Matthew Lillard’s best roles of the 90s and 2000s
From Stu and Stevo to Scooby-Doo’s Sidekick, Shaggy, there is no movie that is ’90s or early. Matthew Lillard He was in it.
When it comes to millennial classics, Lillard has been an undeniable staple. Appears in romantic comedies such as Summer of fishing and It’s all this To the film that would launch him into “horror icon” status, He shoutsLillard’s comedic relief and magnetism on screen were seemingly everywhere, and… He shouts exit Wes Craven He knew her from the beginning.
“Wes Craven pulled me up one day and said, ‘One day, you’re going to win an Oscar,'” Lillard once recalled at a conference about filming the 1996 hit. “I said, ‘Shut up. You should call mom and dad and tell them about this.’ So he brought up the phone. He called my mother.”
While the actor has had dedicated fans for decades, he previously dismissed the idea of being idolized for his past work — until recently.
“Now, I like to be able to celebrate things [like Scream]He said Rolling stone in an October 2024 interview. “Not that I care about, like, holding onto them tightly. But in my whole life, I’ve always thought, ‘Who cares what I did before?’ Let’s just get to the next. Now, the older I am, I’m not so interested in the following. “
Lillard admitted there’s been a bit of a “2.0 ERA” to his career — he’s recently starred in stuff like Good girls, five nights at freddy’s And more – and couldn’t be more thankful for the love.
“I’m so grateful for that. You know, when you’re young and you come and go He shouts It happens, you’re always looking for what’s next, what’s more, right? Especially as a young actor, you’re like, ‘He shouts It happened, but yeah, that’s anything – I want more. And that’s when you’re at the top of your journey, when you’re wandering toward the end of your career—not that I’m there now, but I’m not the new kid on the block, right? You definitely appreciate it a lot on that deeper level.” “It’s very funny, you know. The minute you’re like, “Oh, I’m S—,” you immediately wipe it off. That’s when you fall the furthest.”
While Lillard may be at the top of his career now, fans will never forget how it all started. Keep scrolling to take a look at Lillard in his best roles of the ’90s and early ’00s:
“Serial Mom” (1994)
Lillard’s first foray into the horror genre came in 1994 Serial moma dark comedy about housewife Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner), who discovers she has a taste for murder after running over someone with her car. Young Lillard portrays her son, Chip, who watches as his mother grows increasingly out of control—and dangerous. The film is as absurd as it is scary, and sets up Lillard for what could be an impressive career in the horror genre.
“Mad Love” (1995)
One year later Serial mom Hitting theaters, Lillard was thrown in Crazy lovea dark romance starring Drew Barrymore and Chris O’Donnell As Casey and Matt, a pair of teens in love who go on the adventure of their lives when they decide to take a cross-country road trip. Lillard only had a small role in the film as one of O’Donnell’s friends Eric, but the project proved his range as an actor — and his ability to hold his own with greatness.
“Hackers” (1995)
Continuing to act alongside the greats – Lillard’s collaboration with Angelina Jolie For the year 1995 Hackerswhich follows a group of teens as they uncover a criminal conspiracy with plans to use a computer virus to transport five oil tankers. The film introduced a new elevated tone for Layard, who—though still wearing his then-long locks—portrayed Emanuel “Cereal Killer” Goldstein in this cyberpunk flick ahead of its time.
‘Scream’ (1996)
There may be six (almost seven) films in He shouts franchise — and an endless amount of undisguised ghosts — but no one can beat the original duo of Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Lillard’s Stu. Lillard’s unassuming madness made him a fascinating villain, but his ability to hide his deadly plan as his beloved best friend allowed him to forge a higher class before the truth was revealed.
Screaming is undoubtedly where Lillard broke into mainstream stardom. Some of the best moments in the final act were actually improvised by Lillard—”You hit me with the phone, dick!” -And his brutal death on the pole remains one of the franchise’s best. So good, in fact, that fans are still clamoring to see Stu return to seek revenge in Final Girl Sydney (Neve Campbell) all these years later. I mean, someone could survive a TV falling on their head, right? … right?
‘SLC Punk! (1998)
Every weird ’90s teen found solace in 1998 SLC Punk!an offbeat comedy about the duo Heroin Pop (Michael A. Gorjian) and Stevo (Lillard) who walk the streets of “the most conservative city” in America, Salt Lake City, as the only dedicated villains. The film itself is a timeless classic, with a surprisingly impressive supporting cast – Devon Sawaand Jason Siegel and Christopher McDonaldto name a few — and a story about finding your own way in a world that pushes you to conform.
Lillard, as always, is hilarious, or lights and lights on screen, stealing the show at every turn — and not just because of that stellar blue hair.
“She’s All That” (1999)
Some might argue that Lillard’s Brock Hudson is an absurdist-centered reality star stemming from his work on MTV’s The real world Who started dating high school queen Pure Taylor Vaughn (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) – was supposed to be a villain in this beloved 1999 romantic comedy. And, well, while the character being in his 20s and dating a teenager is a defining factor, Lillard still made Brock undeniable with his iconic line delivery And an epic wardrobe and very impressive dancing skills.
Decades later, people still talk about how great their love story was Freddie Prinze Jr and Rachel Lee Cook Zack and Lainey had it — but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t watch that, “but Matthew Lillard Brock was the real star of the show.”
‘summer catch’ (2001)
Lillard swoops in once again as the perfect comic relief for this underrated romantic comedy starring Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel. Lillard plays baseball catcher Billy Brubaker in the film, a teammate of Prinze Jr.’s Ryan Dunne. Both are on the road to the big leagues, hoping to get noticed by a summer league role.
The film is an early staple — lots of familiar faces, sexcapades and jokes that aren’t every age well — but Lillard still manages to make his character noteworthy.
“Thir13en Ghosts” (2001)
Lillard returned to his horror roots in this early 00s gem, trading in humor for jump scares and gore. While Lillard was technically supporting in this truly bizarre flick, his role as ghost hunter Dennis led the way for the story to unfold, and Lillard proved he could play the victim as well as the villain, any day. (Warning: Do not watch this movie unless you are prepared for endless nightmares.)
“Scooby-Doo” (2002)
While some know Lillard as Stu or Stevo, others know him better as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers from 2002’s live-action Scooby-Doo. The actor stars vs. Sarah Michelle Gellarand Linda Cardellini and costar Prinze Jr. The predecessor to the iconic Core Four – as well as the highly entertaining canine – detectives.
Some actors might struggle with bringing a well-known and beloved comic book character to life, but Lillard captures Shaggy’s nervous and goofy personality with his vocal performance, body language, mannerisms, and ability to work with the CGI Doggo. He was so good, in fact, that he reprized the role for the 2004 sequel and became the official voice of Shaggy in all subsequent animated films and TV shows from 2010 to 2020. Zoinks!
