William H. Macy
Macy recently debuted his latest film, The Deal, at the Sundance Film Festival. Macy and longtime writing partner Steven Schachter adapted the screenplay from the novel by Peter Lefcourt. The film stars Macy, Meg Ryan, LL Cool J, Elliott Gould and Jason Ritter. Audiences will soon see Macy in Bart Got a Room, Brian Hecker's indie about adolescence, which also stars Cheryl Hines.
Macy was recently seen in Disney's blockbuster Wild Hogs. Its sequel, Wild Hogs 2, is slated to film in early 2009. In addition, he was seen in the independent features Bobby, Edmond (an adaptation of the David Mamet play) and Thank You for Smoking. Macy also recently voiced Brian, the snail, in The Weinstein Company's animated feature Doogal. Other recent film credits include the action-adventure Sahara, which also stars Matthew McConaughey and Penélope Cruz, and Cellular, starring opposite Kim Basinger.
On television, Macy received an Emmy nomination for his role in TNT's Umney's Last Case and starred in TNT's Emmy-nominated The Wool Cap, a new take on the 1962 comedy Gigot. Schachter directed the film, which also starred Don Rickles, Catherine O'Hara and KeKe Palmer. Macy was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for his performance. He and Schachter were also nominated for a Writers Guild Award.
In 2002, Macy received outstanding critical acclaim for his role as Bill Porter in TNT's Door to Door, which he also co-wrote and starred opposite Kyra Sedgwick, Helen Mirren, Kathy Baker and Felicity Huffman. The movie was nominated for 12 Emmys and won six, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, as well as winning Macy the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie statue and Outstanding Writing for a Television Movie with Steven Schachter. Macy also received an Emmy nomination for his role in Showtime's Stealing Sinatra and received critical acclaim for his role in the romantic drama The Cooler in 2003.
Macy was also seen stealing scenes in the critically acclaimed feature Seabiscuit, which also stars Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper and Jeff Bridges. Macy was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Tick Tock McGlaughlin, and the movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama.
Macy is best known for his portrayal of Jerome Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo, for which he received an Oscar nomination and won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. His other distinguished film credits include Spartan; In Enemy Hands; Magnolia; Pleasantville; Happy, Texas; State and Main; Jurassic Park III; Focus; Welcome to Collinwood; Psycho; A Civil Action; Boogie Nights; Wag the Dog; Air Force One; Ghosts of Mississippi; Mr. Holland's Opus; The Client; Shadows and Fog; Murder in the First; Searching for Bobby Fischer; Radio Days; and Panic.
Macy has been no less prolific on the small screen. Other roles for which he received Emmy nominations include his recurring role as Dr. David Morgenstern in ER; his role on Aaron Sorkin's Sports Night; and TNT's telefilm A Slight Case of Murder, opposite wife Felicity Huffman. Additional television credits include Out of Order and the telefilms Reversible Errors, A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story, The Heart of Justice, In the Line of Duty: Siege at Marion and the miniseries Andersonville, The Murder of Mary Phagan and The Awakening Land, The Writing on the Wall, The Water Engine and Texan.
Macy has written several television scripts with writing partner Schachter, including an episode of thirtysomething, the HBO movie Above Suspicion and the USA Network movie The Con.
In 1972, Macy, Schachter and Macy's former theater professor, David Mamet, moved to Chicago, where they collectively created the St. Nicholas Theatre Company. Macy originated roles for several of Mamet's classic original productions, among them Bobby in American Buffalo and Lang in The Water Engine, soon establishing his feature film presence with writer/director Mamet. He continued with Mamet in Oleanna, Homicide, Things Change, House of Games and Wag the Dog.
Moving to New York in 1980, he continued to build his reputation in the theater as an originator of new roles in such off-Broadway productions as Baby with the Bathwater; The Dining Room (later filmed for PBS' Great Performances); Life During Wartime; Mr. Gogol and Mr. Preen; Bodies, Rest & Motion; and Mamet's Prairie du Chen and Oh, Hell. His stage credits, approaching 50 during his 10 years in New York, also include the Broadway production of Our Town, Tony Award winner for Best Ensemble. Macy was also seen on the London stage in the spring of 2000, where he costarred in the revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo at the Donmar Warehouse.
Macy serves as director in residence at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York. His extensive directing resume includes Boys' Life at Lincoln Center; the Los Angeles production of Oleanna at the Tiffany Theater; The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite at the Atlantic Theater Company as well as Lip Service, an HBO film that won a CableACE Award for Best Theatrical Production.
Macy is married to Oscar nominee and Golden Globe-Emmy-and-SAG-Award winner, actress Felicity Huffman, who stars on Desperate Housewives. They live in Los Angeles with their two daughters.
William H. Macy Facts
| Birth Name | William Hall Macy |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Birthday | March 13, 1950 (59) |
| Sign | Pisces |
| Birthplace | Miami, Florida, USA |
| Height | 5' 9" (1m75) |
| Awards | 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Best Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries (for Door to Door) |
| 2003 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie (for Door to Door) |