Why Steve Raglan From Five Nights At Freddy's Looks So Familiar
2023's "Five Nights at Freddy's" movie puts a deadly twist on pizza palaces frequented by bustling parents and children's birthday parties. If you've never played the video game that the movie is based on, here's the general premise: Within this Chuck-e-Cheese-like establishment, animatronic mascots wait until sundown to capture children. Blumhouse's scary movie brings this terrifying idea to life with several recognizable faces in its cast. Mike Schmidt, the film's lead, is portrayed by Josh Hutcherson, who is best known for his role as Peeta in "The Hunger Games" films. But there are a few stars who bring as nostalgically familiar vibes as its pizza palace. Mary Stuart Masterson played a handful of memorable characters in the '90s and stars in the film as Aunt May.
But Matthew Lillard might be "Five Nights at Freddy's" most bankable star. Within the film, he portrays the counselor named Steve Raglan. Although people typically think of him too as a '90s star, Lillard has been in the business for decades. While he is often a lovable and goofy character in his films, there are several roles in his filmography that show his immense range as an actor.
Do you like scary movies?
If you're reading this, there's a good chance you like scary movies. (You're likely already doing a Ghostface impression after hearing that phrase.) So it's fair to assume that you might have seen 1996's "Scream," Wes Craven's meta-slasher that reinvited a stale slasher genre. Still, this list wouldn't be complete without acknowledging Lillard's role within the horror classic. With "Scream," Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson created the perfect blend of using (and satirizing) horror movie tropes. Craven and Williamson's universe is now a six-film franchise. In 2023, horror fans learned that "Freaky" director Christopher Landon will direct the untitled Scream 7 – making the present as good a time as any to watch (or rewatch) the film that started it all.
In "Scream," Lillard appeared alongside Rose McGowan ("Charmed"), Jamie Kennedy ("Malibu's Most Wanted"), Skeet Ulrich ("Riverdale"), and franchise lead Neve Campbell ("The Lincoln Lawyer"). In the film, a group of teenage friends band together as their hometown reels from a gruesome killer called Ghostface. Of course, the big twist ending is what fans remember most now and it would have been impossible to land without Lillard's acting.
For a Vulture interview in 2022, Lillard and Ulrich discussed their experience of making the movie. Lillard shared, "Nobody was out trying to make an iconic movie. We were just trying to make the best movie possible, and quite frankly, it was a horror movie at a time when Wes Craven hadn't made a good horror movie in a long time. So it wasn't like there were great expectations, but there was the sense that we were all in. Nobody was jaded. Nobody's protecting themselves or being like, 'This is lame.' Everyone was all in ... It really speaks to the artistry."
He was a punk in SLC Punk
When you're growing up, the group of people you surround yourself with is integral to shaping who you are and who you become. "SLC Punk" explores this concept well, following three punk teenagers growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah — clashing with groups like Mods, Rednecks, Neo-Nazis, and the New Wavers.
In the cult classic film set in 1985, Lillard plays Stevo, who is best friends with "Heroin" Bob (Michael Goorjian) and Mike (Jason Segal). Stevo's parents are old-school hippies whom Stevo deems sellouts after they become Regan Republicans. Underneath the punk exterior, though, Stevo is a brilliant kid who becomes accepted into Harvard Law School. Figuring out what to do next and learning the hard way how their partying lifestyle doesn't age well informs the crux of this emotional but zany film.
"If you are a kid living on the outside, that movie has resonance," Lillard told TV Insider about "SLC Punk." He added, "Fandom is really special that way. You don't know how you're affecting people's lives, but there's a moment you mean something to somebody else. My job is just a job, but I know that the parts I have played mean a lot to people ... Everyone wants to be Tom Cruise, but at some point, you come to your own journey, and for me, it's really been about acknowledging and respecting that relationship to the fans and to the people who love you."
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He was a medium in Thirteen Ghosts
If you are familiar with scream queens, then you know how easy it is to get roped into a genre and never leave. Lillard avoided that fate by appearing in the David Sade-Marlon Wayans comedy "Senseless" and the baseball love story "Summer Catch" after his time with "Scream." However, Lillard returned to the horror genre in 2001 with "Thirteen Ghosts."
The film follows a widowed father, Arthur (Tony Shalhoub), who inherits a house from his late eccentric uncle. When he arrives at the house with his two children, they discover that the rich family member is a collector of weird things, including ghosts. Lillard appears in the film as a psychic who warns the family of 13 violent and angry ghosts trapped in the house. Once the unlucky occupants are in the house, the mostly glass walls seemingly come alive and release the spirits onto the unsuspecting family.
Reflecting on his semi-honorable character and film's overall quality, Lillard shared with Hollywood.com. "[The film] is trying its damnedest to scare you. It's definitely working hard to do that. And it's a guaranteed good time if you're willing to buckle in for the ride."
He went on an adventure in Without a Paddle
Best friendships are ones that last a lifetime. And, of course, bonds that last a lifetime mean that you'll experience a lot together. "Without a Paddle" follows three friends who decide to go on a vacation after the fourth member of their group dies in a tragic accident. While they reminisce about the old days, they discover a treasure map the friend put together to find the lost loot of D.B. Cooper. Once they become lost in the Pacific Northwest wilderness, the men recapture the spirit of adventure their adult selves lost.
In "Without a Paddle," Lillard plays Jerry, a man living a mediocre life where he feels trapped. He lives to surf in the mornings but struggles to find a balance between adventure and responsibilities. He is joined by Seth Green ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Can't Hardly Wait") as Dan, a doctor who lives for responsibility — not fun. Dax Shepherd ("Parenthood," "Punk'd") also stars in the film as Tom, the opposite of Dan, all fun and no responsibility. When the three are together, they find the answers they're looking for in each other.
Lillard sat down with Movie Web to talk about transitioning to a leading role, stating, "'Without A Paddle,' for me, is the first chance in my life I've got to be the leading man. I get the girl. I'm the serious kind of straight guy. You've got drama, you've got compassion for your friends, love of your life, you're figuring things out. This is a deeper and more complex role...I get to be a man."
He was a sleazy car salesman in Good Girls
"Good Girls" follows three suburban housewives resorting to drastic measures to solve their money problems. The ladies decide to rob a local supermarket to dig themselves out of a financial hole. Of course, their heist attracts the FBI and a local gang who happens to be using that same supermarket to launder their counterfeit money. Within the television series, Lillard plays Dean Boland, the husband of the crew's ringleader. Dean is a car salesman who made terrible decisions with their money that set Beth (Christina Hendricks) on her path to a criminal enterprise. While they have been together since their senior prom, their marriage has gone through several ups and downs.
Ultimately, the series was canceled after its fifth and final season. Lillard sat down with US to talk about the show's cancellation, sharing: "That job to me was a dream. I was gonna direct next season. We were shooting in L.A. Obviously, I have three kids, and being in L.A. is such a gift. I love the creators. I love playing a character that's super flawed and has a chance to come back and redeem himself over the generations of the show over the seasons of the show. So for me, it was — it was heartbreaking. Strong women led by a strong female producer, and it just fell between the cracks of Hollywood business."
Tune in to see if Lillard has a chance to save the day — or slash through it — in Blumhouse's "Five Nights at Freddy's."