Matthew Lillard reacts to Quentin Tarantino criticizing his acting: 'It hurts'
- - Matthew Lillard reacts to Quentin Tarantino criticizing his acting: 'It hurts'
Wesley StenzelDecember 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
1
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Matthew Lillard on Dec. 2, 2025; Quentin Tarantino on Nov. 19, 2025Key points -
"I don't care for Matthew Lillard," Quentin Tarantino said in a recent interview.
Lillard reacted at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, saying, "It's humbling, and it hurts."
"It f---in' sucks," he added.
Matthew Lillard has reacted to Quentin Tarantino insulting him in a recent interview.
During an appearance at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, the Scream actor shared his candid thoughts on the Kill Bill filmmaker saying during a recent podcast appearance, "I don't care for Matthew Lillard."
"Quentin Tarantino this week said he didn't like me as an actor," Lillard can be heard saying in a video from the event, prompting boos from the audience. "Eh, whatever. Who gives a s---."
Once the booing died down, Lillard changed his tune, explaining how Tarantino's remarks actually did affect him. "It hurts your feelings. It f---in' sucks," he said. "And you wouldn't say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn't say that to somebody who's a top-line actor in Hollywood."
Savion Washington/Getty
Matthew Lillard in Los Angeles on Dec. 2, 2025
Lillard also noted that he's not given the A-list treatment outside the convention circuit. "I'm very popular in this room. I'm not very popular in Hollywood," he said. "Two totally different microcosms, right? And so, you know, it's humbling, and it hurts."
An audience member then shouted, "We love you!"
"Thank you," Lillard responded.
Tarantino made headlines after sounding off about his distaste for a few prominent actors in a recent episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast.
During a conversation about his top 10 movies of the 21st century, the filmmaker called Paul Dano "the weakest male actor in SAG" while discussing Dano's movie There Will Be Blood, which he cited as his No. 5 film of the century. He added that he "really can't stand Owen Wilson" while singing the praises of Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, his No. 10 pick.
During his There Will Be Blood rant, Tarantino also offered his two cents about Lillard, despite not naming any of the actor's films in his top 10 list. "I don't care for [Dano], I don't care for Owen Wilson, and I don't care for Matthew Lillard," the filmmaker said.
Representatives for Tarantino did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.
JB Lacroix/WireImage; Amanda Edwards/Getty
Paul Dano on Sept. 19, 2025; Owen Wilson on Nov. 21, 2025
Tarantino's comments prompted an outpouring of support from Dano's collaborators and admirers. In an X post, Matt Reeves, who directed Dano in 2022's The Batman, wrote, "Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person."
In an X post, Ben Stiller, who directed Dano in his 2018 Showtime series, Escape at Dannemora, said, "Paul Dano is f---ing brilliant."
Simu Liu has yet to collaborate with the Little Miss Sunshine star, but he still had thoughts, writing on X, "Idk man i think Paul Dano is an incredible actor."
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin, who hasn't worked with Dano either, shared his opinion on the Ruby Sparks actor in an Instagram video, saying, "I just want to say I love Paul Dano. And if you don't love Paul Dano, shh."
Lillard can currently be seen in the horror sequel Five Nights at Freddy's 2, now playing in theaters. He also recently starred in Mike Flanagan's film The Life of Chuck alongside Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Karen Gillan.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
