William H. Macy

William H. Macy brought Jerry Lundegaard to life in Fargo and the Academy put the part among its supporting actor nominations. He says he understood it in a single read: Jerry wanted to provide for his family, had a father-in-law bearing down on him, and had put together a parking lot scheme that would make somebody a great deal of money. The screenplay described the character as round, fat and balding, which is to say the opposite of Macy. He was asked to read for the sheriff first, and when the Coens called him in for Jerry he turned up at the New York audition uninvited. I love playing the rascal, the bad guy, he says. The catalogue's one directing record for him is Rudderless, and as a performer he was in Magnolia and Room. Three entries stand against his name in the Independent Spirit records: a supporting actor nomination for Homicide, a male lead nomination for Oleanna, and the male lead award itself at the 1997 ceremony for Fargo.