Matthew Lillard believes nostalgia has played a big role in Hollywood’s recent comeback. The actor, best known for playing Shaggy in the live-action ‘Scooby-Doo’ films, said audiences and studios are looking at earlier pop culture moments with renewed interest. Lillard said his renewed love of movies has helped him get rehired, though he joked that people don’t necessarily miss the era he represents.
Matthew Lillard speaks Hollywood nostalgia In ‘Phase Hero’
In a recent appearance on the ‘Phase Hero’ podcast, Lillard talked about the renewed popularity of ‘Scooby-Doo’ and ‘Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed’. “‘Scooby-Doo’ one and two is more popular now than it ever was when it came out. So I think there’s a weird nostalgia thing going on in our industry and the zeitgeist because I think people are longing for the old days,” Lillard said.Lillard added that his connection to that era has shaped the momentum of his current career. “I think that’s one of the reasons I’m having this moment to be honest, it’s because I got identified in that moment, so people hire me again.”Lillard then laughed and said, “I guess that’s what I’m working for. I don’t think anybody really likes me. They miss the old days.”The actor previously reflected on a difficult stretch in his career in a 2024 interview with Business Insider. After returning as Shaggy in ‘Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed,’ Lillard said he hoped the film would boost his career for years to come.
Matthew Lillard reflects on ‘Scooby-Doo’ career setback
Lillard told Business Insider that after ‘Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed,’ he thought he would be “number one” on the movie call sheet for the next 10 years. Instead, the film struggled at the box office and “the exact opposite happened.”The actor said that time forced him to rethink what he wanted from acting. “I got caught up in the success of what I was doing, I got caught up in the parts I was getting, I got caught up in the desire to be unquote famous,” Lillard said.Lillard also admitted that his career went through uneven phases. “I’ve been through good patches and bad patches. I have not been important and I thought I would never go to work again.’Lillard’s major comeback came in 2023, when he played William Afton in “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” Since then, he has continued to book high profile roles. His recent and upcoming projects include ‘The Life of Chuck’, ‘Five Nights and Freddy’s 2’, ‘Scream 7’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’. She will also appear in Mike Flanagan’s ‘Carrie’ and alongside Pedro Pascal, Will Arnett and Olivia Wilde in Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’
