Matthew Lillard Compares Quentin Tarantino Jibes To A ‘Punch In The Mouth’

Matthew Lillard has admitted he had a profound reaction to the support he received after Quentin Tarantino’s recent disparaging comments about him.

Late last year, during an interview on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino said he didn’t “care for” Lillard, as well as taking shots at fellow actors Paul Dano and Owen Wilson.

Talking to People magazine, the Scream actor joked that the outpouring of love he received in the wake of the controversial interview made him feel like he was going to his own funeral.

“It felt like I had died and was in heaven watching everyone send out their RIP tweets,” he explained, adding that the likes of George Clooney and Superman director James Gunn had “been really generous” by sticking up for him and “telling me how much they loved me and liked my work”.

“I mean, it was really nice being a part of your own wake, sort of sitting there living through all the nice things people say after you die,” the Scooby-Doo star quipped.

He admitted that Tarantino’s remarks were especially painful because he had previously been a big fan of the Pulp Fiction director, and would “love” to work with him in the future.

“I think he’s a lovely filmmaker, and to just sort of get punched in the mouth was kind of a bummer,” he admitted.

Lillard first addressed Tarantino’s comments in December during an appearance at GalaxyCon in Ohio.

Reflecting on what had been said, Lillard admitted his feelings had been hurt, and that it “fucking [sucked]” that the One Upon A Time In Hollywood director had aired his negative views.

“You wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to somebody who’s a top-line actor in Hollywood,” he said.

While Paul Dano never commented publicly on Tarantino calling him the “weakest fucking actor in SAG,” he did admit the many comments defending him were “nice”.

“I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to,” Dano told Variety earlier this year.