Matthew Lillard has become one of the most iconic actors in modern-day nerd culture. If you don’t remember him as Shaggy Rogers from the live-action Scooby-Doo films or as Stu Macher from the Scream franchise, then you probably know him as William Afton in the live-action Five Nights at Freddy’s movie. When the actor isn’t working on films, he’s traveling to spread love and positivity to others. Most recently, he visited the University of Miami in Miami, Florida where he delivered a kind speech about the importance of giving someone your time. More specifically, he talked about actively being present in the transaction happening between you and another person when you speak with them.
Between discovering that he was no longer the live-action actor for Shaggy Rogers and being cast as William Afton, Lillard was heavily involved in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. He created a company called Beadle & Grimm’s Pandemonium Warehouse that specialized in developing specially curated collector’s editions of popular Dungeons and Dragons lore books, settings, and more. It was during this time that his activism toward minority and undermined groups became more widely known.
“He is always such a green flag.”
As he continued his speech, he vocalized the importance of his position as a light in the eyes of people who have been ousted by society and the government. He punctuates his speech by saying,
“We will go nowhere. We wil abandon no trans kid. We will not turn our back on the gay kid.”
Considering the applause from the audience, it is blatantly obvious how much this moment meant to students watching. Miami, and Florida as a whole, is a vastly Republican state that has become known for being a pit of MAGA sympathizers. However, that doesn’t represent the state as a whole.
Just recently, an Indiantown, Florida, man was arrested in Martin County for impersonating an ICE agent and threatening to have two men deported. That particular incident is not the first time something like that has happened, and it certainly won’t be the last. I can only hope that more people like Matthew Lillard will make public appearances and continue to lift up those who feel out of place.
Since Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, various bills have been presented and passed that directly target trans and gay youth. I’m glad that not only are these being actively opposed but that more people are speaking out loud about them.
