ACTOR · BORN 1950
William H. Macy
- Born
- 13 March 1950, Miami, Florida, USA
- Known for
- Fargo (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Wild Hogs (2007), Psycho (1998)
29 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
William H. Macy (born 13 March 1950) is an actor best known for Fargo, Boogie Nights and Wild Hogs.
William H. Macy over the years
29 Interesting Facts About William H. Macy
Interesting Facts (17)
- #001
The writers and producers of The Simpsons (1989) half-jokingly said that if there were ever a live-action version of the series, William H. Macy would be the perfect choice to play Ned Flanders.
- #002
William H. Macy, his wife Felicity Huffman, Giancarlo Esposito and TV stars Camryn Manheim and Kristen Johnston are all members of the New York-based Atlantic Theatre Company, which Macy and writer David Mamet co-founded in 1985.
William H. Macy: David MorgensternImage: Wikimedia Commons · Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0 - #003
- #004
William H. Macy's hobbies are woodworking and playing the ukulele.
- #005
While in New York, William H. Macy worked as a voice-over talent, including on the line "Secret--strong enough for a man but made for a woman"; in an interview in the August 1997 issue of Esquire he said, "That's my most famous voice-over."
- #006
- #007
It is widely said that William H. Macy has a large boomerang collection. Macy says he does not collect boomerangs and has no idea how the rumor started.
- #008
When he appeared on Inside the Actors Studio (1994), William H. Macy recalled that at the wrap party for Boogie Nights (1997), Nina Hartley, who played his character Little Bill's wife and was a real-life porn star, gave the cast gifts from her own porn films. Macy's gift was a copy of Nina Hartley's Guide to Anal Sex (1996).
- #009
William H. Macy was one of the founding members of the St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago, along with David Mamet and writer Steven Schachter.
- #010
William H. Macy and his wife Felicity Huffman have two daughters: Sofia Macy (Sofia Grace Macy), born on August 1, 2000, and Georgia Macy (Georgia Grace Macy), born on March 14, 2002.
- #011
William H. Macy and Mary Steenburgen are sixth cousins who were once estranged, as revealed on the PBS series Finding Your Roots (2012).
- #012
William H. Macy enjoys riding motorcycles and was inspired by his role in the popular 2007 film "Wild Hogs."
- #013
With his somewhat long hair, William H. Macy was once mistaken for Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones at an airport in Japan.
- #014
After playing a man with cerebral palsy in the TV film "Door to Door," which he co-wrote in 2002, William H. Macy became a spokesperson for United Cerebral Palsy.
- #015
After spending years in Chicago theater and building his résumé as an actor, William H. Macy moved to New York City at age 28 to pursue film and television work.
- #016
The pop rock band Head Automaica has a song named after him, "I Shot William H. Macy."
- #017
William H. Macy has a house in Vermont.
Behind the Scenes (6)
- #018
His manager tried to talk him out of reading the script for Boogie Nights (1997), but he read it anyway, loved it and signed on to make the film.
- #019
He lobbied hard for his role in Fargo (1996), including flying from Los Angeles to New York at his own expense for a third audition, and says: "I told them I would shoot their pets if they didn't give me the part, and I wasn't leaving the room until they cast me."
- #020
His father, William, was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the Eighth Air Force in World War II.
- #021
He attended Allegany High School in Cumberland, Maryland. He was third in his graduating class and senior class president.
- #022
He admitted to trying LSD in college. He noted that some of his friends referred to him as an "acid head".
- #023
When he appeared on Inside the Actors Studio (1994), he recalled that at the wrap party for Boogie Nights (1997), Nina Hartley, who played his character Little Bill's wife and was a real-life porn star, gave the cast gifts from her own porn films. Macy's gift was a copy of Nina Hartley's Guide to Anal Sex (1996).
Characters & Cast (2)
- #024
William H. Macy auditioned for the role of Brian on the sitcom Family Guy (1999), which went to series creator Seth MacFarlane.
- #025
William H. Macy was the first choice to voice Marlin in Finding Nemo (2003), a role that went to Albert Brooks.
Career & Awards (3)
- #026
When William H. Macy was introduced at the 1997 Oscars, where he was nominated for the first time for Fargo (1996), the announcer mistakenly identified him as the former star of the sitcom Maude (1972), which was actually the comedian Bill Macy.
- #027
On March 7, 2012, William H. Macy was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard.
- #028
For his acclaimed role in the Coen brothers' "Fargo," William H. Macy won an Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Life & Family (1)
- #029
While he was in college, William H. Macy drove an old van with a bumper sticker that read: "Don't Laugh--Your Daughter May Be in Here".
Related pages
- The Family Man — William H. Macy comes up in the facts on that page
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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