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 gained widespread popularity for portraying Frank Gallagher in Showtime's comedy-drama series Shameless (2011–2021). Macy has described his screen persona as "sort of a Middle American, WASPy, Lutheran kind of guy... Everyman". He has won two Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award, being nominated for nine Emmy Awards and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards in total. He is also a three-time Golden Globe Award nominee.

Filmography

• 2026Brian
• 2026Speed Demon — Father Novak
• 2026The Deputy — Chief Krueger, Executive Producer
• 2025Frontier Crucible — Major O'Rourke
• 2025Soul on Fire — Jack Buck
• 2025The Running Man — Molie
• 2025Train Dreams — Arn Peeples
• 2024Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — Trevathan
• 2024Ricky Stanicky — Summerhayes
• Accused — Raymond
• 2023Maybe I Do — Sam
• The Dropout — Richard Fuisz
• Shameless Hall of Shame — Frank Gallagher
• 2018Krystal — Wyatt, Director
• 2017The Layover — Director
• 2016Blood Father — Kirby Curtis
• 2016Stealing Cars — Philip Wyatt
• 2015Dial a Prayer — Bill
• 2015Room — Robert
• 2015Walter — Dr. Corman
• 2014Cake — Leonard
• 2014Rudderless — Trill, Writer, Director, Executive Producer
• 2014Two-Bit Waltz — Carl
• 2013A Single Shot — Pitt
• 2013Citizen Hearst — Narrator
• 2013Trust Me — Gary
• 2012Curious George: Saves the Day — The Narrator (voice)
• 2012The Sessions — Father Brendan
• 2011Portraits in Dramatic Time
• Shameless — Frank Gallagher, Writer, Director
• 2011The Lincoln Lawyer — Frank Levin
• 2010Dirty Girl — Ray
• 2010Marmaduke — Don Twombly
• 2009Shorts — Dr. Noseworthy
• 2009The Maiden Heist — George McLendon
• 2008Bart Got a Room — Ernie Stein
• 2008The Deal — Charlie Berns, Screenplay
• 2008The Tale of Despereaux — Lester (voice)
• 2007Curious George: Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
• 2007He Was a Quiet Man — Gene Shelby
• 2007Wild Hogs — Dudley Frank
• 2006Bobby — Paul Ebbers
• 2006Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman — Rudyard North (voice)
• Curious George — Narrator (voice)
• 2006Doogal — Brian (voice)
• 2006Edmond — Edmond
• 2006Everyone's Hero — Lefty Maginnis (voice)
• 2006Inland Empire — Announcer
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King — Clyde Umney / Sam Landry / George Demmick
• The Unit — President of the United States
• 2005Sahara — Admiral Jim Sandecker
• 2005Thank You for Smoking — Senator Ortolan Finistirre
• 2005Transamerica — Executive Producer
• 2004Cellular — Sgt. Bob Mooney
• 2004In Enemy Hands — Nathan Travers
• 2004Reversible Errors — Arthur Raven
• 2004Spartan — Stoddard
• 2004The Wool Cap — Gigot, Teleplay, Producer
• Out of Order — Steven
• 2003Seabiscuit — Tick Tock McGlaughlin
• 2003Stealing Sinatra — John Irwin
• 2003The Cooler — Bernie Lootz
• 2003The True Story of Seabiscuit — Narrator (voice)
• 2002Door to Door — Bill Porter, Writer
• 2002It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie — Glenn
• 2002Just a Walk in the Park — Teleplay
• 2002Welcome to Collinwood — Riley
• 2001Focus — Lawrence 'Larry' Newman
• 2001Jurassic Park III — Paul Kirby
• 2000Panic — Alex
• 2000State and Main — Walt Price
• 1999A Slight Case of Murder — Terry Thorpe, Teleplay, Writer
• Batman Beyond — Aaron Herbst (voice), Karros (voice)
• 1999Batman Beyond: Tech Wars and Disappearing Inque — Aaron Herbst
• 1999Happy, Texas — Sheriff Chappy Dent
• 1999Magnolia — Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
• 1999Mystery Men — Shoveler / Eddie
• 1999The Night of the Headless Horseman — Ichabod Crane
• 1999The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue — Justin (voice)
• 1998A Civil Action — James Gordon
• 1998Jerry and Tom — Karl
• 1998Macy On Mamet
• 1998Pleasantville — George Parker
• 1998Psycho — Milton Arbogast
• Sports Night — Sam Donovan
• 1998The Con — Bobby, Writer
• The Lionhearts — Leo (voice)
• The Wild Thornberrys — Skoot (voice)
• 1997Air Force One — Major Caldwell
• 1997Boogie Nights — Little Bill
• 1997Colin Fitz — Mr. O'Day
• King of the Hill — Dr. Rubin (voice)
• 1997Wag the Dog — CIA Agent Charles Young
• 1996Andersonville — Col. Chandler
• Andersonville — Col. Chandler
• 1996Down Periscope — Captain Knox
• 1996Every Woman's Dream — Teleplay
• 1996Fargo — Jerry Lundegaard
• 1996Ghosts of Mississippi — Charlie Crisco
• 1996Hit Me — Policeman
• Superman: The Animated Series — Director (voice)
• TFI Friday
• 1996The Writing on the Wall — Petrocelli
• 1995Above Suspicion — Pros. Atty. Schultz, Writer
• 1995Evolver — Evolver (voice)
• 1995In the Shadow of Evil — Dr. Frank Teague
• 1995Mr. Holland's Opus — Vice Principal Gene Wolters
• 1995Murder in the First — Bill McNeill
• 1995Roommates — Doctor (uncredited)
• 1995Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventure — Railroad Magnate
• 1994Being Human — Boris
• 1994Dead on Sight — Steven Meeker
• ER — David Morgenstern
• 1994ER: 24 Hours — Dr. David Morgenstern
• 1994Oleanna — John
• 1994The Client — Dr. Greenway
• Bakersfield P.D. — Russell Karp
• 1993Benny & Joon — Randy Burch
• Frasier — Ralph (voice)
• 1993Searching for Bobby Fischer — Tunafish Father
• 1993Twenty Bucks — Property Clerk
• 1992A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story — Sean Hammel
• 1992A Private Matter — Psychiatrist
• Home Fires — Writer
• 1992In the Line of Duty: Siege at Marion — Ray Daniels
• 1992The Heart of Justice — Booth
• 1992The Water Engine — Charles Lang
• 1991Barton Fink — Navy Sailor (uncredited)
• 1991Homicide — Tim Sullivan
• 1991Shadows and Fog — Cop
• 1990All That Glitters — Store Clerk
• Law & Order — Assistant U.S. Attorney John McCormack, Jack Powell
• The Simpsons — William H. Macy (voice)
• 1988Lip Service — Farmer, Director
• The Murder of Mary Phagan — Randy
• 1988Things Change — Billy Drake
• 1987House of Games — Sgt. John Moran
• 1987Radio Days — Radio Voice (voice)
• thirtysomething — Writer
• L.A. Law — Bernard Ruskin
• Alive from Off Center — unknown
• Spenser: For Hire
• The Equalizer — Dr. Spaulding
• 1985The Last Dragon — J.J.
• Kate & Allie
• 1984The Boy Who Loved Trolls — Socrates
• 1984The Dining Room — Various
• 1983The Cradle Will Fall — Ben Duffy
• 1983WarGames — NORAD Officer (uncredited)
• 1983Without a Trace — Reporter
• 1980Foolin' Around — Bronski
• 1980Somewhere in Time — Critic [1972]
• The Awakening Land — Will Beagle
• Ashes to Dust — Thanks
• Exit Right — John Randall, Executive Producer
• Temperance — Writer, Producer
• The Land — Hank Durkin
• The Swimming Lesson — Leonard
• Untitled Eternity Project

Appearances as themselves (33)

• In the Booth with Babish — Self - Guest
• Last Meals — Self
• 2019Beyond the Headlines: The College Admissions Scandal with Gretchen Carlson — Self
• 2018Lady Luck: The Making of The Cooler — Self
• Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter — Self
• Off Camera with Sam Jones — Self
• Finding Your Roots — Self
• 2011Return to Jurassic Park — Self
• Conan — Self
• The Talk — Self
• 2009Heath Ledger: A Tribute — Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• 2007Lynch 2 — Self
• 2006Unfiltered Comedy: The Making of 'Thank You For Smoking' — Self
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson — Self
• 2004Dialing Up "Cellular" — Self
• 2003'Seabiscuit': The Making of a Legend — Self
• 2003Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood — Self - Narrator (voice)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self, Self - Guest
• 2003Minnesota Nice — Self
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show — Self
• 2003Winners' Circle: The Heroes Behind the Legend — Self
• Good Day Live — Self
• 2001The Making Of Jurassic Park III — Self
• 2000That Moment: Magnolia Diary — Self
• 2000The Coen Brothers — Self
• 1999Psycho Path — Self - Actor / Milton Arbogast
• The View — Self
• MADtv — Self
• Inside the Actors Studio — Self
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — Self
• 60 Minutes — Self
• The Oscars — Self