Kieran, here. There are certain actors whose absence would create a huge void in cinema. It’s not always the movie stars, despite their merits. It’s often the character actors. The beautiful, interesting, wholly human faces that populate our films, only semi-regularly leaping forward to truly headline a vehicle, but still remaining a vital part of the movies we love. Few actors working today embody this more fully than the wondrously versatile, endlessly watchable Frances McDormand whose entry into the world we celebrate today.
What’s your favorite Frances McDormand performance? Okay...that’s a rhetorical question. We all know what it is. But her filmography is diverse and fascinating to explore, so what's your #2?
Frances McDormand’s 5 Best Movie Performances
5. Burn After Reading (2008)
Broad, but undeniably funny and completely understanding the tone of the vehicle. Mileage varies in terms of McDormand’s many outings with the Coen Brothers, but it’s almost never uninteresting...
4. Mississippi Burning (1988)
Only four years after her debut in Blood Simple, McDormand netted her first Oscar nomination. This performance stands out, especially when compared to her later work. While McDormand operates superbly in the stylized world of the Coen Brothers she is associated with, the stripped down, naturalistic and vulnerable performance on display here is evidence of her incredible range.
3. Almost Famous (2000)
It was Kate Hudson who was very close to winning Best Supporting Actress (it's easy enough to forget that Marcia Gay Harden's victory that year was a major upset) but McDormand's turn burns brightest in the memory. With not as much screentime, in a script that frankly has little affection for her character, she manages to make this character human.
2. Laurel Canyon (2002)
Speaking of range...it's interesting to pair this with McDormand’s rendering of motherhood in Almost Famous, which couldn’t be more different opposed. Whether buttoned up and terrified of the world of the music industry or delightfully loose and immersed in it, McDormand is impressive.
1. Fargo (1996)
It’s a miracle that McDormand netted an Academy Award for this. Let me clarify. She was completely deserving—one of the greatest winners the category has ever seen—but all these years later it's still surprising that a comedic performance by a character actress who doesn’t appear until half way through the film was able to win. Especially since the narrative that year could have easily decided that it was time for Madonna to win an acting award, which would have been fine. This is the type of performance that inspires online fervor and advocacy today to ensure that it even sees a nomination. That it managed to win is incredible and so so satisfying.
Happy 59th Birthday, Frances!