Matthew Lillard's Best Performances, Ranked

Whether you know him as Shaggy from the live-action Scooby-Doo movies or Stu Macher from Scream, you probably recognize the face and voice of Matthew Lillard. Though not a major star, he's been quietly proving himself as a legitimate actor since the early 1990s. He's worked in quite a wide range of genres and frequently excels as a supporting cast member. Often playing obnoxious braggarts or comic relief characters, Lillard can also excel in dramatic parts.

Update October 31, 2023: Scooby-Doo is a Halloween classic, and combine that with the release of Five Nights at Freddy's, this article has been updated with more great Matthew Lillard performances.

Lillard recently appeared in the box office hit Five Nights at Freddy's. His career isn't slowing down as he will appear in director Mike Flanaggins' adaptation of The Life of Chuck, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. Always a delight on both the big and small screen, here are Matthew Lillard's ten best performances, ranked.

10 She’s All That (1999)

She's All That

Release Date

January 29, 1999

Director

Robert Iscove

Cast

Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, matthew lillard, Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Kevin Pollak

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Comedy, Romance

Who could forget the heyday of the teen movie? It was a time when characters in high school were played by men and women in their mid-20s, and just about everyone onscreen was downright obnoxious (from Buffed Film Buffs). She's All That is a classic teen movie starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachel Leigh Cook, Paul Walker, and Matthew Lillard. Lillard plays a comically annoying reality television star, Brock Hudson (the name really says it all). Brock can be seen as the villain of the film, and Lillard's performance goes a long way to making this over-the-top character work.

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9 Without a Paddle (2004)

Without a Paddle

Release Date

August 20, 2004

Director

Steven Brill

Cast

Matthew Price, Andrew Hampton, Jarred Rumbold, Carl Snell, Antony Starr, Dax Shepard

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Adventure, Action, Comedy, Mystery, Thriller

Without a Paddle is a forgotten relic of early 2000s buddy-comedy. It might not hold up particularly well today, but there are still laughs to be had. The cast of Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepherd, and Seth Green have terrific onscreen chemistry. As they hunt for the legendary criminal D.B. Cooper's lost treasure, things go from bad to worse to even worse. Lillard is perfectly cast in this boyish downriver romp, and his performance is the strongest in the film​​​​​.

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8 Hackers (1995)

Hackers

Release Date

September 14, 1995

Director

Iain Softley

Cast

Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Jesse Bradford, matthew lillard, Laurence Mason, Renoly Santiago

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Action, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Thriller

Hackers is a classic '90s cyberthriller with sleek visuals and a lot of attitude. Its punk flair might make it seem like a product of its time, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't revisit it. Lillard plays Emmanuel "Cereal Killer" Goldstein, and if the name doesn't give it away already, he's one of the film's most memorable characters. Goldstein is one of a ragtag group of hackers who get in over their heads in the world of cybercrime and cybersecurity. Lillard's Goldstein is obnoxious in all the right ways, making this performance a highlight of his early years in show business.

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7 Match (2014)

IFC Films

Lillard showcased his dramatic side when he appeared alongside Carla Gugino and acting legend Patrick Stewart in the engaging drama Match, centering on married couple Mike and Lisa as they set out to interview prominent Juilliard ballet instructor Tobi Powell for an important dissertation on the 1960s dance community. Throughout the intimate and revealing process, Mike's true motives behind the meeting are ultimately revealed and shocking bombshells are exposed. The actor's impressive range as a performer was highlighted in the absorbing character study.

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6 Good Girls (2018 - 2021)

Good Girls

Release Date

February 26, 2018

Cast

Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman, Reno Wilson, matthew lillard

Main Genre

Comedy

In the criminally underrated dramedy series Good Girls, Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman star as a trio of financially struggling women who set out to make some quick cash by robbing a supermarket and inadvertently become entangled with dangerous criminals and the FBI in the process. Lillard portrayed Dean Boland, the scheming and unfaithful car salesman husband of Beth (Hendricks), whose poor decisions led to her having to rob the store in an effort to get money for her family and keep their head above water.

Good Girls ran for four seasons before it was shockingly canceled, much to the outrage of fans. What is interesting is just how good Lillard is in the series, as audiences watch him grow from a rather unlikable character to a more sympathetic person. It is a complex character arc and his relationship with his wife Beth is one of the most nuanced and richly layered ones on television.

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5 The Descendants (2011)

The Descendants

Release Date

September 9, 2011

Director

Alexander Payne

Cast

George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patti Hastie, Grace A. Cruz

Rating

R

Genres

Comedy, Documentary, Drama

In the Academy Award-winning tragicomedy The Descendants, George Clooney plays grieving Hawaii-based attorney Matt King as his world is left shattered after his wife is involved in a serious accident that leaves her comatose and her children devastated. Matt attempts to step up for his kids and be a good father and support system during the tragic aftermath, all the while dealing with pressure to sell his share of lucrative land and his family's legacy.

Matthew Lillard appeared as real estate agent Brian Speer, whom Matt's wife was having an affair with and ended up falling deeply in love with. While audiences might know Lillard more for his over-the-top comedic performance, this was a grounded melancholy role that showed his range as a dramatic actor. The poignant picture garnered critical and commercial success and also won two Golden Globes, including Best Picture – Drama.

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4 Scooby-Doo (2002)

Scooby Doo

Release Date

June 14, 2002

Director

Raja Gosnell

Cast

Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, matthew lillard, Linda Cardellini, Rowan Atkinson, Isla Fisher

Rating

PG

Genres

Adventure, Comedy, Family, Mystery

Scooby-Doo isn't the easiest piece of media to adapt as a live-action feature film. Somehow, Raja Gosnell's version turned out to be quite good. Maybe it's the James Gunn screenplay, or the star-studded cast, or the fact that it perfectly captures the spirit of the original series. Lillard's Shaggy is a major highlight, and it seems like he was made for the role.

In fact, it's difficult to imagine anyone else playing (or voicing) Shaggy after seeing Lillard bring the character to life. Unsurprisingly, he continues to voice the character in animated Scooby-Doo projects today.

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3 SLC Punk! (1998)

SLC Punk

Release Date

September 24, 1998

Director

James Merendino

Cast

matthew lillard, Michael A. Goorjian, Annabeth Gish, Jennifer Lien, Christopher McDonald, Devon Sawa

Rating

R

Genres

Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Romance

Before the release of SLC Punk!in 1998, Lillard was seen as a supporting actor rather than a lead. But when he took top billing in this cult classic of the late '90s, he changed everybody's minds. It was a film that showed that Lillard had the makings of a star, and although he would not go on to become a go-to leading man, he certainly had the potential to do so. Though it's an almost garishly punk film, Lillard's performance in SLC Punk! is incredibly nuanced. His fears and anxieties are almost palpable: you can read them on his face and hear them in his voice.

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2 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

Showtime

Lillard was an unexpected addition to the cast of Twin Peaks: The Return. He was one of a number of brand-new characters added to the third season of David Lynch and Mark Frost's mystery series. Though not connected to the characters of the original two seasons, Lillard's character, William "Bill" Hastings, is one of the highlights of The Return. He plays an important, though somewhat confusing role in the show's South Dakota subplot. A principal arrested for murder, Hastings features in one of the series' most emotionally arresting scenes, which allows Lillard to prove himself as a gifted dramatic actor. It's a knockout performance, to say the least.

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1 Scream (1996)

Scream

Release Date

December 20, 1996

Director

Wes Craven

Cast

Drew Barrymore, Kevin Patrick Walls, David Booth, Carla Hatley, Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich

Rating

R

Genres

Crime, Horror, Mystery

Wes Craven's Screamis the horror satire to end all horror satires. Laughs aside, it has its fair share of legitimate scares, and its influence on the genre has been enormous. Lillard plays one of its two central villains, and his performance is maybe the most iconic in the film. Stu Macher is a loudmouth bully, and however annoying his brazen self-confidence may be, it's hard to believe that he could be a bloodthirsty killer. Lillard pulls off the transition well, bringing just the right amount of insanity to the character. He doesn't push it as far as a lesser actor might have, and his role in Scream is the best of his career.

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