Scream star confirms original Ghostface duo was gay

Leon Miller
Ghostface in 1996's Scream

Scream’s Matthew Lillard recently set the record straight regarding OG Ghostface killers Billy Loomis and Stu Macher’s sexuality.

Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Lillard) orchestrated the first Scream installment‘s murder spree together. All told, the pair claimed six victims while jointly operating under the Ghostface alias.

Billy’s motivation for the killings was revenge against original series protagonist Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) for her mother’s role in the breakdown of his parents’ marriage.

Meanwhile, Stu chalked up his role in the bloody affair to “peer pressure” from Billy. And Billy and Stu were indeed best buds – although according to Lillard, they were actually more than just friends.

Scream star confirms original Ghostface duo was gay

Lillard revealed that Billy and Stu were secretly an item during a panel appearance at Emerald City Comic Con 2023 (via Popverse). “Stu and Billy were definitely gay,” he declared.

This revelation seemingly caught Ulrich off guard, who expressed shock at his one-time Ghostface accomplice “just throw[ing] that away like that.” Undeterred, Lillard doubled down, insisting that franchise creator Kevin Williamson backed up his reading of the Billy/Stu dynamic.

“I said it at the 20th anniversary [event] with Kevin, the screenwriter,” Lillard said. “Somebody asked, ‘Are they gay?’ I was like, ‘They are definitely gay, right Kevin?’ And Kevin was like, ‘Probably.’ So, that’s my take.”

While Billy and Stu have obvious chemistry in Scream, the 1996 slasher flick doesn’t explore the exact nature of their relationship in any real detail before bumping them off. But while both men are six feet under by the time the credits roll, their twisted legacy lives on.

No fewer than 11 individuals have taken up the Ghosface mantle since Billy and Stu’s demise, for a total of 13 incarnations of the iconic big screen baddie.

Scream 7 actor exits spark controversy

Naturally, the identity of the Ghostface killer in the next Scream entry, Scream 7, remains under wraps for now. What’s more, it isn’t even the most talked about aspect of the production. Instead, that honor goes to Scream 7’s recent casting shake-ups.

Melissa Barrera (who plays Billy’s daughter, Sam Carpenter) was fired in November 2023, following social media posts she made about the situation in Gaza. Barrera’s on-screen sister Jenna Ortega bowed out of the seventh Scream installment soon after, however, sources claim her exit isn’t related to Barrera’s firing.

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About The Author

Leon is a freelance Movies and TV writer at Dexerto. His past writing credits include articles for Polygon, Popverse, The Escapist, Screen Rant, CBR, Cultured Vultures, PanelxPanel, Taste of Cinema, and more. Originally from Australia, Leon is currently based in the UK.