Matthew Lillard responds to the heartwarming support he received from industry peers and fans after being rejected by Quentin Tarantino.
Tarantino denounced Lillard, Owen Wilson and Paul Dano as bad actors during an interview The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. He specifically targeted Dano, calling him “the weakest actor in SAG.”
Following his comments, the majority of social media users openly disagreed with the Pulp Fiction director and trolled him for his own acting performances. Many Hollywood personalities also spoke in defense of the three actors. Directors Mike Flanagan and James Gunn called Lillard “the goddamn greatest.” and “one of my favorite boys (and actors)”, respectively.
The Scooby Doo star was touched to see the outpouring of love and support, saying, “It was like living in your own wake.”
“All those RIP emails or tweets and Instagram posts and TikToks, all the things we see after someone dies, are so sweet. And the reality is, I had to experience it all firsthand — very much alive! I can’t imagine a more beautiful response to what happened.”
“It was crazy. I keep showing it to my wife to convince her that I’m worth it, that people still like me,” Lillard added. “No one has to like me. Of course, no one has to like an actor. It’s personal preference. I’m not everyone’s first choice, that’s clear, but to get such a reaction was wonderful.”
