Frances McDormand

Biography

Frances McDormand is an American actress and film producer whose work in independent film, television, and theater spans more than four decades. Born in Gibson City, Illinois, she studied at the Yale School of Drama and had her first screen role in the Coen brothers' Blood Simple (1984), after acting professionally in Derek Walcott's play In a Fine Castle. She won three Academy Awards for Best Actress, as police chief Marge Gunderson in Fargo (1996), a grieving mother in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), and a nomad in Nomadland (2021), which she also produced, making her the first person to win Oscars for both producing and performing on one film. Her supporting nominations include Mississippi Burning (1988), Almost Famous (2000), and North Country (2005). She produced and starred in the miniseries Olive Kitteridge, which won her two Emmys, and took a Tony Award for the Broadway play Good People.

69years old

Turns 70 on June 23in 224 days

Born June 23, 1957Gibson City
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Cynthia Ann Smith (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 44
Career span: 40 years1984 to 2024

Genres

Drama68%, 30 films
Comedy50%, 22 films
Crime32%, 14 films
Adventure16%, 7 films
Mystery14%, 6 films

First and latest

Photos

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A first
McDormand became the first person to win Academy Awards as both producer and performer for the same film when Nomadland won Best Picture and Best Actress.
First role
In Trinidad, McDormand took her first professional acting role, appearing in Derek Walcott's In a Fine Castle, also called The Last Carnival, a production paid for by the MacArthur Foundation.
Early training
McDormand earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1982 and later shared an apartment in New York with actress Holly Hunter.
Beyond film
In the 2012 animated film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, McDormand provided the voice of Captain Chantel DuBois and performed a rendition of the French song "Non, je ne regrette rien".
Beyond film
McDormand belongs to The Wooster Group, an experimental theater company, as an associate member. In 2002 she played Oenone in its production To You, the Birdie! at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York.

Frances McDormand movies on Netflix

Wolfs2024IMDb rating 6.5as Pam (voice)
Women Talking2022IMDb rating 6.9as Scarface Janz
Nomadland2021IMDb rating 7.3as Fern
The French Dispatch2021IMDb rating 7.1as Lucinda Krementz
The Tragedy of Macbeth2021IMDb rating 7.1as Lady Macbeth
Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8as Interpreter Nelson (voice)
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin2017IMDb rating 7.6as Himself (voice)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017IMDb rating 8.1as Mildred
Hail, Caesar!2016IMDb rating 6.3as C. C. Calhoun
The Good Dinosaur2015IMDb rating 6.7as Momma (voice)
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012IMDb rating 6.8as Captain Chantal Dubois (voice)
Moonrise Kingdom2012IMDb rating 7.7as Mrs. Bishop
Promised Land2012IMDb rating 6.6as Sue Thomason
This Must Be the Place2011IMDb rating 6.7as Jane
Transformers: Dark of the Moon2011IMDb rating 6.2as Mearing
Burn After Reading2008IMDb rating 7.0as Linda Litzke
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day2008IMDb rating 7.0as Miss Pettigrew
Friends with Money2006IMDb rating 5.8as Jane
North Country2005IMDb rating 7.3as Glory
Æon Flux2005IMDb rating 5.4as Handler
Something's Gotta Give2003IMDb rating 6.8as Zoe
City by the Sea2002IMDb rating 6.1as Michelle
The Man Who Wasn't There2001IMDb rating 7.5as Doris Crane
Almost Famous2000IMDb rating 7.9as Elaine Miller
Wonder Boys2000IMDb rating 7.2as Dean Sara Gaskell
Johnny Skidmarks1998IMDb rating 5.5as Alice
Madeline1998IMDb rating 6.0as Miss Clavel
Talk of Angels1998IMDb rating 5.8as Conlon
Paradise Road1997IMDb rating 6.8as Dr. Verstak
Fargo1996IMDb rating 8.1as Marge Gunderson
Lone Star1996IMDb rating 7.4as Bunny
Palookaville1996IMDb rating 6.5as June
Primal Fear1996IMDb rating 7.7as Molly
Beyond Rangoon1995IMDb rating 6.5as Andy Bowman
Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6as Betty Weathers
Passed Away1992IMDb rating 5.8as Nora Scanlan
The Butcher's Wife1991IMDb rating 5.4as Grace
Darkman1990IMDb rating 6.4as Julie Hastings
Hidden Agenda1990IMDb rating 6.9as Ingrid Jessner
Chattahoochee1989IMDb rating 6.3as Mae Foley
Mississippi Burning1988IMDb rating 7.8as Mrs. Pell
Raising Arizona1987IMDb rating 7.3as Dot
Crimewave1985IMDb rating 5.5as Nun
Blood Simple1984IMDb rating 7.5as Abby

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Fargo1996 Crime, Drama, Thrilleras Marge Gunderson
IMDb rating 8.1797K votes
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017 Comedy, Crime, Dramaas Mildred
IMDb rating 8.1616K votes
Nomadland2021as Fern
IMDb rating 7.3222K votes
Almost Famous2000as Elaine Miller
IMDb rating 7.9318K votes
Burn After Reading2008as Linda Litzke
IMDb rating 7.0380K votes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon2011as Mearing
IMDb rating 6.2461K votes
The Good Dinosaur2015as Mommavoice
IMDb rating 6.7143K votes
Moonrise Kingdom2012as Mrs. Bishop
IMDb rating 7.7385K votes

Most often with

Joel Coen directed seven of these films, Ethan Coen six and Wes Anderson three. Tilda Swinton appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Tilda Swinton

Richard Jenkins

Bill Murray

William Forsythe

Bob Balaban

Scarlett Johansson

Joel CoenDirector, 7 films Ethan CoenDirector, 6 films

Wes AndersonDirector, 3 films

Films together

Tilda Swinton5 films together, 2008 to 2021
Tilda Swinton's page
- The French Dispatch2021IMDb rating 7.1McDormand as Lucinda KrementzSwinton as J.K.L. Berensen
- Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8McDormand as Interpreter NelsonvoiceSwinton as Oraclevoice
- Hail, Caesar!2016IMDb rating 6.3McDormand as C. C. CalhounSwinton as Thora Thacker / Thessaly Thacker
- Moonrise Kingdom2012IMDb rating 7.7McDormand as Mrs. BishopSwinton as Social Services
- Burn After Reading2008IMDb rating 7.0McDormand as Linda LitzkeSwinton as Katie Cox
Richard Jenkins3 films together, 2001 to 2008
Richard Jenkins's page
- Burn After Reading2008IMDb rating 7.0McDormand as Linda LitzkeJenkins as Ted
- North Country2005IMDb rating 7.3McDormand as GloryJenkins as Hank Aimes
- The Man Who Wasn't There2001IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Doris CraneJenkins as Walter Abundas
Bill Murray3 films together, 2012 to 2021
Bill Murray's page
- The French Dispatch2021IMDb rating 7.1McDormand as Lucinda KrementzMurray as Arthur Howitzer, Jr.
- Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8McDormand as Interpreter NelsonvoiceMurray as Bossvoice
- Moonrise Kingdom2012IMDb rating 7.7McDormand as Mrs. BishopMurray as Mr. Bishop
William Forsythe3 films together, 1987 to 2002
William Forsythe's page
- City by the Sea2002IMDb rating 6.1McDormand as MichelleForsythe as Spyder
- Palookaville1996IMDb rating 6.5McDormand as JuneForsythe as Sid Dunleavy
- Raising Arizona1987IMDb rating 7.3McDormand as DotForsythe as Evelle Snoats
Bob Balaban3 films together, 2012 to 2021
Bob Balaban's page
- The French Dispatch2021IMDb rating 7.1McDormand as Lucinda KrementzBalaban as Uncle Nick
- Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8McDormand as Interpreter NelsonvoiceBalaban as Kingvoice
- Moonrise Kingdom2012IMDb rating 7.7McDormand as Mrs. BishopBalaban as The Narrator
Scarlett Johansson3 films together, 2001 to 2018
Scarlett Johansson's page
- Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8McDormand as Interpreter NelsonvoiceJohansson as Nutmegvoice
- Hail, Caesar!2016IMDb rating 6.3McDormand as C. C. CalhounJohansson as DeeAnna Moran
- The Man Who Wasn't There2001IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Doris CraneJohansson as Birdy Abundas
Joel CoenDirector, 7 films, 1984 to 2021
All films by Joel Coen
- The Tragedy of Macbeth2021IMDb rating 7.1McDormand as Lady Macbeth
- Hail, Caesar!2016IMDb rating 6.3McDormand as C. C. Calhoun
- Burn After Reading2008IMDb rating 7.0McDormand as Linda Litzke
- The Man Who Wasn't There2001IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Doris Crane
- Fargo1996IMDb rating 8.1McDormand as Marge Gunderson
- Raising Arizona1987IMDb rating 7.3McDormand as Dot
- Blood Simple1984IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Abby
Ethan CoenDirector, 6 films, 1984 to 2016
All films by Ethan Coen
- Hail, Caesar!2016IMDb rating 6.3McDormand as C. C. Calhoun
- Burn After Reading2008IMDb rating 7.0McDormand as Linda Litzke
- The Man Who Wasn't There2001IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Doris Crane
- Fargo1996IMDb rating 8.1McDormand as Marge Gunderson
- Raising Arizona1987IMDb rating 7.3McDormand as Dot
- Blood Simple1984IMDb rating 7.5McDormand as Abby
Wes AndersonDirector, 3 films, 2012 to 2021
All films by Wes Anderson
- The French Dispatch2021IMDb rating 7.1McDormand as Lucinda Krementz
- Isle of Dogs2018IMDb rating 7.8McDormand as Interpreter Nelsonvoice
- Moonrise Kingdom2012IMDb rating 7.7McDormand as Mrs. Bishop
Also three films together3 more actors
- George ClooneyWolfs (2024), Hail, Caesar! (2016) and Burn After Reading (2008)
- Edward NortonIsle of Dogs (2018), Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Primal Fear (1996)
- Warren KeithNomadland (2021), Fargo (1996) and Raising Arizona (1987)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Frances McDormand's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$3.7 billion

38 of the 44 films have a worldwide figure.

38Worldwide figure
3US gross only
1Streaming, short cinema run
2Figure not found

Top grosser

Transformers: Dark of the Moon2011Mearing$1.1 billion

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 80% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Transformers: Dark of the Moon2011as Mearing
$1.1B30.3% of the total
2
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012as Captain Chantal Dubois (voice)
$747M20.2% of the total
3
The Good Dinosaur2015as Momma (voice)
$332M9.0% of the total
4
Something's Gotta Give2003as Zoe
$270M7.3% of the total
5
Burn After Reading2008as Linda Litzke
$164M4.4% of the total
6
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017as Mildred
$163M4.4% of the total
7
Primal Fear1996as Molly
$103M2.8% of the total
8
Isle of Dogs2018as Interpreter Nelson (voice)
$73M2.0% of the total

The French Dispatch (2021), $46.3 million

Mississippi Burning (1988), $34.6 million

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001), $18.9 million

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), $16.7 million

$731 millionfrom the other 30 films with a worldwide figure, 20% of the total

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 1993 to 2021, twelve of them major.

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Frances McDormand's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
2021	Best Actress	Nomadland	Won
2021	Best Picture	Nomadland	Won
2018	Best Actress	Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri	Won
1997	Best Actress	Fargo	Won
Golden Globes
2018	Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama		Won
1993	Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture	Short Cuts	Won
BAFTA
2021	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Nomadland	Won
2018	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri	Won
Emmy Awards
2015	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie	Olive Kitteridge	Won
SAG Awards
1997	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role		Won
	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie		Won
Tony Awards
2011	Best Actress in a Play		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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