Matthew Lillard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matthew Lillard
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Lillard in 2024
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| Born |
Matthew Lyn Lillard
January 24, 1970 Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
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| Education | Fullerton College American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Heather Helm
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 3 |
Matthew Lyn Lillard (born January 24, 1970) is an American actor. He is famous for playing many different characters in movies and TV shows. You might know him best as Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the live-action Scooby-Doo movies from 2002 and 2004. He has also been the voice of Shaggy in cartoons since 2009.
More recently, Matthew Lillard became well-known for his role as William Afton in the 2023 movie Five Nights at Freddy's. This role helped him gain new fans. People in the entertainment world have even said he's in a "Renaissance era" because of his recent success. He is also called a "scream king" because of his important roles in horror movies.
Even though he often plays funny characters, Matthew Lillard has also shown his acting skills in serious movies. These include The Descendants (2011) and Match (2014). He also starred in the TV series Good Girls from 2018 to 2021. In 2012, he directed his first movie, Fat Kid Rules the World.
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Early Life and Education
Matthew Lillard was born in Lansing, Michigan, on January 24, 1970. He grew up in Tustin, California. He has a younger sister named Amy.
He went to Foothill High School. After that, he studied at Fullerton College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California. He also attended the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City.
Acting Career Highlights
Matthew Lillard started his career in the early 1990s. He was an extra in the movie Ghoulies 3: Ghoulies Go to College in 1991. In 1994, he appeared in the comedy Serial Mom.
A year later, he was in five movies, including Hackers. This movie was about high school students who stopped a big crime. In 1996, he played Stu Macher in the horror film Scream. He also starred in the independent film SLC Punk! and the horror movie Thirteen Ghosts.
Becoming Shaggy Rogers
One of Matthew Lillard's most famous roles is Norville "Shaggy" Rogers. He first played Shaggy in the live-action movie Scooby-Doo in 2002. He returned as Shaggy in the sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, in 2004.
When Casey Kasem, the original voice of Shaggy, retired in 2009, Matthew Lillard took over the role. He has voiced Shaggy in many animated series and movies since then. These include Mystery Incorporated, Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?. He has also voiced Shaggy in almost every animated direct-to-video film since 2010.
Recent Roles and Directing
In 2011, Matthew Lillard appeared in the TV series House. That same year, he directed and produced his first movie, Fat Kid Rules the World. He also acted in the movie The Descendants. In 2018, he voiced Shaggy again in a special crossover episode of the TV series Supernatural.
He guest-starred in Criminal Minds in 2012. The next year, he played Daniel Frye in the TV series The Bridge. In 2017, he was in the third season of Twin Peaks. From 2018 to 2021, he co-starred as Dean Boland in the NBC series Good Girls.
In 2022, Matthew Lillard was cast in the live-action movie Five Nights at Freddy's. The movie was released in 2023. He played William Afton, a very important villain in the story. This role brought him a lot of attention. He has said that his own children inspired him to take on this role.
In 2024, he appeared in the film The Life of Chuck. It was announced in January 2025 that he would return to the Scream movie series for its seventh film. He had previously been in the first Scream movie.
Other Projects
Matthew Lillard is also a businessman. He helped start Beadle and Grimms. This company makes special, limited-edition products for games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.
He also co-founded a company called Find Familiar Spirits. This company creates and sells special drinks.
Personal Life
Matthew Lillard married Heather Helm on August 26, 2000. They have three children together and live in Los Angeles.
He enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons. In 2005, he even took part in a tournament for the game. He has also played Dungeons & Dragons in online shows.
See also
In Spanish: Matthew Lillard para niños
- List of American Academy of Dramatic Arts people
- "Scream king" / "Scream queen"
