Lillard shares his reaction to all the support he received from Hollywood after the filmmaker made disparaging comments.

Matthew Lillard likens Hollywood’s reaction to Tarantino’s remarks to ‘living through your own wake’ (exclusive)

Lillard shares his reaction to all the support he received from Hollywood after the filmmaker made disparaging comments.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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January 28, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

Matthew Lillard talks the aftermath of Quentin Tarantino's podcast remarks. Credit:

Savion Washington/Getty; Kevin Winter/Getty

Matthew Lillard is opening up about Hollywood's overwhelming reaction to Quentin Tarantino's podcast remarks in a new interview with **.

The wide-ranging conversation covering the launch of a new Ghost Face Vodka (released through the liquor company Lillard co-founded, Find Familiar Spirits), the actor's return as Stu Macher in next month's *Scream 7*, his upcoming role in the *Carrie* TV series, based on the Stephen King horror classic, and the situation that played out after Tarantino shared disparaging comments about Lillard, Owen Wilson, and Paul Dano on *The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast*.

“It was like living through your own wake,” Lillard describes of all the tributes he received from his peers in the business on social media. “All those R.I.P. emails or tweets and Instagram posts and TikToks, all of the things we see after somebody passes are so sweet. And the reality is I just got to live through all of it firsthand — alive and kicking! I can't imagine a more lovely reaction to what happened.”

Matthew Lillard at the 'Life of Chuck' Los Angeles premiere.

Amy Sussman/Getty

On the podcast in question, Tarantino called Dano "the weakest male actor in SAG" before stating, "I really can't stand Owen Wilson" and "I don't care for Matthew Lillard."

In the aftermath, it seemed that all of Hollywood rose to praise the prowess of the three stars. When it came to Lillard specifically, Mike Flanagan, who directed the actor in *The Life of Chuck* and works with him again on the upcoming TV series adaptation of *Carrie*, called him “the goddamn greatest.”

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James Gunn, for whom Lillard played Shaggy in two live-action *Scooby-Doo*s, referred to him as “one of my favorite guys (and actors).” George Clooney, his former costar on *The Descendants*, said during an AARP acceptance speech that he “would be honored to work with those actors” Tarantino mentioned.

Lillard's *Scream* screenwriter and *Scream 7* director Kevin Williamson shared a behind-the-scenes photo on his Instagram Story with a caption that read in part, "Truly one of the best!"

Matthew Lillard's Stu opposite Rose McGowan's Tatum in 'Scream' (1996).

Dimension Films/ Everett

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“It was crazy. I keep showing it to my wife to convince her that I am worthy, that people still like me,” Lillard tells EW, taking on a more jokey tone. “I am a piece of ass!”

He later adds, "Nobody has to like me. Nobody has to like any actor out there, obviously. It's personal preference. I am not everyone's first choice, that is obvious, but to then have that kind of reaction was beautiful.”

Find Familiar Spirits will release Ghost Face Vodka on Feb. 9 at $160 a bottle. Lillard will then be seen on *Cross* season 2 (on Amazon's Prime Video Feb. 11), followed by *Scream 7 *(in theaters Feb. 27) and *Daredevil: Born Again* season 2 (on Disney+ March 24).**

Read the full profile on Lillard here.

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