Im writing an open letter to Matthew Lillard because ive read his comments about his recent popularity and how no one 'really' likes him and he's only getting work because of nostalgia.
This is going to be a long rant he probably won't ever see but damn it, I have things to say to him about this.
Mr Lillard,
Yes, you are receiving a lot of new work due to the nostalgia people feel towards your early movies. This is what Hollywood does, they usually go with whoever is the hot commodity of the day to drive ticket sales. This could mean the hot new thing or a big comeback, whatever people seem to be talking about. Sometimes the casting sucks and people complain (aka most of Scarlett Johanssons movies from the past ten years), and sometimes it works and people celebrate (this one you).
The reason why people feel nostalgic for your old movies isnt just because they love the movies, they love YOU. Despite how you feel, people love how you chewed scenery. You brought so much energy to movies, some of which benefitted from your performance. Scream would have done okay had you not been cast, but you are one of the reasons why it is so memorable. I dont think anyone would talk about 13 Ghosts at all if you hadn't been in it. Literally, the only reason why I watched it was because I learned you were in it. Your performance as Shaggy in Scooby-Doo was incredibly spot on. Your enthusiasm and energy really made him feel like a cartoon character brought into the real world.
A year or so ago I was watching Bosch with my parents. I remember the episode where Bosch raids a nightclub/strip joint/whatever, and he runs into an over the top dealer who gets up in his face and starts causing trouble. The scene was dark so it was hard to see, but I immediately recognized your voice. My parents were so confused as to why I was excited, I doubt they ever saw any of your movies. I kept saying 'its Matthew Lillard! Its Lillard! I know that scenery chewing!'. I was hoping so hard that this wasnt a one and done scene, and I was so happy to see that you would come back later. Your following appearances showed the amazing amount of growth you've had as an actor, and displayed the range you're able to cover in a character.
Im very excited to see what the future holds for you. You have a lot of people rooting for you, and not just because of your filmography. We all love you for your performances, your ability to be silly and serious and scary and chew the scenery when needed. Im not a Scream fan, Im not a Scooby Doo fan, Im a Matthew Lillard fan.
P.S. I recently learned you had been given the role of Negan in The Walking Dead before Jeffrey Dean Morgan signed on. I would have loved to see what you would have done with his character. The scenery chewing would have been beautiful.
P.P.S. Fuck Quinton Tarantino, hes an asshole.
