Matthew Lillard answered, “No. Not really,” when asked whether he feels valued by Hollywood as an artist. The 56-year-old was speaking with Tommy DiDario on the Oct. 6 episode of I’ve Never Said This Before.
In an excerpt shared exclusively with PEOPLE, the Scream and Scooby-Doo actor said colleagues who have worked with him recognize what he brings to a production. He described trying to keep the atmosphere on set light while remaining dedicated to the work.
At conventions, he sees older and younger admirers waiting in long lines to meet him. He believes Hollywood underestimates that audience and said he takes pride in the connection he has built with fans.
Lillard emphasized that he is grateful to be approaching 40 years in the business. He said his frustrations were harder to live with when he was younger, when he was more impatient for a chance to move up.
Why Lillard Felt Replaceable in Hollywood
Lillard described himself as quirky, gangly and energetic, capable of broad comedy and serious dramatic work. He said casting decision-makers are more comfortable with performers who fit a recognizable movie-star image, while his combination of qualities has made him harder to place.
For years, he said, he was the best friend or the comic relief brought in to ease a story’s emotional pressure. He felt the people hiring him considered him replaceable, even when he was contributing to a successful production. “I still fight for jobs now,” he said.
“I’m in these great movies, but nobody ever equates me with greatness,” he said, naming Twin Peaks and The Descendants among his credits. He wondered why he had never been given the opportunity he wanted to carry a $20 million movie.
Lillard originally auditioned to play Billy Loomis in Scream before casting director Lisa Beach redirected him to Stu Macher, he recalled in a February interview with Den of Geek. He had only a few hours to prepare before performing for Wes Craven, who offered him the part. Lillard returned to the franchise in Scream 7 earlier this year.
Lillard Measured His Career Against Paul Rudd’s
Lillard said he lived with Paul Rudd for two years and repeatedly measured his own fame against his former roommate’s. He recalled feeling overshadowed regardless of his own success. Comparing acting ambitions to professional basketball, he said nobody enters the NBA hoping to stay on the bench.
In his earlier Den of Geek interview, he also named Freddie Prinze Jr. as someone whose career he privately measured himself against. Neither actor knew about the competition in his head, he said.
He had founded two theater companies and trained at New York’s Circle in the Square Theatre School, and described acting as central to his identity. When jobs dried up, he recalled repeatedly calling his agents and managers to ask about auditions.
His family sold their house and changed how they lived during a period when he feared acting work might disappear, he told DiDario in the podcast. He said two of his children are artists, and he tries to speak candidly with them about rejection and insecurity instead of simply telling them not to feel discouraged.
Mike Flanagan Brought Him Back for Carrie
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Lillard told DiDario that he and Mike Flanagan spent three hours at an introductory lunch arranged by a friend. When the filmmaker later offered him a small role in The Life of Chuck, Lillard accepted before reading the script. He wanted that first job to begin a lasting working relationship.
During a visit to the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 set, Flanagan told him he would offer him suitable roles and would not take it personally if Lillard declined. Recalling the conversation in a September interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lillard quoted the filmmaker: “I just want you to know that you’re part of this family.”
He plays Principal Grayle in Carrie, which places Stephen King’s story in a contemporary high school. Summer H. Howell stars as Carrie White, alongside Samantha Sloyan as her mother, Margaret, and Amber Midthunder as Miss Desjardin. The sheltered teenager faces a bullying scandal amplified by social media as her telekinetic powers emerge.
Flanagan wrote the series and directed four episodes, with King also serving as an executive producer. All eight episodes became available on Prime Video on Oct. 7, according to Amazon.