What Happened to Matthew Lillard?
Matthew Lillard, known for iconic roles in 'Scream' and as the voice of Shaggy in 'Scooby-Doo', has experienced a significant career resurgence in the mid-2020s. He reprised his role as William Afton in the successful 'Five Nights at Freddy's' film series and is set to return as Stu Macher in 'Scream 7' in 2026, alongside numerous other film and television projects.
Quick Answer
Matthew Lillard is currently experiencing a career renaissance, actively involved in a diverse range of projects as of April 2026. He recently starred in the 'Five Nights at Freddy's' film series as William Afton and is reprising his fan-favorite role as Stu Macher in 'Scream 7', released in February 2026. Lillard continues his long-standing voice work as Shaggy Rogers for the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise and has upcoming roles in 'Daredevil: Born Again', 'Cross' Season 2, and a 'Carrie' TV series.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Born in Lansing, Michigan
Matthew Lyn Lillard was born in Lansing, Michigan, marking the beginning of his journey into entertainment.
Feature Film Debut in 'Serial Mom'
Lillard made his feature film debut in John Waters' black comedy 'Serial Mom', playing Chip Sutphin.
Breakthrough Role as Stu Macher in 'Scream'
He achieved a career breakthrough with his portrayal of Stu Macher in Wes Craven's slasher film 'Scream', becoming a fan-favorite character and a 'scream king'.
Starred in 'SLC Punk!'
Lillard starred as Stevo in the independent film 'SLC Punk!', a role that further showcased his acting range.
Portrayed Shaggy Rogers in Live-Action 'Scooby-Doo'
He took on the role of Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers in the live-action 'Scooby-Doo' film, a character he would reprise in the 2004 sequel and later voice.
Became Official Voice of Shaggy Rogers
Following Casey Kasem's retirement, Lillard was chosen to take over as the voice of Shaggy Rogers for animated 'Scooby-Doo' projects, a role he has maintained since.
Directed First Feature Film 'Fat Kid Rules the World'
Lillard made his directorial debut with 'Fat Kid Rules the World', an adaptation of the K.L. Going book, which premiered at SXSW.
Began Co-starring in 'Good Girls'
He began a recurring role as Dean Boland in the NBC crime comedy-drama series 'Good Girls', which ran until 2021.
Starred in 'Five Nights at Freddy's'
Lillard gained renewed recognition for his role as William Afton in the horror film 'Five Nights at Freddy's', which became a commercial success and marked a 'Renaissance era' for his career.
Presented at SXSW on Fandom Entrepreneurship
Lillard spoke at SXSW about building an entrepreneurial empire around fandom, highlighting his companies Beadle & Grimm's and Find Familiar Spirits.
Appeared in 'The Life of Chuck'
He appeared in Mike Flanagan's film adaptation of Stephen King's novella 'The Life of Chuck', which won the People's Choice Award at TIFF 2024.
Starred in 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2'
Lillard reprised his role as William Afton in the sequel, 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2', continuing the successful horror franchise.
Returned as Stu Macher in 'Scream 7'
Lillard made a highly anticipated return to the 'Scream' franchise, reprising his iconic role as Stu Macher in 'Scream 7', released in theaters.
'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' Streams on Peacock
The sequel to the hit horror film, 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2', starring Lillard as William Afton, became available for streaming exclusively on Peacock.
Upcoming Roles in 'Daredevil: Born Again', 'Cross' S2, 'Carrie' TV Series, and 'Behemoth!'
Lillard is slated for a busy 2026 with roles in Marvel's 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2, Prime Video's 'Cross' Season 2, Mike Flanagan's 'Carrie' TV series, and the film 'Behemoth!'.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Matthew Lillard's career has spanned over three decades, marked by a versatile range of performances in both comedic and dramatic roles. He first gained widespread recognition in the mid-1990s with memorable roles in films like John Waters' black comedy 'Serial Mom' (1994) and the cult classic 'Hackers' (1995). His breakthrough came with the role of Stu Macher, one of the original Ghostface killers, in Wes Craven's seminal slasher film 'Scream' (1996), which solidified his status as a 'scream king'. Following this, he starred in the independent film 'SLC Punk!' (1998) and later became synonymous with the character of Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers, portraying him in the live-action 'Scooby-Doo' films (2002, 2004) and subsequently taking over as the official voice actor for the character in animated series and direct-to-video films since 2009.
The 2010s saw Lillard taking on more dramatic roles, earning critical acclaim for his performances in films such as 'The Descendants' (2011) and 'Match' (2014), and appearing in television series like 'Twin Peaks: The Return' (2017) and 'Good Girls' (2018–2021). He also ventured into directing with his debut feature film, 'Fat Kid Rules the World' (2012).
Lillard experienced a significant career resurgence starting in 2023, which 'The Hollywood Reporter' dubbed his 'Renaissance era'. This was largely propelled by his role as William Afton, the primary antagonist, in the highly anticipated horror film 'Five Nights at Freddy's' (2023), which was a major commercial success. He reprised this role in the sequel, 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2', released in 2025.
As of 2026, Lillard's career continues to thrive with several high-profile projects. He made a highly anticipated return to the 'Scream' franchise, reprising his iconic role as Stu Macher in 'Scream 7', which premiered in February 2026, nearly 30 years after the original film. Additionally, he is set to appear in Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Life of Chuck' (2025) and the upcoming 'Carrie' TV series (2026), where he will play Principal Grayle, marking another collaboration with Flanagan. His 2026 slate also includes a role as a new antagonist, Mr. Charles, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2, and Lance Durand in Prime Video's 'Cross' Season 2. He is also cast in the drama film 'Behemoth!' (2026). Beyond acting, Lillard is an entrepreneur, co-founding Beadle & Grimm's, a company creating premium Dungeons & Dragons products, and launching 'Find Familiar Spirits', an alcohol brand, including a 'Ghost Face Vodka' that quickly sold out.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Matthew Lillard made different choices?