Matthew Lillard told People magazine that he would “love” to be in a Quentin Tarantino movie, which is why it “sucked” when the director criticized him last year, along with fellow actors Paul Dano and Owen Wilson. Lillard added: “I think he’s a lovely filmmaker, and to just sort of get punched in the mouth just was kind of a bummer.”
During a viral interview on “The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast” last fall, Tarantino slammed Dano as “the weakest fucking actor in SAG” and added that “I don’t care for” Lillard or Wilson either.
“It felt like I had died and was in heaven watching everyone send out their RIP tweets,” Lillard told people about the reaction that followed. “I mean, it was really being a part of your own wake, sort of sitting there living through all the nice things people say after you die… Everyone, from the people at the mall this weekend with my kids to George Clooney and James Gunn and Mike Flanagan, I mean, people have sort of been really generous with telling me how much they loved me and liked my work.”
Many of Lillard’s former Hollywood collaborators used social media to champion him after Tarantino’s comments went viral. Mike Flanagan, who directed the actor in “The Life of Chuck” and cast him in the upcoming “Carrie” series reboot, called Lillard the “the goddamn greatest.” James Gunn worked with Lillard on the “Scooby Doo” movies and called him “one of my favorite guys (and actors).” George Clooney even accepted a prize from AARP and said that he “would be honored to work with” any of the actors Tarantino dissed.
Lillard originally weighed in on Tarantino’s comment while speaking at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio. He said “who gives a shit” while also acknowledging that “it hurts your feelings. It fucking sucks. And you wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to somebody who’s a top-line actor in Hollywood.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly last month, Lillard said “it was crazy” to receive so much support from fans and industry names about Tarantino’s diss, adding: “I keep showing it to my wife to convince her that I am worthy, that people still like me. 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.”
Dano similarly received widespread support from fans and industry colleagues. Speaking to Variety at Sundance, Dano said “it was really nice” to see such a reaction, and “I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to.”