The Nostalgia Factor: Why Matthew Lillard is Making a Comeback
Matthew Lillard has recently shared his thoughts on the resurgence of interest in his past roles, attributing it to a “longing for ye olde times.” This nostalgia, he believes, is driving the entertainment industry and shaping the current cultural landscape. Speaking on the Phase Hero podcast, Lillard highlighted how films from the early 2000s are now experiencing a second wave of popularity.
“Scooby-Doo 1 and 2 are more popular now than they ever were when they came out,” he told the host Brandon Davis. “So I do think there is a weird nostalgia thing happening in our industry and in the zeitgeist, because I think people are longing for ye olde times. I think that is 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.”
Lillard rose to prominence with roles like Stu Macher in Scream (1996), followed by his iconic portrayal of Shaggy in the live-action Scooby-Doo films released in 2002 and 2004. He also appeared in other notable films such as She’s All That and The Descendants.
On the podcast, Davis joked that casting directors are looking back to find a “familiar face from when people felt better about their lives” and returning actors like Lillard to the screen hoping it would make “people feel better.”
“That’s why I’m working. I don’t think anyone really likes me,” Lillard replied. “They just missed the old times.”
A Busy Career and New Projects
Lillard has remained active in the entertainment industry, appearing in the 2023 horror film Five Nights at Freddy’s as William Afton. He was expected to reprise the role in the still-in-development third instalment of the franchise. Currently, he stars in Daredevil: Born Again, playing the shadowy political fixer Mr Charles. Additionally, he appears in the second season of the Prime Video series Cross, where he plays Lance Durand.
The actor returned as Stu in the seventh instalment of the Scream series, making a surprise comeback for a character widely believed to have died in the original film after Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott dropped a television on his head. Lillard is set to appear in the forthcoming Mike Flanagan-directed miniseries Carrie, and the Tony Gilroy-directed film Behemoth! alongside Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Will Arnett, Eva Victor, and Margarita Levieva.
Controversy and Support
Last year, Oscar-winning director Quentin Tarantino made headlines for saying he “didn’t care for” the Scream star and actors Paul Dano and Owen Wilson. All three instantly received an outpouring of love from within Hollywood. Lillard was defended by Flanagan, who directed him in The Life of Chuck (2024), as “the goddamn greatest.”
He was also recruited by Ryan Reynolds for a Mint Mobile commercial in which the Deadpool star declared in his voiceover: “There are only two things that are universally loved: saving money and beloved actor Matthew Lillard.”
In February, Lillard said he felt like he was at his own wake after being flooded with support following Tarantino’s comments. “It felt like I had died and was in heaven watching everyone send out their RIP tweets,” he told People. “I mean, it was really nice being a part of your own wake, sort of sitting there living through all the nice things people say after you die.”
