Matthew Lillard is crediting his recent resurgence in Hollywood to nostalgia.
The 56-year-old actor, best known for his 90s and early 2000s roles in the live-action Scooby-Doo films and the Scream franchise, opened up on the Phase Hero podcast about why he feels he’s been booking more roles recently.
“Scooby-Doo one and two are more popular now than they ever were when they came out. So I do think there’s a weird nostalgia thing happening in our industry and in the zeitgeist because I think that people are longing for ye olde times,” Lillard explained. “I think that’s one of the reasons I’m having this moment to be honest, is because I was identified in that moment, so people are hiring me again.”
“I think that’s why I’m working. I don’t think anyone really likes me. They just miss the old times,” he added with a laugh. “Who should we get? Who’s old and relatively warm and fuzzy feeling? Let’s get Matthew Lillard. Talented? No. But do we like him? Yes.”
In the last few years, the actor has seen a surge in roles across film and television, including in the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise, his return as Stu Macher in Scream 7, and the shows Cross and Daredevil: Born Again.
It’s especially been a nice reward after Quentin Tarantino’s viral comments, criticizing Lillard’s acting abilities. While also bashing Paul Dano during an interview on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast in December, the filmmaker added, “I’m not saying he’s giving a terrible 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.”
Though Tarantino’s harsh words stung at first, Lillard later told People that it made him realize how many fans and other industry icons appreciate him.
“It felt like I had died and was in heaven watching everyone send out their RIP tweets. I mean, it was really being a part of your own wake, sort of sitting there living through all the nice things people say after you die,” the actor said. “Everyone, from the people at the mall this weekend with my kids to George Clooney and James Gunn and Mike Flanagan, I mean, people have sort of been really generous with telling me how much they loved me and liked my work.”
