Matthew Lillard Quotes

I got into a bad jag of movies that helped pay the rent and I thought would help further me along.

I'm not a broad comedy guy. I've been funny in movies, but I'm not a comedian. I'm an actor who's sometimes funny.

I don't go to parties. I don't go to clubs. My friends and I don't go drinking, we play D&D. I'm still a weird entity in the world.

I always think that I'm the best thing in a lot of bad movies. Personally, I have to. I think that I like me as an actor.

It's always fun to play a bad guy because you get more to do. It's more arch. There's more energy to throw into it.

Now, more then ever, we have the ability to make films for almost nothing and that's broken down all barriers of entry. I think it's a new golden age of film-making. With that, there needs to be the ability to recoup investment dollars, people need to make money.

When I was in high school, I was the guy directing plays after class. I started my first theater company at 19, and my second theater company at 21. I've always been a guy who doesn't do well with the passive nature of being an actor.

Something like 'Without a Paddle' does really well at the box office and I'm like, 'Oh, here we go.' In 'Without a Paddle' I'm the romantic lead - great! A comedy and that's what America wants. Then it did nothing for me and I went into kind-of a work abyss. I just didn't get another shot.

Hollywood used to be run by artists and people who loved artists... people who wanted to make movies for all the right reasons. For the love. The Art. To tell stories. Yes to make money as well, but it was about both. Now I feel, it's mostly about bottom line and making money.

I've really enjoyed the independent film world. I've had a blast. But, the reality is that I really want to make bigger movies. If I could make movies that carry great characters and great performances and great pathos, and can have an explosion or two, that would be fine with me.

You can inspire people to give you greatness, or you can micro-manage them into your own one specific kernel of an idea. To me, I think that when you inspire people to give their best, then you're going to get the best result.

Character actors are becoming a thing of the past. They're just going by the wayside. They're just cutting through that caliber of acting.

I'm almost 40, so it's an awkward time in my career. You kind of hope it comes through and, if not, I'll be a waiter. Awesome.

I like doing family films.

I think everyone is given drama, by virtue of the fact that we all have drama in our lives, but not everyone can make people laugh.

How much do you have to pay someone to be in a George Clooney/Alexander Payne film? NOTHING!! Because everyone in the world wants to be a part of it. Therefore you pay nothing. And that continues until you become something they need... I'm not that kind of actor. I'm blue collar and very replaceable.

My first love is acting, but the reality is that I just don't get too many opportunities to stretch, and grow, and inspire myself as an actor, certainly not in terms of where I make money. Yeah, I can go off and do a play, but the reality is as a profession, directing is exponentially more satisfying.

If I could act in theater, my whole life, and never act in film or television again, and just direct the rest of my life, I would gladly do that.

I learned a lot, in terms of inspiring people. It became very clear to me, very early on, that directing a movie was a lot like being in a theater company.

My tone and my style are reflected in the movies I choose to make. I want to make big movies. My dream is to be Jon Favreau or Ben Affleck.

Nothing would make my kids happier than to do another movie.

The stage is a training ground and it's where you learn what's funny and what's successful.

I like the fact that a modern television and modern drama on cable has characters that are really intricate and deep and have multiple layers.

Being onstage is like being rock star. Whereas if you're doing a movie, it's such a confined space. You know, you do a comedy, it's so hard, too, 'cause with a comedy, there's no vocal reaction, there's no energy that you get back that spurs you on to be funnier because everyone has to be quiet.

I've always been a guy that doesn't do well waiting for people to say, "You can act." It's always been a part of me.

There's not a comedy actor who doesn't want a chance to do drama, and vice versa. As actors, we're always looking to be pushed and to do the other side of the coin.

When you're making an independent film what you don't have in time and money you have to make up with creativity and diligence.

So much of Hollywood is about who the people you work with are.

To me, the punk rock kids I grew up with were really, really smart, and to me, respecting those kids was a really big deal.

Charlie Brown's good. I always had a little crush on that Lucy. I thought she was kind of a hot little brunette.

I was like, what the hell is my life coming to? I'm a trained actor! I've done Shakespeare and here I am having farting contests with an imaginary dog!