Matthew Lillard Feared He Wouldn’t ‘Win an Academy Award’ If He Did DWTS

Matthew Lillard has one huge cause why he turned down a chance to compete on Dancing With the Stars.

The actor not too long ago opened as much as Enterprise Insider about his early profession struggles, particularly after 2004’s Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed bombed on the field workplace, a lot to his shock.

“I assumed I’d be No. 1 on the decision sheet for the following 10 years of films,” Lillard stated concerning the Scooby-Doo sequel, which noticed him play Shaggy. “And the truth was, the precise reverse occurred.”

Consequently, Lillard was pressured to reevaluate his profession, and that’s when his group on the time pitched him on becoming a member of ABC’s dancing competitors collection. Nevertheless, the actor wasn’t leaping on the thought.

“I used to be going to do Dancing with the Stars. And I used to be like, if I do Dancing with the Stars, I’ll by no means win an Academy Award,” Lillard stated. “If I do Dancing With the Stars, I’ll be well-known and never an incredible actor, and I actually simply needed to be an incredible actor.”

The Good Ladies actor finally determined that he simply needed “to be an actor. I simply need to be in motion pictures. I need to reset my expectations.’”

Even earlier than Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed flopped, Lillard admitted he bought “caught up within the success of what I used to be doing.” He would discover himself incessantly studying opinions and stopping by film theaters, hoping to get acknowledged.

“I used to be caught up within the components I used to be getting, I used to be caught up on this drive to be quote-unquote well-known,” he recalled. “I’ve gone via good patches and unhealthy patches. I’ve been irrelevant and thought I used to be by no means going to work once more.”

Although Lillard’s early profession days didn’t essentially go as deliberate, he finally discovered his groove, persevering with to voice the character of Shaggy for a number of Scooby-Doo movies, exhibits and video video games. He has additionally starred in dozens of tasks all through his profession, together with 2023’s 5 Nights at Freddy’s, and is ready to return for the sequel.

He added, “I’ve been in any respect elements of the profession, and I like the place I’m at proper this second.”