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The best William H. Macy movies and TV shows feature some of the 1990s best independent films and work on both big-budget and mainstream TV shows throughout his career. Macy studied under playwright David Mamet at Goddard College, which gave him not only his first break but also a great start as a filmmaker and creator. After graduating, he moved on to collaborate with Mamet.
This connection led to a few smaller movie and TV roles before he finally got his first big break in 1996 when he signed on to the Coen Brothers movie Fargo as one of the key characters. He then caught the eye of P.T. Anderson, who cast him in two of his early masterpieces, Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Since then, Macy has become a legitimate star in movies and on TV, where he found a second life as the patriarch on the long-running Showtime series Shameless.
10 The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
William H. Macy Plays Frank Levin
The Lincoln Lawyer stars Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller, a charismatic defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car. Based on Michael Connelly's novel, the film revolves around Haller as he grapples with a high-profile case that blurs the lines between innocence and guilt, featuring a cast that includes Marisa Tomei and Ryan Phillippe. Directed by Brad Furman, the movie delves into themes of justice and morality.
Director Brad Furman
Release Date March 17, 2011
Studio(s) Sidney Kimmel Entertainment , Lionsgate , Lakeshore Entertainment
Runtime 119 Minutes
In 2011, William H. Macy took on a supporting role in the adaptation of Michael Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer. In this film, Matthew McConaughey stars as Mickey Haller, an attorney who operates his business primarily out of the backseat of a Lincoln Continental and takes on criminal defense cases that often put him at odds with local law enforcement officials. This movie adapts the first Connelly Lincoln Lawyer novel.
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As for Macy, he stars as Frank Levin, one of Mickey's friends who helps him with investigations on cases. However, he doesn't make it out of the movie alive, providing one of the more tragic moments of the story for Mickey as he defends a young man who is guilty of the murder he stands accused of. Critics praised the movie, with an 84% approval rating and praise going to McConaughey, and while Macy only had a minor role, it was an important one for the story.
9 Pleasantville (1998)
William H. Macy Plays George Parker
Pleasantville is a drama that explores themes of change and self-discovery, as two modern teenagers find themselves transported into a 1950s television show. The movie delves into social issues and individual freedoms, highlighting the contrast between the idealized past and the complexities of the real world. With its unique premise, Pleasantville offers a thought-provoking narrative on the impact of transformation on a seemingly perfect society.
Director Gary Ross
Release Date October 23, 1998
Runtime 124 minutes
Pleasantville was an interesting film when it came out in 1998. It was a movie by Gary Ross about twin siblings trapped in a 1950s TV show where everyone in the small Midwest town seemed perfect. Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon star as the teenage twins who are sucked into the strange world thanks to a remote control given to them by a peculiar TV repairman played by Don Knotts.
William H. Macy plays George Parker, the father in the 1950s TV sitcom world, while Joan Allen plays their mother. The film was about repression and political repression, giving way to positive change. While a box office failure, Pleasantville was a critical success, sitting at 86% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving praise for its originality. It also went on to pick up three Oscar nominations for its art direction, costume design, and score.
8 Thank You For Smoking (2005)
William H. Macy Plays Sen. Ortolan K. Finistirre
In Thank You For Smoking (2006), Nick Naylor, a charismatic tobacco lobbyist, navigates the challenges of promoting cigarettes while facing public scrutiny and personal conflicts. With wit and charm, Nick defends his industry against health advocates, politicians, and media attacks. As he balances ethics and loyalty, Nick confronts the consequences of his profession and discovers the true meaning of integrity. This satirical comedy offers a sharp commentary on media manipulation and moral ambiguity in modern society.
Director Jason Reitman
Release Date March 17, 2006
Cast Joan Lunden , Eric Haberman , Aaron Eckhart , Mary Jo Smith , Todd Louiso , Jeff Witzke
Runtime 92 minutes
Jason Reitman directed the satire movie Thank You For Smoking in 2005. The film is based on Christopher Buckley's novel and follows the efforts of Big Tobacco chief spokesman Nick Naylor. Naylor lobbies on behalf of cigarettes, claiming there is no proof that they cause lung cancer. Aaron Eckhart plays Naylor as he tries to get more cigarette commercials on TV while also trying to remain a positive role model for his young son.
William H. Macy plays Senator Ortolan Finisterre, the politician who is leading the effort to get more warning labels on cigarettes.
The supporting cast is fantastic, with a highlight being Sam Elliott as Lorne Lutch, a fictional version of the original Marlboro Man from the commercials who is dying from cancer. William H. Macy plays Senator Ortolan Finisterre, the politician who is leading the effort to get more warning labels on cigarettes. Critics praised the dark humor of the story, awarding the film an 86% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also earned two Golden Globes nominations.
7 Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (2024)
William H. Macy Plays Trevathan
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
Director Wes Ball
Release Date May 10, 2024
Distributor(s) 20th Century
Cast Kevin Durand , Freya Allan , Peter Macon , Owen Teague , Eka Darville , Sara Wiseman , Neil Sandilands
Runtime 145 Minutes
William H. Macy doesn't appear in many Hollywood blockbusters, but he made an exception for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth installment in the rebooted franchise and the first new movie after Caesar's death. This installment sees most humans reduced to pets and enslaved people until one young girl shows intelligence unheard of for humans after the spread of the Simian Flu.
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Macy takes on the role of Trevathan, a human who works as a historian to Proximus Caesar on human history, while also helping them learn more about human weapons. As a human also immune to the Simian Flu, he also maintains his intelligence and learning capabilities. He served as a minor antagonist, willing to sell out humans to ensure his place in the world as he helped Proximus gain more knowledge. This installment received primarily positive reviews and was a solid box office success.
6 State And Main (2000)
William H. Macy Plays Walt Price
State and Main is a comedy film directed by David Mamet. The story revolves around a Hollywood film crew that descends upon a small town to shoot their movie, encountering various obstacles and local quirks. The ensemble cast includes Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who must navigate egos, production issues, and personal dilemmas in the charming but challenging town.
Director David Mamet
Release Date January 12, 2001
Runtime 105 Minutes
William H. Macy studied under David Mamet in college and went on to star in one of the playwright's movies. David Mamet wrote and directed State and Main, telling the story of a film crew who came into a small New England town to shoot a movie, disrupting life and turning everyone's lives upside down. The cast was terrific, with some of the best actors of that era delivering some of Mamet's brilliant dialogue.
The National Film Board awarded State and Main its Best Ensemble Cast Performance Award.
William H. Macy stars as Walt Price, the film's director, who demands changes to the town when he learns the old mill the film was supposed to be based around has burned down. With Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alec Baldwin, and Julia Stiles joining him in the cast, the movie was a delight for any film fan who loves snappy dialogue delivered by the best of the best. The National Film Board awarded State and Main its Best Ensemble Cast Performance Award. It was also named on several critic organizations' Best Of lists.
5 Room (2015)
William H. Macy Plays Robert Newsome
Based on the best-selling novel by Emma Donoghue, Room stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as Joy and Jack Newsome, a mother and son held captive by a madman in a one-room shed in his back yard. Born in "Room", Jack has never experienced anything else, but when the opportunity presents itself to escape, he must brave the outside world in order to save his and his mother's life.
Director Lenny Abrahamson
Release Date October 16, 2015
Distributor(s) A24 , Universal Pictures , StudioCanal
Runtime 118minutes
While his role was not huge, William H. Macy played an essential part in the 2015 drama Room. In this film, Brie Larson stars as Joy, a young woman kidnapped and held prisoner for seven years. She was sexually assaulted and ended up having a son two years after her abduction and had to raise this young boy while in captivity. When they finally found a way to escape, her son was five, and the two struggled to fit into the real world, her son for the first time.
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Macy plays Robert Newsome, Joy's father, and Jack's grandfather. However, he had divorced her mom (Joan Allen) since her abduction, and he refused to accept Jack as his grandchild since he was born out of rape. It is Robert's rejection that drives Joy further into depression, which leads to a finale that is part tragic and part hopeful. Brie Larson won an Oscar for her performance.
4 Boogie Nights (1997)
William H. Macy Plays Little Bill Thompson
Boogie Nights is a comedy/drama that follows a young high-school dropout named Eddie Adams in the '70s who stumbles into the porn industry after a fortuitous meeting with a filmmaker. The film chronicles his career and life, illuminating the problematic stigmas and troubles facing the sector heading into the 1980s.
Release Date October 7, 1997
Distributor(s) New Line Cinema
Runtime 155 minutes
William H. Macy began his working relationship with Paul Thomas Anderson in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights. The film tells the story of a high school dropout named Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) who finds a place in the porn industry thanks to his larger attributes. He takes on the name Dirk Diggler and signs on to star in pornographic movies shot by filmmaker Jack Horner (Bruce Reynolds). He then learns more about the seedier aspects of the industry.
William H. Macy stars as Little Bill, an assistant director in Dirk's movies. He is the first person to alert Eddie to the dangers of living a fast life in the porn industry. It is Little Bill who steps over the line and shows the true dark side of this life, and his death leads Eddie to start to go down a dark road himself. Critics loved the film awarding it a 94% fresh rating, and it picked up three Oscar nominations.
3 Magnolia (1999)
William H. Macy Plays Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
Set in Los Angeles, Magnolia follows the lives of nine characters through interconnected stories revolving around a dying television producer, his estranged prodigal son, a young boy genius, and a compassionate cop. As a rare climatic phenomenon occurs, these individuals confront their pasts and seek forgiveness and attempt to grow from their past experiences.
Release Date December 17, 1999
Runtime 188 minutes
William H. Macy worked with P.T. Anderson for a second time with the 1999 ensemble movie Magnolia. This film sees a series of seemingly disconnected people living tragic lives, each finding their roads crossing unexpectedly. For William H. Macy, he stars as Quiz Kid Donnie Smith. As a child, he was the champion on a televised game show, which ended up being the peak of his life, something he had never matched up to in the years since.
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He connects to the other stories in interesting ways, as the show's long-running host (Philip Baker Hall) is estranged from his daughter (Melora Walters) after he sexually abused her as a child. Another story has the show's producer (Jason Robards) dying of cancer, and it shows how this affects his wife (Julianne Moore), his estranged son (Tom Cruise), and the nurse assigned to care for him (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Magnolia received three Oscar nominations.
2 Shameless (2011-2021)
William H. Macy Plays Frank Gallagher
Shameless is a Black Comedy, Family Drama created by Paul Abbott and starring William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, and Justin Chatwin. The premise follows the Gallagher family and their closest friends as they deal with a not-so-helpful father, Frank Gallagher. His children each find their own path, growing into their own flawed people without much guidance or help from the family patriarch.
Release Date January 9, 2011
Seasons 11
Showrunner John Wells
An entire generation best knows William H. Macy thanks to his television role as Frank Gallagher on the Showtime series Shameless. Based on the British television series of the same name, Frank is a father of six kids tasked with raising them alone after his wife leaves him and the family when she realizes she doesn't want a family anymore. However, Frank is an alcoholic who can't even care for himself and leaves it up to his oldest daughter to take care of her siblings.
Macy won three Screen Actor's Guild Awards for his performance
Shameless ran for 11 seasons and 134 episodes. The story ended with Frank's death, which Macy demanded happen in the worst possible way to punish the character for his years of neglect. The series remained critically praised and highly rated throughout. Macy won three Screen Actor's Guild Awards for his performance, and the series earned several Emmy nominations along the way as well.
1 Fargo (1996)
William H. Macy Plays Jerry Lundegaard
Fargo is a crime thriller directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Released in 1996, it stars Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief investigating a series of homicides in rural Minnesota. The plot unfolds as a car salesman, played by William H. Macy, conspires with two criminals to kidnap his wife for ransom money. The film explores themes of crime, ineptitude, and human nature amid a bleak, wintry landscape.
Director Joel Coen , Ethan Coen
Release Date April 5, 1996
Runtime 98 Minutes
The film that made William H. Macy a star was the Coen Brothers' 1996 dark comedy Fargo. This movie follows a local Minnesota sheriff named Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), who ends up investigating the kidnapping of a local car dealership owner's wife. However, what Marge doesn't realize is that the woman's husband is who hired the men to kidnap her so he could get the ransom money from her wealthy father to save his car lot.
William H. Macy stars as the unscrupulous car dealership owner Jerry Lundegaard. He hires two basic thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrud) only to find everything going wrong when they kill his wife before he can get the ransom money. The film was a monster success, and Macy earned an Oscar nomination for his performance, while McDormand won for her lead performance.
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