and George Clooney publicly backed Lillard, a show of support that underscored how much affection audiences and peers have for him even when the casting machine doesn’t always reflect it.
For anyone needing a reminder of why he sticks in people’s memories, here are a few of the roles that did it:
- Scream — Stu Macher
- Scooby-Doo — Shaggy Rogers (live-action and voice)
- Five Nights at Freddy’s — William Afton
Lillard shared his thoughts on I've Never Said This Before while reflecting on where he fits in the business and why he’s fine being the guy you never forget, even if his name isn’t at the very top of the poster.