Matthew Lillard Knows There’s Nothing Scary About Screening for Colon Cancer (Exclusive)

Matthew Lillard is showing others that colon cancer screening doesn’t have to be scary.

Lillard stars in the latest pop culture-spoofing spot from Cologuard, a colon cancer screening test that can be done at home, then mailed to a lab for results (you may remember Lil Jon’s “Get Low” remix). His take on the genre is called “Screen” — a Scream-reminiscent production that reminds viewers that, while some everyday things can send shivers down your spine, taking preventive care of your health is not one of them.

For Lillard, the scary part about the ad was doing it at all; he says he hasn’t lent his face to a product before, but was convinced to do the spot due to the mix of important messaging and the Halloween-adjacent timing coupled with his “scream king” reputation.

“I’ve never really done commercials, so I was a little nervous going in. I didn’t want to be bad or cheesy. I don’t know anything about being a scream king, but I do know that in spooky season I have some bona fides that sort of allow me to speak during this crazy time of year,” he explains. “And I felt like the ad did a really great job of capturing that energy … and at the end of the day, I think we made something that has the potential to [change people’s lives].”

The spot begins with Lillard in an ominously dark home, chopping a tomato with (what else?) a huge, sharp knife. When he hears a loud knock at his door, Lillard jumps into action and creeps towards his front door, fearfully yelling, “Hello?” and grabbing a nearby umbrella as an impromptu weapon.

Lillard breathes a huge sigh of relief when he realizes it’s just the Cologuard delivery guy.

“Cologuard colon cancer screening test!” the man says cheerfully, and then his expression shifts. “Oh no, did you think I was something scary?”

“No, no! I’m kind of an expert on scary,” Lillard says.

The duo then lists out some of the scariest things they can imagine, like an axe murderer, a “grown man with frosted tips” and forgetting to screen for colon cancer once you turn 45.

Lillard himself can speak to the fact that using the Cologuard kit is nothing to be afraid of. “You ask your doctor, they prescribe the test, it arrives at your door and you ship it back. That’s literally all you have to do,” he says, saying the ease of the process gave him peace of mind. “When you start considering being tested, all of a sudden your mind does horrible things. And here is this ability to alleviate the stress.”

He also points out that prominent figures in entertainment speaking about their own experiences with colorectal cancer, from James Van Der Beek to Craig Melvin (who lost his brother to the disease), have helped reduce the stigma and draw even more attention to how important it is to begin screening at age 45 for what is considered “the most preventable, but least prevented cancer.” With colon cancer on the rise in people under 55 and people often feeling asymptomatic in the early stages, taking proactive measures is critical for early detection and treatment. Lillard hopes that by highlighting how convenient the Cologuard test is (with no special prep needed), it will encourage people to take charge of their own health.

“When we look at the impact that colorectal cancer’s had on not only the world but our community in entertainment, the goal here is to bridge the gap between people going, ‘That’s weird. I’m not doing that’ to, ‘Oh my God, how easy,’ ” he says. “So if this little charming ad makes people smile and pushes them into asking their doctor about a prescription, it’s a total win. And I’m not kidding. If this ad can save people’s lives, then let’s make a hundred of them.”

This article was written independently by PEOPLE’s editorial team and meets our editorial standards. Exact Sciences Corp. is a paid advertising partner with PEOPLE.