Matthew Lillard is an emotional core at the heart of Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck. Lillard, who is best known for his work in the horror genre with the likes of Scream and Five Nights at Freddy’s, stars in the film as Gus Wilfong, a blue-collar worker, and neighbor of a local schoolteacher who crosses paths with the тιтular character, who has a unique outlook on the world’s increasing issues. The movie also serves as the first of Lillard’s collaborations with Flanagan, as he is also set to star in his upcoming Carrie miniseries adaptation.

Joining Lillard in the ensemble Life of Chuck cast are a mix of new and longtime Flanagan collaborators, including Tom Hiddleston as the eponymous banker, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Annalise Bᴀsso, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Kate Siegel and Harvey Guillén, among many others. The film, which made its debut at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, has garnered widespread acclaim from critics, currently holding an 89% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

In honor of the movie’s release, ScreenRant interviewed Matthew Lillard to discuss The Life of Chuck. The star did his best to unpack the surprisingly emotional layers of the King adaptation, particularly why he thinks audiences will continue to discuss the movie long after having seen it, and his character’s place in the whole story. Lillard also shared how he related to the movie’s opening line with regard to his own life and career.

A Lot Of The Life Of Chuck Is “Up For Interpretation”

“…You’re Being Enveloped By A Film Instead Of It Laying And Placating You…”

Given the movie takes a reverse-chronological approach to its story, and many character arcs exist solely in one scene, the way Flanagan and King play with time is meant to explore the themes of mortality and the highs and lows of life. When asked how his character, Gus, fits into Chuck’s story, Lillard explains that it’s more “up for interpretation” than having a direct explanation. He also found that to be one of the best elements of the film, as it’s “not a movie that’s handed to you on a plate“.

I will tell you, the next day, my wife and I were still talking about what things meant. It’s one of the things that you’re sort of being enveloped by a film instead of it laying and placating you, it makes you think, it makes you engage.

Lillard did, however, explain that his character “introduced the weight of the circumstance” in The Life of Chuck‘s story, recognizing that “the world’s collapsing around us“, describing him as “this soothsayer about the end of the world“. He did find there to be “something really interesting about the part” in playing a character who “gives you a sense of the stakes for everyone watching“, particularly as it “gives you a place and how it feels to be in that world“.

The star did go on to share that “one of the gifts” of The Life of Chuck is the “emotional experience” that everyone continues to have their own reasons for why they’ll start crying while watching it. “For me, I cried the first time I saw it, and I was like, ‘What made me cry?’,” Lillard recalled. “It’s not tears of endearment. Somebody’s dying, or you’ve got this moment in The Champ, where this boy is hugging his father as he dies. You’re moved to tears, and I’m not really sure why it’s so emotional, but it’s a movie that washes over you instead of manipulating you.”

Lillard Contains Mulтιтudes Just Like Chuck

“This Is My Job, This Is The Least Interesting Thing About Me In My Life.”

With the movie offering both its cast and viewers lots of introspection, one of its more layered lines of dialogue comes from Chuck on his deathbed, in which he expresses, “I contain mulтιтudes“. When asked about his own connection and interpretation to the line, Lillard acknowledged that “people have expectations around somebody who’s been in the movie industry for 30 years“, despite the reality being he’s far different from many of the things he’s known for.

“I’m an entrepreneur, I’ve got two businesses I’ve started, I’ve started a 501(c)(3), I’m the father of a queer kid, I have two other kids, one just graduated college and was awarded this award for being the graduate of note in her art department,” Lillard explained. “I am an eternal soccer father. I feel like there is no way to know somebody by what you see, and the reality is that I am everything else other. It’s amazing, but people will come up and be like, ‘Oh my God, Shaggy!’ I’m like, ‘No. Played Shaggy 23 years ago, 25 years ago.’“

More About The Life Of Chuck

From the hearts and minds of Stephen King and Mike Flanagan comes The Life of Chuck, the extraordinary story of an ordinary man. This unforgettable, genre-bending tale celebrates the life of Charles “Chuck” Krantz as he experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the mulтιтudes contained in all of us.

Stay tuned for and check out our other Life of Chuck interviews with:

• Mark Hamill & Benjamin Pajak
• Kate Siegel
• Mike Flanagan & Taylor Gordon (TIFF)
• Annalise Bᴀsso (TIFF)
• Matthew Lillard (Pre-Release)

Source: Screen Rant Plus