From Stu and Stevo to Scooby-Doo’s sidekick Shaggy, no movie from the ’90s or early 2000s felt complete unless Matthew Lillard was in it.

When it comes to millennial cult classics, Lillard was an undeniable staple. Appearing in romantic comedies like Summer catch And She is all that to the film that would propel him to the status of horror icon, ShoutLillard’s comic relief and magnetic on-screen appeal were seemingly everywhere, and Shout director Wes Craven I knew it from the start.

“Wes Craven pulled me aside one day and said, ‘One day you’re going to win an Oscar,'” Lillard recalled at a convention on the set of the 1996 hit. “I said : ” Shut up. You should call my mom and dad and tell them that. So he had the phone brought in and called my mother.

Although the actor has had a devoted fan following for decades, he previously rejected the idea of ​​being loved for his past work – until recently.

“Now I like being able to celebrate things [like Scream]” he said rolling stone in an October 2024 interview. “It’s not that I’m interested in hugging them so tightly. But all my life I always thought: “Who cares what I did before?” Let’s just move on to the next one. Now, as I’m older, I’m not so interested in what comes next.

Lillard admitted there’s a bit of a “2.0 era” in his career – he’s recently starred in hits like Good girls, five nights at Freddy’s and more – and he couldn’t be more grateful for that love.

“I am very grateful for it. You know, when you’re young and you grow up, Shout happens, you’re always looking for what’s next, what’s more, aren’t you? Especially as a young actor, you’re like, “Shout It happened, but yeah, it doesn’t matter, I want more. And that’s when you’re at the peak of your journey, when you’re nearing the end of your career – not that I’m there right now, but I’m not a newcomer, am I ? You definitely appreciate it so much on a deeper level,” he said. “It’s so funny, you know. The minute you say, “Oh, I’m the s—,” you immediately fade away. That’s when you fall the furthest.

Even though Lillard may now be at the peak of his career, fans will never forget how it all started. Keep scrolling to look back at Lillard in his best roles from the ’90s and early 2000s:

“Serial Mom” (1994)

Lillard’s first foray into the horror genre came in 1994 with Serial moma black comedy about housewife Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner), who discovers she has a taste for murder after hitting someone with her car. A young Lillard plays her son, Chip, who watches his mother spiral more and more out of control – and dangerous. The film is every bit as silly as it is scary, and sets Lillard up for what would be an impressive career in the horror-comedy genre.

“Mad Love” (1995)

One year later Serial mom was released in theaters, Lillard was chosen for Crazy lovea dark romance with Drew Barrymore And Chris O’Donnell as Casey and Matt, a loving teenage couple who embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to take a cross-country road trip. Lillard only had a small role in the film as Eric, one of O’Donnell’s friends, but the project proved his acting talent and ability to hang with the big guys.

“The Hackers” (1995)

Continue to act alongside the big guys – Lillard teamed up with Angelina Jolie for the years 1995 The pirateswhich follows a group of teenagers as they uncover a criminal plot to use a computer virus that will capsize five oil tankers. The film introduced a new elevated tone for Lillard, who – while still sporting his then-iconic long locks – played Emmanuel “Cereal Killer” Goldstein in this cyberpunk film way ahead of its time.

“Scream” (1996)

There may be six (almost seven) films in the Shout franchise – and an endless supply of unmasked Ghostfaces – but no one can beat Billy’s original duo (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu from Lillard. Lillard’s unhinged infatuation made him a fantastic villain, but his ability to mask his murderous streak as a sympathetic best friend allowed him to create a high-profile cover-up before the truth was revealed.

Scream is undoubtedly where Lillard broke into mainstream stardom. Some of the best moments of the final act are actually improvised by Lillard: “You hit me with the phone, asshole!” – and his brutal death by electrocution remains one of the best in the franchise. So good, in fact, fans are still clamoring to see Stu return to get revenge on Final Girl Sidney (Neve Campbell) all these years later. I mean, someone could survive a TV falling on their head, right? … RIGHT?

‘SLC Punk! (1998)

All the Foreign Teens of the 90s Found Solace in the 1998s SLC Punk!an offbeat comedy about the duo Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjian) and Stevo (Lillard) who roam the streets of “the most conservative city in America”, Salt Lake City, as the only two dedicated punks around. The film itself is an underrated, timeless classic, with an incredibly impressive supporting cast – Devon Sawa, Jason Segel And Christopher McDonaldto name a few – and a story about finding your own way in a world that pressures you to conform.

Lillard, as always, his hilarious, effusive and bright side of the screen, steals the show at every moment – and not just because of his stellar bright blue hair.

“She’s All That” (1999)

Some might argue that Lillard’s Brock Hudson – a vain and self-centered reality TV star coming off his stint on MTV The real world who started dating Queen Bee Taylor Vaughn from high school (Jodi Lynn O’Keefe) – was supposed to be a villain in this beloved 1999 romantic comedy. And, OK, while the character being in his 20s and dating a teenager is a definite gross-out factor, Lillard still made Brock undeniably memorable with his iconic line delivery, her epic wardrobe and her extremely impressive dancing skills.

Decades later, people still talk about the greatness of a love story. Freddie Prinze Jr. And Rachel Lee Cook’s Zack and Lainey had it done – but you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t follow that up with: “But Matthew Lillard’s Brock was the real star of the show.”

“Summer Catch” (2001)

Lillard once again stepped in as the perfect comic relief for this underrated romantic comedy starring Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel. Lillard plays baseball catcher Billy Brubaker in the film, a teammate of Prinze Jr.’s Ryan Dunne. Both are on the path to the major leagues, hoping a turn in a summer league will get them noticed.

The film is a typical early 2000s staple – lots of familiar faces, sexcapades, and jokes that haven’t aged very well – but Lillard still managed to make his character remarkable.

“Thir13en Ghosts” (2001)

Lillard returned to his horror roots for this early 2000s gem, trading humor for scares and gore. While Lillard technically supported the casting of this truly terrifying film, his role as ghostbuster Dennis set the stage for how the story unfolded, and Lillard proved he could play the victim as well as the villain, no matter what. no matter what day. (Warning: Do not watch this movie unless you are prepared to have endless nightmares.)

“Scooby-Doo” (2002)

While some know Lillard as Stu or Stevo, others know him better as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers from the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film. The actor stars opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini and former co-star Prinze Jr. to make up the iconic core of four detectives – plus one very entertaining canine.

Some actors might struggle to bring such a well-known and beloved comic book character to life, but Lillard captures Shaggy’s nervous and awkward character perfectly with his vocal performance, body language, mannerisms, and ability to work with a dog CGI. He was so good that he reprized the role in the 2004 sequel and became the official voice of Shaggy in all subsequent animated films and TV shows from 2010 to 2020. Zoinks!