Tuesday, March 16, 2010

5 questions with Matthew Lillard


Jimmy Mac: Now, you said in a previous interview that you were terrified of improv. Have you found, since you've done a few shows since then...

Matthew Lillard: No, I haven't. No. In fact, the more I do it, the more terrified I am by the guys I play with, 'cause they're so good, that I really... my objective when I play with them is to not blow the mojo, and I just don't want to fuck up the rhythm, and that's my whole objective is to not screw up. And that's not a good place to play improv from.

JMac: I hear ya. Do you find that your experiences in improv are affecting your acting for the better?

ML: Sure. I mean, I feel like I've always been really free, certainly auditioning and, for better or for worse, that I have no fear when it comes to that. So, it doesn't support me nor does it hinder me. I just think it's like another block in the building blocks, you know what I mean? I feel like, to be a great actor, you have to make great choices, and you have to have the aptitude and the energy and the fearlessness to make those choices, come Hell or high water, whatever the consequences, and eventually, a job will find you that's supposed to find you, and this definitely supports that vibe.

JMac: Great. So do you think you'll stick with the improv?

ML: I think so, because I'm sticking with these guys, not the improv. I'm more interested in hanging out and playing with Dr. God than doing, like... finding improv, you know what I mean? I enjoy hanging out with them, I enjoy spending time with them, I enjoy... I'm inspired by them, so that's why I continue to play with them.

JMac: Now, this next question isn't really related to improv, but to your career - I just thought it was so interesting when I saw you in the Kenneth Branagh Shakespeare pic, Love's Labour's Lost. Can you tell me about that, and the challenges of not only doing Shakespeare, but singing as well?

ML: Sure. Doing a movie with Kenneth Branagh is intimidating, because he's one of the greatest actors in America, and in cinema, and there was a biography written about him when he was twenty-six, and you know, he has the ability to lead people and inspire people, and you just don't want to let him down. Plus, you're doing a Shakespearean play that no one ever does, as a 1940's musical, so that's intimidating. But you know, it didn't work at the end of the day, but it was great to be a part of it.

JMac: I thought it was a very interesting take on it...

ML: It was so ambitious, and I respect that. It doesn't work, but I respect it.

JMac: Absolutely. So what's next for you?

ML: Good question. I have several things going with Dr. God that we're trying to put together, and I think that that's the great thing about working with them is that we've taken what we enjoy doing, and now we're trying to capitalize on it and make... we have two TV shows, and two movie ideas that we're fleshing out, and it's very exciting. We did a short around Christmas that was like, "Oh, that was great, let's do something else." So we've taken that energy and we just continually try to do... we're trying to do what most people don't, which is, we have something great, and we want to make something better, and make something better, and not get caught up in what we've done, but be inspired by what we're doing next.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Friday, March 5, 2010

Lillard and Cardellini to visit 'Dr. God'


Come see comedy group Dr. God perform long- form improv with special guest Matthew Lillard (Scooby Doo, Scream) based off of monologues by our special evangelist Linda Cardellini (Scooby Doo, Freaks and Geeks) on Saturday, March 13th at 10 p.m.