Biography for
William H. Macy More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

13 March 1950, Miami, Florida, USA

Birth Name

William Hall Macy Jr.

Nickname

Bill

Height

5' 8" (1.73 m)

Spouse

Felicity Huffman

(6 September 1997 - present) 2 children

Trivia

His best friends called him "Willie" when he attended Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia.

Studied under David Mamet at Goddard College, Vermont.

Was a founding member of St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago with David Mamet and writer Steven Schachter.

While in New York, worked as "voice-over talent", including "Secret - strong enough for a man but made for a woman" ("That's my most famous voice-over"). (Esquire, August 1997).

Uses the name William H. Macy so he won't be confused with 1970s comedian Bill Macy.

He, wife Felicity Huffman, Giancarlo Esposito and TV stars Camryn Manheim and Kristen Johnston are all members of the New York-based Atlantic Theater Company.

He and his wife Felicity Huffman welcomed their first child, Sofia Grace, on August 1, 2000.

Daughter Georgia Grace born 14 March 2002 in Los Angeles.

The writers and producers of "The Simpsons" (1989) have joked semi-seriously that if there was ever a live action version of the show, then he would be the perfect choice to play Ned Flanders.

Remembers jokes and always tells one when he appears on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993).

Was the first choice to voice Marlin in Finding Nemo (2003).

In 1985, he and David Mamet co-founded the Atlantic Theater Company, located in New York, New York, USA.

His agent tried to discourage him from reading the script for Boogie Nights (1997), but he read it anyway, loved it, and signed on to do the film.

Became a spokesperson for United Cerebral Palsy after filming Door to Door (2002) (TV).

His father lives in Gainesville, Florida.

Has admitted to experimenting with LSD in college. William stated some friends referred to him as "acid head".

He attended Allegany High School in Cumberland, Maryland. He was junior and senior class president of his graduating class.

The pop rock band Head Automatica has a song named after the actor called "I Shot William H. Macy"

Met Felicity Huffman when she was one of his students at the Atlantic Theater Company

He and wife Felicity Huffman both received Emmy-nominations in 2005.

After spending years in Chicago theater and building his resume as an actor, at age 28 he relocated to New York City for film and television work.

Auditioned for the role of "Brian" on "Family Guy" (1999).

Was among the guests at Marcia Cross' wedding to Tom Mahoney

Lived with Felicity Huffman for 15 years before they married in 1997.

Owns a Bernese Mountain Dog that was bought in Grass Valley.

Plays the ukulele.

Appeared, without credit, as a NORAD officer in WarGames (1983).

Owns a home in Vermont.

One of his major hobbies is woodworking.

He was nominated for a 1976 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for his performance in "American Buffalo" at the St. Nicholas Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1976 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for his performance in "Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia, at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1977 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in "The Collected Works of Billy the Kid" at the St. Nicholas Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1979 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for "Holiday" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Has been widely rumored to own a large collection of boomerangs. Macy himself says he does not collect boomerangs and has no idea how the rumor got started.

Lobbied hard for his role in Fargo including flying from L.A. to New York at his own expense for a third audition, and, he says, "I essentially told them I'd shoot their pets if they didn't give me this role and I wasn't leaving the room until they cast me.".

While in college, Macy had an old van with a bumper sticker that read: "Don't Laugh - Your Daughter May Be in Here".

With his hair a little on the long side, Macy was once mistaken for Rolling Stone Mick Jagger at a Japanese airport.

He has English, as well as Scottish, Irish, German, and Belgian ancestry.

Personal Quotes

Nobody became an actor because he had a good childhood.

On playing losers: When you do something well, they'll ask you to do it again. Early on, I must have done this well and the reputation was out there. It's strange because in my life, I don't feel like a loser. Far from it. I feel lucky.

For a performer to get rage, or to get hostility or shock or any kind of emotions from the audience is a joy. The thing I think actors fear the most is boredom or inattention. That's what kills me.

I've always felt everything you need is on the page. I used to load my wallet with fake IDs and know what was outside the door down the imaginary hallway. I would do a history for the character, but that's a whole lot of work, and one day I thought, "I wonder what would happen if I didn't do that," and the answer was, "Nothing." Nothing. It doesn't help you. For an actor, the real issue is the moment-to-moment.

One of my first days was the scene in which Dirk Diggler wins the Golden Phallus Award. In the audience were a hundred extras who had been told to wear their finest 1970s clothes. All they knew was that this was a Burt Reynolds film. They're sitting there, and the director says, "All right, let's give it a shot. When she announces the winner, you all applaud." Melora Walters walks up to the microphone, opens the envelope and, with that fabulous little voice of hers, says, "And the winner is -- and I can't wait to get his big cock in my mouth and my ass and my pussy -- Dirk Diggler!" There was a stunned silence, and literally half the extras walked out, got in their cars and drove home. We were shut down for a while until they could get another set of extras. The next time, the director described the scene and told them what they were in for. (On making Boogie Nights)

When I lived in New York I supported myself by doing commercials. Mostly I auditioned. Once in a blue moon I would actually book one.

I can't cook to save my soul. Every once in a while I'll cook something that's really good, and if you put a gun to my head I couldn't repeat it.

It's not the actor's job to be funny, it's the writer's job. It's the actor's job to be truthful, and then the humor will come out.

They don't do movies of the week anymore. So I found myself looking for gainful employment [and] about two years ago I decided I wanted to try television. My opinion is that the best stuff anywhere is on television right now. I just love it.

Salary

Air Force One (1997)	$400,000
Sahara (2005)	$750,000