Matthew Lillard is best known as Scooby Doo’s best friend and Stuart Matcher from Scream. Read more about Matthew Lillard net worth and career.
Like Dwight Schultz, Matthew Lillard studied theater arts and hoped to pursue a career as a stage performer. But he was immediately drawn in front of a camera when he became the co-host of a show called Sk8t-TV, which led him to the film Ghoulies 3 in 1991.
Matthew Lillard’s most notable films include the 1996 Wes Craven thriller film Scream, SLC Punk in 1998, Scooby-Doo in 2002, and The Descendants in 2011. Lillard also played several roles in popular television series like Twin Peaks, Bosch, Good Girls, and The Bridge.
And of course, as Shaggy Rogers, Lillard has voiced the character in many video games and cartoon shows.
For this year, Matthew Lillard net worth is estimated at $2 million. The 51-year-old American actor, comedian, producer, and director, has been in the industry for three decades. Lillard received three awards out of twelve nominations and over 150 credits as an actor.
[Related Reads: Guy Pearce Net Worth]
Matthew Lillard Short Bio
Matthew Lyn Lillard was born on January 24, 1970, in Lansing, Michigan. He lived in Tustin, California, with his parents, Paula and Jeffrey, and younger sister Amy until he finished high school. Lillard continued his education and finished a degree in Dramatic Arts.
Lillard’s on-screen career began soon after graduation, and his co-hosting stint with SK8-TV led him to be hired as an extra for Ghoulies 3: Ghoulies Goes To College.
Matthew Lillard Career
As a child, Lillard struggled with a learning disability. He found his way to acting when one of his teachers praised him for being good at it. Lillard got inspired when he realized that he was good at something. From then on, acting was something he decided to pursue.
After SK8-TV and Ghoulies, Lillard got the part of Chip and made his debut in the 1994 highly rated classic comedy movie Serial Mom. He played alongside Kathleen Turner and Sam Waterston as Mom and Dad. Lillard and Ricki Lake played the roles of the couple’s teenage kids.
1994 and 1995 were good years for Lillard. In the short time he entered the show business, he was already part of seven movies, including Hackers. Lillard was proud of the film because he was amongst the few who knew Angelina Jolie before she was a Hollywood superstar.
The first Scream movie came out in 1996. Lillard played the role of Stuart “Stu” Macher, one of the two Ghost-faced killers in the film. Stu was meant to make a comeback in Scream 3 and orchestrate attacks against high school students from his prison cell. But the whole script had to be rewritten because of a real-life school attack in April of 1999.
Lillard got the Scream part only by chance when he accompanied his girlfriend at the time to a separate audition. Though his part was cut short, Matthew Lillard was an important element to the first film’s massive success, which grossed $173 million worldwide.
SLC Punk was a semi-autobiographical film by director-screenwriter James Merendino. Lillard noted the 1998 Sundance movie entry as his favorite and most memorable film because he was able to fully express himself and showcase his talent as an actor in front of a rolling camera.
After being part of the supernatural horror film Thirteen Ghosts in 2001, Lillard was officially chosen to play the role of Shaggy Rogers in the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie. And in 2009, the actor also took over voicing the character for cartoon and animation when legendary DJ Casey Kasem, the original VA of Shaggy, retired at age 77 due to his declining health.
Matthew Lillard has carried the torch and played the role, and the voice, of the beloved Hannah-Barbera character for over 20 years in cartoon series, movies, and live-action.
[Related Reads: Jack Gleeson Net Worth]
Matthew Lillard Net Worth – Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is Matthew Lillard Net Worth?
Matthew Lillard net worth is estimated at $2 million. The 51-year-old American actor started his career in the early 90s and has been in the business for thirty years. His most notable role by far is the character of Shaggy Rogers, which he has been carrying for over two decades.
Who Is Matthew Lillard’s Wife?
Matthew Lillard is married to Heather Helm, a successful realtor, who is from California. The happy couple have three children and are still together since their marriage in 2000.
Why Was Matthew Lillard Replaced As Shaggy?
Matthew Lillard was just as surprised as everyone else when he found out that he was not going to be the voice of Shaggy for the CG film Scoob! which was released in 2020. But everyone’s disappointment didn’t last long because Lillard returned as the voice of Shaggy for Multiversus in 2021.
Matthew Lillard Net Worth – Final Thoughts
Matthew Lillard is successful and very much confident of who he is today. He is fearlessly blunt with touchy subjects in the industry, like how most productions today prefer to go with “looks” rather than talent and how character acting is a thing of the past.
Aside from being a director, producer, and actor, Lillard has also taken up the role of educator to young showbiz hopefuls. He uses his younger self to exemplify how much a little inspiration can change a person’s life. And the importance of having pride in their profession.
Related Reads:
- Sam Rockwell Net Worth: What’s The Latest On Sam?
- Larry the Cable Guy Net Worth: The Savvy Comedian From Nebraska
- Todd McFarlane Net Worth: The Great Comic Book Artist
