Matthew Lillard shot to fame appearing in ’90s cult classics like Scream and Hackers, as well as the Scooby-Doo films in the early 2000s. However, he has recently experienced a resurgence in Hollywood, featuring in Five Nights at Freddy’s as the main antagonist and bagging the role of Mr. Charles in Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2. In a recent interview, he jokingly stated that his Hollywood career is being sustained by nostalgia.
Nostalgia is why he keeps getting offered roles in the industry
In a recent podcast appearance on The Brandon Davis Show, Matthew Lillard opened up about why he’s suddenly getting more roles again and how audiences are reconnecting with his older work. He further said that there is a nostalgia wave going on in Hollywood, where he feels his older projects are getting more appreciation than when they were first released.
“Scooby-Doo one and two are more popular now than they ever were when they came out. So I do think there’s like a weird nostalgia thing happening in our industry and in the zeitgeist because I think that people are longing for the old times,” he said.
“People are hiring me again, and that makes sense that people are like, oh yeah, he’s a familiar face from when people felt better about their lives, and now seeing him again will make people feel better,” he further added.
Lillard then offered a self-deprecating take on the current industry trend, saying that the longing for the “good old days” is why he is still getting offered roles rather than a genuine liking toward his current work: “I think that’s why I’m working. I don’t think anyone really likes me. They just miss the old days.”
He essentially linked his current momentum to being associated with a specific era rather than a sudden rediscovery of his talent. He is pointing toward the audience’s fascination with early 2000s pop culture, with Hollywood increasingly bringing back familiar faces to keep audiences engaged.
Lillard’s recent career revival has notably seen him take on more villainous roles, including his turn as the antagonist in Five Nights at Freddy’s and his latest Daredevil stint. Notably, in the ’90s, he rose to prominence portraying eccentric characters in films such as Scream and Hackers.
What do you think about Matthew Lillard’s take on his Hollywood renaissance? Let us know in the comments section below.
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