During an appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis podcast, Quentin Tarantino discussed his 20 favorite films from the 21st century. In his breakdown, the director courted controversy when he insulted and/or disparaged three actors: Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, The Batman), Owen Wilson (Marley & Me, Loki) and Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo). Dano took the brunt of his comments when the Kill Bill helmer discussed There Will Be Blood, calling the actor a "giant flaw," a "weak sister," and "the weakest f—ing actor in SAG."
Regarding Owen Wilson, Tarantino stated: "I really can't stand [him]." He then expressed his dislike of Lillard, grouping him with the two previously mentioned actors: "I don't care for [Paul Dano], I don't care for Owen Wilson, I don't care for Matthew Lillard." His comments caused a heavy amount of backlash, with multiple celebrities coming out to defend Dano, including The Batman director Matt Reeves and The Batman Part II writer Mattson Tomlin.
Lillard was also shown support from DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn. The situation regarding Lillard has a new development—this time, courtesy of Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds. The actor acquired a reported 25% of telecoms firm Mint Mobile. Though it was sold to T-Mobile in 2023, Reynolds has continued to be an active spokesperson for it, starring in several ads, and overall remaining a face for the company.
Recently, Mint Mobile released an ad starring Matthew Lillard, which, despite not addressing them directly, makes clear references to Tarantino's comments about the actor. Posting the ad on X, the Deadpool star wrote: "Some things are just categorically good, like the movie Serial Mom (1994), affordable wireless, and national treasure Matthew Lillard. Thank you, Matthew."
Addressing Tarantino's comment about Lillard, Reynolds states in a voiceover that the actor is "universally loved," to which Lillard responds: "Oh, I appreciate it. I mean, it's not unanimous, you know?" The Scooby-Doo star then says he's not sure why he's there, to which Reynolds replies, satirizing Tarantino's comment: "Oh, I don't care for the attitude, Lillard."
With how long it can take for an actor to close a deal for a project, it's impressive that Reynolds and Mint Mobile were able to put this ad together so soon after Tarantino's podcast appearance. It's smart, though, as it capitalizes on an ongoing situation, rather than waiting for after it dies down.
Addressing the director's comment at GalaxyCon, Lillard expressed being hurt by it. He also stated it made him realize his status in Hollywood compared to more mainstream actors:
"Quentin Tarantino this week said he didn't like me as an actor. [...] Eh, whatever. Who gives a sh—t. [...] [Listen], the point is, it hurts your feelings. It f—ing sucks. And you wouldn't say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn't say that to somebody who's a top-line actor in Hollywood. I'm very popular in this room. I'm not very popular in Hollywood. Two totally different microcosms, right? And so, you know, it's humbling, and it hurts."
As mentioned above, James Gunn sent out a sweet message of support for Lillard on Threads. The Superman director posted a slate of photos of himself alongside the actor over the years, and stated: "Just a few photos over the years with one of my favorite guys (and actors), [Matthew Lillard]. No reason."
Matthew Lillard can be seen in Five Nights at Freddy's 2, now in theaters, and on Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, hitting Disney+ on March 4, 2026.
What do you think about Reynolds' show of support for Lillard? What's your favorite performance from the actor?