Los Angeles, February 24 Actor Matthew Lillard says it was "disappointing" when Quentin Tarantino publicly criticised him last year, as he had long hoped to work with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
In an interview with People magazine, Lillard said he admires Tarantino's work and would "love" to be a part of his films, but was taken aback by the remarks.
"I think he's a great filmmaker, and to just be publicly criticised like that was really disheartening," the actor said.
During a viral appearance on "The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast" last fall, Tarantino had slammed Hollywood star Paul Dano as "the weakest" actor in SAG and added that he did not care either for Lillard or Owen Wilson.
Lillard is best known for playing Shaggy Rogers in the live-action "Scooby-Doo" films. He has also appeared in the slasher movie "Scream", "You're Next," and the horror anthology "The Life of Chuck".
The actor said the backlash to Tarantino's comments and the wave of support he received from fans and colleagues felt surreal.
"It felt like I had died and was in heaven watching everyone send out their RIP tweets... really being a part of your own wake," he said.
Several of Lillard's former collaborators took to social media to defend him.
Filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who directed him in "The Life of Chuck" and cast him in the upcoming "Carrie" series reboot, called Lillard "the greatest", while "Superman" director James Gunn, who worked with him on the "Scooby-Doo" films, described him as "one of my favorite guys (and actors)".
Hollywood icon George Clooney, meanwhile, said at an awards event that he would be "honored" to work with any of the actors Tarantino had criticised.
Lillard had earlier addressed the remarks at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio, saying that while he tried to shrug it off, "it hurts your feelings. It… sucks".