Biography
William H. Macy (born March 13, 1950) is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though he has appeared in summer action films as well. Macy has described his screen persona as "sort of a Middle American, WASPy, Lutheran kind of guy... Everyman". He has won two Emmy Awards an...
Known For
Complete Filmography

Train Dreams
2025
A story about Robert Grainier, a day laborer employed as a logger helping to expand the railways across America. Forced to spend prolonged periods of ...

The Running Man
2025
Desperate to save his sick daughter, a working-class dad joins a deadly spectator sport where the longer he stays alive, the bigger the payout. Betwee...

Soul on Fire
2025
After a horrific accident leaves his body scarred, a young boy strives to live and show everyone what is possible with the help of his family, his fai...

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
2024
as Trevathan
Several generations following Caesar's reign, apes – now the dominant species – live harmoniously while humans have been reduced to living in the shad...

Ricky Stanicky
2024
as Summerhayes
When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble. Twenty years later, th...

Maybe I Do
2023
as Sam
Michelle and Allen, who have reached the point in their relationship where they are considering next steps, decide to invite their parents to finally...

Beyond the Headlines: The College Admissions Scandal with Gretchen Carlson
2019
as Self
Gretchen Carlson explores the unbelievable true story of the rich and famous abusing their privilege to get their kids into college and the FBI's secr...
Lady Luck: The Making of The Cooler
2018
as Self

Krystal
2018
as Wyatt
A young man living a sheltered life develops a crush on a stripper and joins her Alcoholics Anonymous group just so he can be in the same room with he...

Krystal
2018
Director
A young man living a sheltered life develops a crush on a stripper and joins her Alcoholics Anonymous group just so he can be in the same room with he...

The Layover
2017
Director
When their plane is rerouted due to a hurricane warning, two single female best friends find themselves competing for the same guy during an extended ...

Blood Father
2016
as Kirby Curtis
An ex-con reunites with his estranged wayward 16-year old daughter to protect her from drug dealers who are trying to kill her.

Stealing Cars
2016
as Philip Wyatt
A rebellious teenager navigates his way through the juvenile court system.

Room
2015
as Robert
Held captive for 7 years in an enclosed space, a woman and her young son finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside world ...

Dial a Prayer
2015
as Bill
A troubled young woman working at a prayer call center makes a difference in other people's lives, forcing her to reconcile with her troubled past wit...

Walter
2015
as Dr. Corman
A ticket-taker at the local cinema believes he is the son of God. He has agreed to decide the eternal fate of everyone he comes in to contact with.

Two-Bit Waltz
2014
as Carl
Suspension from school, the loss of a friend, a broken heart and lack of inspiration lead to Maude's downfall in this romp through teenage error. You...

Rudderless
2014
as Trill
A grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles across a box of his recently deceased son's demo tapes and lyrics. Shocked by the discovery of this un...

Rudderless
2014
Director, Writer
A grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles across a box of his recently deceased son's demo tapes and lyrics. Shocked by the discovery of this un...

Cake
2014
as Leonard
After having visions of a member of her support group who killed herself, a woman who also suffers with chronic pain seeks out the widower of the suic...

A Single Shot
2013
as Pitt
The tragic death of a beautiful young girl starts a tense and atmospheric game of cat and mouse between hunter John Moon and the hardened backwater cr...

Trust Me
2013
as Gary
In an attempt to sign a Hollywood starlet, struggling talent agent and former child star Howard Holloway must contend with her volatile father, a sche...
Citizen Hearst
2013
as Narrator
Documentary looking at the history of the Hearst Corporations.

The Sessions
2012
as Father Brendan
Though a childhood bout with polio left him dependent on an iron lung, Mark O'Brien maintains a career as a journalist and poet. A writing assignment ...

Curious George: Saves the Day
2012
as The Narrator (voice)
Share special moments with your child and with George, like being a hero! Kids will laugh and learn through 8 exciting shows -- each with a companion ...

Portraits in Dramatic Time
2011
A series of 40 art films created by artist David Michalek featuring performances of theater artists and actors of all genres and nationalities both we...

The Lincoln Lawyer
2011
as Frank Levin
Mick Haller is a charismatic defense attorney who does business out of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Mick spends most of his time defending petty cro...

Return to Jurassic Park
2011
as Self
A multi-part documentary about the making of the Jurassic Park trilogy. Each part walks through the making of part of one of the films, including the ...

Dirty Girl
2010
as Ray
When Danielle is banished to special education because of her misbehavior, she joins Clarke on a road trip to discover themselves.

Marmaduke
2010
as Don Twombly
When Phil and Debbie Winslow relocate from their native Kansas to the sunny climes of Orange County, their big-hearted, havoc-wreaking Great Dane gets...

Shorts
2009
as Dr. Noseworthy
A young boy's discovery of a colorful, wish-granting rock causes chaos in the suburban town of Black Falls when jealous kids and scheming adults alike...

Heath Ledger: A Tribute
2009
as Self
On January 22, 2008, the entertainment world was rocked by news that one of its brightest young stars had unexpectedly died. This film is a commemorat...

The Maiden Heist
2009
as George McLendon
A comedy centered on three museum security guards who devise a plan to steal back the artworks to which they have become attached after they are trans...

The Tale of Despereaux
2008
as Lester (voice)
Once upon a time... in the far away kingdom of Dor... lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. ...

The Deal
2008
as Charlie Berns
Charlie Berns is a veteran Hollywood movie producer who has given up on his career and life. That is until his idealistic screenwriter nephew comes be...

The Deal
2008
Screenplay
Charlie Berns is a veteran Hollywood movie producer who has given up on his career and life. That is until his idealistic screenwriter nephew comes be...

Bart Got a Room
2008
as Ernie Stein
High school loser Danny Stein needs a prom date. As a cause of anxiety for Danny, Bart Beeber, the nerdiest guy in school, has already found a date. A...

He Was a Quiet Man
2007
as Gene Shelby
An unhinged office worker who planned to go on a shooting spree at his workplace struggles with his newfound status as a hero after he ends up stoppin...

Lynch 2
2007
as Self
Follow up of the Lynch documentary on the making of Inland Empire. Released as an extra on the Inland Empire DVD.

Curious George: Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
2007
Curious George blasts off with a second set of adventures form the hit PBS Kids (R) TV series. This time, George's curiosity is taking him down hills,...

Wild Hogs
2007
as Dudley Frank
Restless and ready for an adventure, four suburban bikers leave the safety of their subdivision and head out on the open road. But complications ensue...

Inland Empire
2006
as Announcer
As a Hollywood actress begins to adopt the persona of her character in a film, her world becomes nightmarish and surreal.

Unfiltered Comedy: The Making of 'Thank You For Smoking'
2006
as Self
Behind the scenes of Thank You For Smoking (2005)

Bobby
2006
as Paul Ebbers
In 1968 the lives of a retired doorman, hotel manager, lounge singer, busboy, beautician and others intersect in the wake of Robert F. Kennedy's assas...

Everyone's Hero
2006
as Lefty Maginnis (voice)
A boy begins a grand journey to return Babe Ruth's baseball bat before the deciding game of the 1932 World Series comes to a close.

Choose Your Own Adventure - The Abominable Snowman
2006
as Rudyard North (voice)
This interactive movie follows three siblings (the North family) on a quest to rescue their Uncle in the Himalayan region of Nepal. Your choices deter...

Doogal
2006
as Brian (voice)
An adorable candy-loving mutt goes on a mission to save the world.

Thank You for Smoking
2005
as Senator Ortolan Finistirre
Nick Naylor is a charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who'll fight to protect America's right to smoke -- even if it kills him -- while still remai...

Edmond
2005
as Edmond
Seemingly mild-mannered businessman Edmond Burke visits a fortuneteller and hears a remark that spurs him to leave his wife abruptly and seek what is ...

Sahara
2005
as Admiral Jim Sandecker
Seasoned adventurer and treasure hunter Dirk Pitt, a former Navy SEAL, sets out for the African desert with his wisecracking buddy Al in search of a c...

Transamerica
2005
Executive Producer
A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.

The Wool Cap
2004
as Gigot
This film, originally made for tv, stars William H. Macy as a mute superintendent of a apartment building that is falling apart who becomes the unwill...

The Wool Cap
2004
Teleplay, Producer
This film, originally made for tv, stars William H. Macy as a mute superintendent of a apartment building that is falling apart who becomes the unwill...

Cellular
2004
as Sgt. Bob Mooney
A young man receives an emergency phone call on his cell phone from an older woman. She claims to have been kidnapped – and the kidnappers have target...

Reversible Errors
2004
as Arthur Raven
A corporate lawyer's interest in a decade-old murder case is piqued by a new confession that could clear the convicted killer, who sits on death row.

Spartan
2004
as Stoddard
U.S. government agent Scott is assigned to rescue the daughter of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get thi...

In Enemy Hands
2004
as Nathan Travers
At the height of Hitler's infamous U-boat war, the crew of the U.S.S. Swordfish were heading home after months at sea. They never made it. Now prisone...

The Cooler
2003
as Bernie Lootz
Bernie works at a Las Vegas casino, where he uses his innate ability to bring about misfortune in those around him to jinx gamblers into losing. His i...
The True Story of Seabiscuit
2003
as Narrator (voice)
The true story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their na...

Seabiscuit
2003
as Tick Tock McGlaughlin
True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation...

Minnesota Nice
2003
as Self
A collection of cast interviews and behind-the-scenes clips from the Coen brother's Academy Award-winning film Fargo.

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
2003
as Self - Narrator (voice)
The chronicle of the mind-blowing journey that was Hollywood during the seventies; the true and gripping story of the last golden age of American cine...

Stealing Sinatra
2003
as John Irwin
In need of a grubstake, a young man convinces a couple of friends to help him kidnap Frank Sinatra Jr. It's a true story

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
2002
as Glenn
The owner of a bank (Miss Bitterman) wants to own the Muppet Theatre so she can build a nightclub over it. After she tricks Pepe into giving her the o...

Welcome to Collinwood
2002
as Riley
Five hapless inner-city low-lifes attempt to burgle a pawnbroker's safe, but end up being plagued by bad luck.

Just a Walk in the Park
2002
Teleplay
Adam is a dog walker. Adam agrees to watch one of his customers, A.J. Preston, penthouse apartment. Rachel mistakes Adam for Preston. He does not come...

Door to Door
2002
as Bill Porter
Sometimes the true heroes in our lives are those people who inspire us not with their superhuman accomplishments but simply by their refusal to give u...

Door to Door
2002
Writer
Sometimes the true heroes in our lives are those people who inspire us not with their superhuman accomplishments but simply by their refusal to give u...

The Making Of Jurassic Park III
2001
as Self
A very in depth look at the making of the movie, a look at the special effects and animatronics made for the motion picture, Jurassic Park III (2001)....

Focus
2001
as Lawrence 'Larry' Newman
In the waning months of World War II, a man and his wife are mistakenly identified as Jews by their anti-Semitic Brooklyn neighbors. Suddenly the vict...

Jurassic Park III
2001
as Paul Kirby
In need of funds for research, Dr. Alan Grant accepts a large sum of money to accompany Paul and Amanda Kirby on an aerial tour of the infamous Isla S...

Panic
2000
as Alex
Alex is going through a midlife crisis and it has become a very difficult time for him. His marriage is struggling, he's worried about his son, and hi...

State and Main
2000
as Walt Price
A movie crew invades a small town whose residents are all too ready to give up their values for showbiz glitz.

Psycho Path
2000
as Self - Actor / Milton Arbogast
Documentary on the making of Gus Van Sant's "Psycho."

That Moment: Magnolia Diary
2000
as Self
A very in-depth documentary that follows the very over-worked director Paul Thomas Anderson through a gruelling 80+ days of shooting for the film Magn...

Magnolia
1999
as Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy geniu...

Happy, Texas
1999
as Sheriff Chappy Dent
Two escaped convicts roll into the village of Happy, Texas, where they're mistaken for a gay couple who work as beauty pageant consultants. They go al...

The Night of the Headless Horseman
1999
as Ichabod Crane
The teacher Ichabod Crane arrives at Sleepy Hollow town and immediately falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel. Ichabold is intelligent, but weak and c...

A Slight Case of Murder
1999
as Terry Thorpe
In the midst of a spat, film critic Terry Thorpe accidentally kills his lover. Though Thorpe covers his tracks, he raises the suspicions of a private ...

A Slight Case of Murder
1999
Teleplay, Writer
In the midst of a spat, film critic Terry Thorpe accidentally kills his lover. Though Thorpe covers his tracks, he raises the suspicions of a private ...

Mystery Men
1999
as Shoveler / Eddie
When Champion City's hero Captain Amazing is kidnapped by the recently paroled supervillain Casanova Frankenstein, a trio of average, everyday superhe...

Batman Beyond: Tech Wars / Disappearing Inque
1999
as Aaron Herbst
Batman Beyond: Disappearing Inque - The Gotham nights give birth to a brand-new super villain. She is deadly, shape-shifting industrial saboteur named...

A Civil Action
1998
as James Gordon
Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obses...

The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue
1998
as Justin (voice)
The rats and mice, made intellectually superior in the original Secret of N.I.M.H., return to Thorn Valley to groom their destined leader - young Timm...

Psycho
1998
as Milton Arbogast
A young female embezzler arrives at the Bates Motel, which has terrible secrets of its own.

Jerry and Tom
1998
as Karl
Tom and Jerry are two hit men, they work by day at a third-rate second-hand car dealership. Tom is a veteran and Jerry is a novice in their business, ...

Pleasantville
1998
as George Parker
Geeky teenager David and his popular twin sister, Jennifer, get sucked into the black-and-white world of a 1950s TV sitcom called "Pleasantville," and...

The Con
1998
as Bobby
A lonely gas station attendent in Mississippi falls in love with a con woman who wants to get her hands on an inheritance he doesn't know about.

The Con
1998
Writer
A lonely gas station attendent in Mississippi falls in love with a con woman who wants to get her hands on an inheritance he doesn't know about.
Macy On Mamet
1998
William H. Macy discusses David Mamet.

Wag the Dog
1997
as CIA Agent Charles Young
During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President...

Boogie Nights
1997
as Little Bill
Set in 1977, back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, idealistic porn producer Jack Horner aspires to elevate his cra...

Air Force One
1997
as Major Caldwell
When Russian neo-nationalists hijack Air Force One, the world's most secure and extraordinary aircraft, the President is faced with a nearly impossibl...

Colin Fitz
1997
as Mr. O'Day
Two security guards, Paul and Grady, are hired to guard the grave of dead rock legend, Colin Fitz. Through the course of one bizarre night, these two ...

Ghosts of Mississippi
1996
as Charlie Crisco
A Mississippi district attorney and the widow of Medgar Evers struggle to bring a white supremacist to justice for the 1963 murder of the civil rights...

Every Woman's Dream
1996
Teleplay
A man suffering from borderline personality disorder is married to two women, who don’t know the other exists. As bills pile up and cracks start to sh...

Hit Me
1996
as Policeman
A bellhop living with his mentally impaired brother becomes involved with an unbalanced woman and a scheme to steal guests' valuables.

The Writing on the Wall
1996
as Petrocelli
When a bomb explodes in a British RAF base in Germany, MI5 terrorist specialist Bull (Bill Paterson) is called in to investigate. However, the further...

Fargo
1996
as Jerry Lundegaard
Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt... but he's got a plan. He's going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife ...

Andersonville
1996
as Col. Chandler
This lengthy docudrama records the harrowing conditions at the Confederacy's most notorious prisoner-of-war camp. The drama unfolds through the eyes o...

Down Periscope
1996
as Captain Knox
Maverick Navy Lieutenant Commander Tom Dodge will never be a textbook officer, but he's a brilliant seaman who's always wanted to command a nuclear su...

Mr. Holland's Opus
1995
as Vice Principal Gene Wolters
In 1965, passionate musician Glenn Holland takes a day job as a high school music teacher, convinced it's just a small obstacle on the road to his tru...

Above Suspicion
1995
as Pros. Atty. Schultz
Dempsey Cain is an honored cop, a loving husband and father, and mentor to his handsome younger brother. Then a drug dealer's bullet paralyzes him for...

Above Suspicion
1995
Writer
Dempsey Cain is an honored cop, a loving husband and father, and mentor to his handsome younger brother. Then a drug dealer's bullet paralyzes him for...

Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventure
1995
as Railroad Magnate
A young boy draws on the inspiration of legendary western characters to find the strength to fight an evil land baron in the old west who wants to ste...

Roommates
1995
as Doctor (uncredited)
An elderly, yet young-at-heart man, moves in with his grandson, and both their lives turn upside-down.

Evolver
1995
as Evolver (voice)
A teenage boy gets a robotic opponent after winning a laser tag contest; however the robot is not what it seems!

In the Shadow of Evil
1995
as Dr. Frank Teague
Jack Brenner is a hot-shot cop on the trail of a serial killer known as The Roper. Just as he's getting close to catching the killer, he is injured an...

Murder in the First
1995
as Bill McNeill
A young, inexperienced public defender is assigned to defend an inmate accused of committing murder while behind bars.

Oleanna
1994
as John
Carol, a college student, comes to John's office, her professor, to discuss the grade she has received for one of her papers.

Dead on Sight
1994
as Steven Meeker
A graduate student discovers her nightmares are actually visions of real-life murders committed by a man known as the Clock Killer. Joined by an unbel...

The Client
1994
as Dr. Greenway
A street-wise kid, Mark Sway, sees the suicide of Jerome Clifford, a prominent Louisiana lawyer, whose current client is Barry 'The Blade' Muldano, a ...

Being Human
1994
as Boris
One man must learn the meaning of courage across four lifetimes centuries apart.

Twenty Bucks
1993
as Property Clerk
A story about the life of a twenty dollar bill as it weaves in and out of the various lives of several people.

Searching for Bobby Fischer
1993
as Tunafish Father
A seven-year-old chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

Benny & Joon
1993
as Randy Burch
A mentally ill young woman finds her love in an eccentric man who models himself after Buster Keaton.

The Heart of Justice
1992
as Booth
David Leader investigates a seemingly senseless murder, and in the course of it is drawn into the labyrinth of a sinisterly unique wealthy family...

A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story
1992
as Sean Hammel
A married man meets a beautiful woman and they begin an affair.

The Water Engine
1992
as Charles Lang
In the 1930s, Charles Lang invents an engine that runs using water for fuel. But when he tries to get it patented, he is first offered a ridiculously ...

A Private Matter
1992
as Psychiatrist
The true story of Romper Room host "Miss Sherri" Finkbine, who, after the devastating effects of thalidomide were discovered in the early 1960s, spark...

In the Line of Duty: Siege at Marion
1992
as Ray Daniels
Adam Swapp and his brother Jonathan are suspects in the bombing of Mormon Center in Utah. The brothers and their families hold-up on their farm with p...

Shadows and Fog
1991
as Cop
With a serial strangler on the loose, a bookkeeper wanders around town searching for the vigilante group intent on catching the killer.

Barton Fink
1991
as Navy Sailor (uncredited)
A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.

Homicide
1991
as Tim Sullivan
A Jewish homicide detective investigates a seemingly minor murder and falls in with a Zionist group as a result.

Things Change
1988
as Billy Drake
Jerry, a misfit Mafia henchman, is assigned the low-level job of keeping an eye on Gino, a shoe repairman fingered by the Mob to confess to a murder h...

Lip Service
1988
as Farmer
A young news reporter schemes to take over the job of a veteran news anchor whose ratings he's been hired to promote.

Lip Service
1988
Director
A young news reporter schemes to take over the job of a veteran news anchor whose ratings he's been hired to promote.

House of Games
1987
as Sgt. John Moran
A psychiatrist comes to the aid of a compulsive gambler and is led by a smooth-talking grifter into the shadowy but compelling world of stings, scams,...

Radio Days
1987
as Radio Voice (voice)
The Narrator tells us how the radio influenced his childhood in the days before TV. In the New York City of the late 1930s to the New Year's Eve 1944,...

The Last Dragon
1985
as J.J.
A young man searches for the "master" to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery known as the glow. Along the way he must fight an evil martial...

The Boy Who Loved Trolls
1984
as Socrates
Paul feels life should be an adventure, and sets out on one to prove that Trolls really exist.

The Dining Room
1984
as Various
Six actors play over 50 characters across 18 scenes from different families that overlap and intertwine in a single dining room. Set in a typical well...

WarGames
1983
as NORAD Officer (uncredited)
High school student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwitt...

The Cradle Will Fall
1983
as Ben Duffy
Kathy DeMaio checks into the hospital and thinks she sees a body being loaded into the trunk of a car. When the body turns up later and the murderer, ...

Without a Trace
1983
as Reporter
English professor Susan Selky lives alone in a Brooklyn apartment with her young son, Alex. When Alex fails to return home from school one afternoon, ...

Foolin' Around
1980
as Bronski
A working-class boy falls for a girl from a wealthy family, and must compete for her with a rich boy who also wants her.

Somewhere in Time
1980
as Critic
Young writer Richard Collier is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to fi...
The Deputy
N/A
as Chief Krueger
Part-time Deputy Toby Sawyer is jolted awake by Chief Krueger and assigned to guard a dead body until the coroner arrives. When the corpse mysteriousl...
Exit Right
N/A
as John Randall
Jan Randall, whose brain is affected by inoperable cancer, is deeply afraid of being trapped inside. Refusing to take medications that would reduce he...

Frontier Crucible
N/A
In 1870s Arizona Territory, a former soldier with a tragic past is thrown into an uneasy alliance with three outlaws, a beautiful woman, and her wound...
Brian
N/A
Brian, an acerbic, accident-prone high schooler, runs for class president in an attempt to get closer to his teacher. With help from his therapist and...
The Deputy
N/A
Executive Producer
Part-time Deputy Toby Sawyer is jolted awake by Chief Krueger and assigned to guard a dead body until the coroner arrives. When the corpse mysteriousl...
Exit Right
N/A
Executive Producer
Jan Randall, whose brain is affected by inoperable cancer, is deeply afraid of being trapped inside. Refusing to take medications that would reduce he...

Ashes to Dust
N/A
Thanks
Estranged siblings Elizabeth and Danny reunite in their childhood home after the death of their eccentric mother. Without a will or any instructions, ...
Temperance
N/A
Writer, Producer