Looking back now, Matthew Lillard thought his career would explode when the success of 2002’s live-action “Scooby-Doo” (the film earned $275 million worldwide) launched a franchise.
- Matthew Lillard is rebuilding himself
- He became a household name with the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise
- The actor is looking back on a career after
The Rise and Fall of a Franchise Star
Matthew Lillard, known for his portrayal of "Shaggy" in the live-action 'Scooby-Doo' film of 2002, envisioned a skyrocketing career after the film's global success, which amassed 275 million. He eagerly reprised his role in the 2004 sequel, 'Scooby−Doo 2: MonstersUnleashed,' expecting continued success and financial gain.
However, the sequel didn′t meet expectations, both critically and commercially, failing to surpass the 200 million mark that its predecessor had easily achieved. This unexpected downturn forced Lillard to reconsider his career trajectory.
In a candid interview with 'Business Insider', Lillard confessed, “I thought I’d be No. 1 on the call sheet for the next 10 years of movies. And the reality was the exact opposite happened.”
“I was caught up in the success of what I was doing, I was caught up in the parts I was getting, I was caught up in this drive to be quote-unquote famous,” Lillard admitted, noting that he finally had to stop caring about chasing fame.
“I was going to do ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ And I was like, if I do ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ I’ll never win an Academy Award,” Lillard said. “If I do ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ I’ll be famous and not a great actor, and I really just wanted to be a great actor. I said [to my agent], ‘I just want to be an actor. I just want to be in movies. I want to reset my expectations.'”
The underperformance of 'Scooby-Doo 2' brought Lillard's aspirations to a halt, prompting a shift in his professional goals. He admitted to being "caught up in the success" and the pursuit of fame, realizing the need to change his focus from seeking stardom to honing his craft as an actor.
This realization led him to communicate with his agent, expressing a desire to reset his expectations and prioritize acting over fame. The actor added, “I’ve gone through good patches and bad patches. I’ve been irrelevant and thought I was never going to work again.”
Despite the challenges, Lillard managed to carve out a new path in the industry. He continued to lend his voice to the character of Shaggy in various animated 'Scooby-Doo' projects, maintaining a connection to the franchise. But that's not all...
Another notable film from this period was 2002’s '13 Ghosts,' in which Lillard played "Dennis Rafkin," a psychic who helps a family navigate the terrifying haunted house setting. The film, though not a major hit at the box office, became a cult favorite, and Lillard's performance was remembered for adding depth to a relatively typical horror character.
In 2003, Lillard further solidified his place in the horror genre with his role in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning,' where he played "Bert," one of the unfortunate victims of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. While his role was smaller compared to some of his other characters, it further demonstrated his versatility in genre work.
Beyond film, Lillard made his mark in television as well. In 2006, he voiced "Jace" in the animated series 'The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.' He later joined the voice cast of 'Star Wars Rebels' in 2014, playing the character "Hondo Ohnaka," a pirate and smuggler who becomes a recurring character in the series. His work in 'Star Wars Rebels' earned him praise for adding complexity and humor to the role.
Lillard has also been involved in directing and producing. In 2011, he made his directorial debut with 'Fat Kid Rules the World,' a coming-of-age drama based on the novel by K.L. Going. The film, which he also produced, was a passion project that showcased his desire to explore deeper, more personal narratives beyond his established comedic and horror roles.
In recent years, Lillard has continued to balance his work across both live-action and animation, with notable roles in 'Twin Peaks', where he appeared as "Deputy Hawk," and in the critically acclaimed 2021 film 'The Map of Tiny Perfect Things,' where he played the father of the film’s protagonist.
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His ability to seamlessly shift between genres and mediums has kept him a beloved figure in the entertainment industry.
Additionally, he secured supporting roles in notable films such as 'The Descendants,' which won an Oscar, and Clint Eastwood's 'Trouble With the Curve.' His perseverance and willingness to adapt have allowed him to find success in unexpected places.
