What is Matthew Lillard’s net worth? Scream star’s earnings explored as he opens up about first job 

Matthew Lillard’s estimated net worth has been listed at around $2 million, according to figures commonly cited by Celebrity Net Worth. His most active period in Hollywood was around the 1990s, when he appeared in films such as Serial Mom, Hackers, and later Scream. Interestingly, Hackers was one of the projects that sparked the initial rise of his roles within the industry. The movie ended up putting him in front of a wider audience, and not long after, Matthew Lillard was cast as Stu Macher in Scream.

To Matthew Lillard's newfound luck, Scream turned into a surprise commercial success in 1996, earning about $173 million against a reported $15 million production budget. Lillard had spoken quite openly about his finances in the past. During a Reddit AMA in May 2012, someone asked him directly about his net worth. He answered candidly:

“I have three kids and a moderate size house. I do what I love, I'm proud of my life, i wouldn't change it… but I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination.”

In the same discussion thread, he disclosed earning $1,600 for one week of work on The Descendants. The revelation often surprises people who assume all recognizable actors receive blockbuster-level paychecks. Most recently, Matthew Lillard drew attention again when he spoke about his first job before acting took off, a role he described as creepy, reflecting how unpredictable and unusual early career paths before breaking out in Hollywood could be.

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Matthew Lillard reflects on his first job working in a haunted house:

Although Matthew Lillard became known for delivering scares on-screen, he said he has been the one getting startled in recent years, alluding to a visit to the haunted house. Speaking to People ahead of the release of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, the actor revealed that one of his earliest jobs involved working inside a haunted attraction. Lillard said,

“I was a haunt actor at Knott's Scary Farm when I was 19 years old, 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. I don't think I've ever told anyone that.”

Ironically, the actor noted that he still found haunted houses frightening. He admitted,

“Last year I went through a [haunted house] at Universal Studios [...] and I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be lame.’ It scared the bejesus out of me.”

Lillard also reflected on why audiences continued to seek out fear. He described it as a shared emotional rush.

“I think that that's why [the horror] industry is so big and so popular. [...] I think that people long to feel things, right? That's why comedies are great, and horror movies are great, because you feel things sitting in a dark theater.”

He added that the tradition of haunted attractions played a key role in the appeal of spooky season, calling it “a juggernaut of a holiday.”

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Matthew Lillard opens up about returning as Stu in Scream 7:

Fans of the Scream franchise have a reason to be excited as Matthew Lillard spoke about returning for Scream 7. The Statesman reported that the film will be directed by Kevin Williamson. The script will be penned by Guy Busick based on a story co-written with James Vanderbilt. The installment will continue the story after Scream VI (2023) and marks the seventh chapter in the long-running horror series.

Matthew Lillard, who originally played Stu Macher in 1996, said he felt both thrilled and nervous about stepping back into the character.

He admitted,

“I’m thrilled to be back, I’m nervous, because at this point in my life, the only thing I can do is sort of ruin how people consider Stu.”

He added that he hoped to avoid disappointing fans after all these years. The actor also reflected on a recent ad he did for Exact Sciences’ Cologuard test, which promotes colon cancer screening. He said the project made him more conscious of the stakes involved in revisiting a beloved role. Explaining, he stated,

“Especially if I come back and I suck or I was lame.”

Matthew Lillard will join original cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy, Roger L. Jackson, and newcomers Isabel May and Joel McHale.

Despite being surrounded by familiar faces, Matthew Lillard had not yet seen the completed film. The actor shared,

“I haven’t seen the movie yet. I don’t know if it works, but it’s a risk. And it’s a risk that I was excited to take, at the same time, I’m nervous to see the outcome. I hope people like it.”

With the 30th anniversary of the original Scream approaching, Lillard reflected on the legacy of the film. The actor recalled how fans still remembered and revered the reveal of Stu as one of the killers behind the Ghostface mask. Speaking at Silver Scream Con in Worcester, Massachusetts, on September 14, Lillard expressed confidence in the new installment.

He shared,

“The movie’s fantastic, and I’m really excited for people to see it, It’s not gonna ruin the franchise, that’s the good news.”

Scream 7 is scheduled to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.