Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American film, stage and television actress. McDormand began her career on stage and made her screen debut in the 1984 film Blood Simple, having since appeared in several theatrical and television roles. McDormand has been recognized for her performances in 'Mississippi Burning' (1988), 'Short Cuts' (1993), 'Fargo' (1996), 'Wonder Boys' (2000), 'Almost Famous' (2000), 'North Country' (2005), 'Moonrise Kingdom' (2012), 'Hail, Caesar!' (2016), 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017), 'Nomadland' (2020) and 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' (2021). Throughout her career, she has been nominated for eight Golden Globes, five Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, and three Emmy Awards. She is one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting", winning an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. She won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1997 for her role as Marge Gunderson in 'Fargo'.  She also won Best Supporting Actress from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Florida Film Critics Circle, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for her performance in 'Wonder Boys' (2000). McDormand returned to the stage in the David Lindsay-Abaire play Good People on Broadway from February 8, 2011 to April 24, 2011. In 2017, McDormand starred in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' which earned her a second Academy Award for Best Actress. McDormand has been married to filmmaker Joel Coen since 1984, they reside in New York City along with their adopted son Pedro.

Filmography

• 2026Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion
• 2025The Bend in the River — Executive Producer
• 2024Wolfs — Pam (voice)
• 2022Women Talking — Scarface Janz, Producer
• 2021Nomadland — Fern, Producer
• 2021The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun — Lucinda Krementz
• 2021The Tragedy of Macbeth — Lady Macbeth, Producer
• 2020The Oedipus Project — Jocosta
• Good Omens — God (voice)
• 2018Isle of Dogs — Interpreter Nelson (voice)
• 2017Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri — Mildred
• 2016Hail, Caesar! — C. C. Calhoun
• 2015Habitat Eart — Narrator
• 2015The Good Dinosaur — Momma (voice)
• 2014Every Secret Thing — Producer
• Olive Kitteridge — Olive Kitteridge, Executive Producer
• 2012Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted — Chantel DuBois (voice)
• 2012Moonrise Kingdom — Mrs. Bishop
• 2012Promised Land — Sue Thomason
• 2011This Must Be the Place — Jane
• 2011Transformers: Dark of the Moon — Mearing
• 2009The Botany of Desire — Narrator (voice)
• 2008Burn After Reading — Linda Litzke
• 2008Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day — Guinevere Pettigrew
• 2006Friends with Money — Jane
• 2005North Country — Glory
• 2005Æon Flux — Handler
• 2003Laurel Canyon — Jane
• 2003Something's Gotta Give — Zoe
• 2002City by the Sea — Michelle
• 2002Upheaval — Anne
• State of Grace — Adult Hannah (voice)
• 2001The Grey Zone — Thanks
• 2001The Man Who Wasn't There — Doris Crane
• 2000Almost Famous — Elaine Miller
• 2000Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big — The Adult Fannie (voice)
• 2000Wonder Boys — Sara Gaskell
• 1998Johnny Skidmarks — Alice
• 1998Madeline — Miss Clavel
• 1998Talk of Angels — Conlon
• 1997Paradise Road — Dr. Verstak
• 1996Fargo — Marge Gunderson
• 1996Hidden in America — Gus
• 1996Lone Star — Bunny
• 1996Palookaville — June
• 1996Primal Fear — Molly
• 1995Beyond Rangoon — Andy Bowman
• 1995Bleeding Hearts — Woman on TV (archive footage)
• 1995Talking With — Caro (segment "Handler")
• 1995The Good Old Boys — Eve Calloway
• 1993Short Cuts — Betty Weathers
• 1992Crazy in Love — Clare
• 1992Passed Away — Nora Scanlan
• 1991Barton Fink — Stage Actress (voice) (uncredited)
• 1991The Butcher's Wife — Grace
• 1990Chattahoochee — Mae Foley
• 1990Darkman — Julie Hastings
• 1990Hidden Agenda — Ingrid Jessner
• 1990Miller's Crossing — Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
• The Simpsons — Melanie Upfoot (voice)
• 1988Mississippi Burning — Mrs. Pell
• Leg Work — Willie Pipal
• 1987Raising Arizona — Dot
• 1986Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo — Brigette
• 1985Blood Simple — Abby
• 1985Crimewave — Nun
• 1985Scandal Sheet
• The Twilight Zone — (segment "Need to Know")
• Hunter — Nina Sloan
• Hill Street Blues
• Jack of Spades — Producer

Appearances as themselves (17)

• 2022Crafting the Tragedy of Macbeth — Self
• 2018The Origins of Ebbing — Self
• 2017The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin — Self (voice)
• 2015Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' — Self / Mrs. Bishop
• 2015Moonrise Kingdom Extras - Eleven iPhone Videos by Edward Norton. — Self
• 2015She's The Best Thing in It — Self
• 2008DC Insiders Run Amuck — Self
• 2008Finding the Burn — Self / Linda Litzke (archive footage)
• 2003Minnesota Nice — Self
• 2003Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Big Bird Gets Lost — Herself
• 2002Making "The Man Who Wasn't There" — Self
• 2002Searching for Debra Winger — Self
• 1993Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country — Self
• 1990The Making of 'Hidden Agenda' — Self
• Great Performances — Self
• Tony Awards — Self - Winner
• The Oscars — Self