Matthew Lillard and his child, Ace.
There seem to be many benefits to being famous: money, notoriety, opportunity, and influence. There's also less privacy and scrutiny. Matthew Lillard is a famous actor, producer, and director known for offbeat and energetic performances. And right now, he's getting a big dose of all the good and bad of being well-known.
After receiving some harsh criticism by world-renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, Lillard's child, Ace, shared a message on Reddit defending their father.
Message from Ace, Matthew Lillard's child.Image from Reddit
Ace shares a heartfelt defense of father
Ace begins the letter with, "To whom it may concern," which is a wonderful way to begin a defense while dismissing the person or people it's aimed at. They continue:
"My dad is a talent, he is a joy, and he will always be my hero on screen and off. Not only is my dad the kind of creative I strive to be, but he is the kind of decent, humble human I hope to become. Creatives are supposed to lift each other up, and find empathy for those we may have a hard time understanding. My dad does his best to embody that."
Ace continues the letter by explaining the value they find in what their father does as an artist, how he invests time and effort into connecting with and supporting them as a queer person, and how he also supports the trans community. They further admonish Tarantino, whom they "deeply respect" as a creator and artist, for projecting a negative opinion of their father. They finish the letter by praising Lillard for the past creative year and the one to come, writing, "I will always be fiercely proud of him."
Matthew Lillard at the 84th Annual Academy Awards Red Carpet.MingleMediaTVNetwork/ Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
Comments shared by Redditors
The comments were mostly very supportive, not only of Lillard but also of the message shared by Ace. Here are some of the reactions from Redditors:
"As an elder millennial, we ride at dawn for Matthew Lillard."
"I tell everyone who listens that— when I was a PA on Leverage— Lilard was the nicest celebrity I had the privilege of meeting. He was super laid back, talked to me like an equal, cracked lots of jokes and was very easy to be around."
"I hadn't really seen him in anything besides the Scooby Doo movie (don't get me wrong, he's still great in it regardless, but I know it's not exactly considered peak artistry lmao), until I watched Twin Peaks: The Return and I remember being like 'holy sh*t, is that Shaggy? This guy is a GREAT actor'"
"Success in life is your kids writing this kind of statement about you (in their heads if nowhere else)."
"That's a good kid."
"I often remember nothing of some of the films he has starred in, but I do remember how special he was in all of them. He's just an absolute joy on the screen. A better actor than Tarantino could ever imagine to be. I hope Ace knows that we love her father as much as she does as an actor!"
"What's clear is he is an A-list Dad. As a father of an infant I approach every day so she'll feel exactly like this about me one day. And I'm sure he already know this, but he's already got the approval of the only opinion that matters anyways."
"Okay so I'm crying at work at 9 in the morning!!! You know you did something right as a parent when your kiddos do something like this <3 Matthew Lillard is an absolute GEM and clearly has done right by his daughter!"
"He's gotta be so damn proud of her"
National Guard USO Tour Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.Jim Greenhill/ Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
Some basics to know about Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lillard exploded onto the Hollywood scene with two movies, Scream and Scooby-Doo. His high-energy performances were impassioned, specific, and memorable. In an October 2025 interview for People, he talked about the beginnings of his career and his life as an artist. "I was a haunt actor at Knott's Scary Farm when I was 19 years old," Lillard said. "And I ran around the asylum with my clothes ripped off and scaring people. And that's one of my first jobs I ever had."
He has over 170 credits on his IMDb page, has received numerous accolades for his performances, and has supported troops around the world through the USO (United Service Organizations).
Director James Gunn shared on Threads, "Just a few photos over the years with one of my favorite guys (and actors), @matthewlillard." Most likely in response to Tarantino's criticism, he added, "No reason."
Ryan Reynolds and Mint Mobile took advantage of the situation by immediately hiring Lillard for an ad that poked fun at the absurdity of it.
This isn't the first time Lillard has grabbed headlines for things other than a project he's promoting. In a 2021 post on Facebook, one person shared how Lillard took the time to hug and support an emotional fan. The image garnered a lot of press, and Redditors have been talking about how great a person he is for decades.
ScareFest Weekend Fans! | One more reason we need Matthew Lillard back at scarefest 👏🏼👏🏼……… | Facebook www.facebook.com
By all accounts, Lillard is a kind and appreciative person who captures the imagination of fans and clearly values the gift of creative expression when given opportunities to share it.
You can watch Matthew Lillard comment about the whole experience in a video clip posted on Reddit.