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When a beloved property is reimagined for a new audience, there are some inherent responsibilities to those taking on the role. It’s something actor Matthew Lillard, who is currently starring in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 as the villainous William Afton, has been keenly aware of for decades. Not only did he originate Scream killer Stu Macher, who has gone on to become iconic, but he has previously portrayed one of the most legendary characters of all time: Shaggy fromthe Scooby-Doo franchise.
Lillard played live-action Shaggy in two movies — 2002’s Scooby-Doo and 2004’s Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed — and still serves as the primary voice actor for the various animated incarnations of the role. Now, he’s ready to pass on Shaggy’s green T-shirt and love of sandwiches to the next generation, as Netflix is currently developing a new live-action take on the franchise.
While Lillard won’t be returning for the series, he has some sage wisdom for whoever takes over the character.
“Playing Shaggy, an iconic character people adored, puts a lot of pressure on you,” Lillard tells Polygon. “You want to make sure you’re making that fanbase happy and that you’re delivering a performance you’re proud of.”
Walking that line can be difficult for an actor, but when it comes to a property like Scooby-Doo, with its extensive history, it’s important to respect those who paved the way for the role, as well as the fandom that loves it.
“We are caretakers of a character that goes way beyond who we are, and that’s the only thing that’s important,” Lillard says. “Do your best job to represent your version of him, and at some point, you know, you’re going to be in public and some kid’s going to call you Shaggy — and understanding that’s a badge of honor rather than anything else.”
That badge of honor has over half a century of history attached to it, going all the way back to Scooby-Doo’s 1969 introduction, with the character voiced by legendary DJ Casey Kasem, who continued voicing Shaggy until 2009. If you hear Shaggy in your head, you’re either hearing Kasem or someone attempting to recreate his voice.
Taking on the role of Shaggy is less about attempting to create your own take on the character from scratch and more about moving the role forward, with respect to the fans who have kept him alive for decades. For Lillard, it’s similar to another beloved franchise.
“If you’re in Star Wars, there’s an added responsibility. You are so important to people,” he says. “Scooby-Doo has that kind of fandom in which we are but caretakers of something much bigger than us, something people watched with their grandfather and grandmother, who have now gone.”
