Home > Frances McDormand

She was born in Chicago, Illinois and was the youngest of three children adopted by Canadian parents Vernon (a Disciple of Christ minister) and Noreen McDormand. She spent much of her youth in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of Monessen, where she graduated from high school. She attended Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, where she earned her B.A. in Theater in 1979.

In 1982 she earned an M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Drama. While attending Yale, McDormand roomed with fellow actress and student Holly Hunter.

In 1984 she married director Joel Coen after performing in the Coen Brother movie, Blood Simple, and in 19981998 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Ocean''. Events January January 1998 A massive ice storm, caused by El Nino, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting the couple adopted a son from ParaguayThe Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America. Lying on both banks of the Paraguay River, it borders Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the northeast and Bolivia to the northwest. The name "Paraguay" is derived from the G, Pedro McDormand Coen.

In 19921992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday. Events January January The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General January 1 George H. Bush becomes the fi, McDormand played Stella Kowalski in a stage production of Tennessee WilliamsThomas Lanier Williams ( March 26, 1911 February 25, 1983), better known by the pen name Tennessee Williams was a noted playwright. The nickname "Tennessee" was given to him by schoolmates in St. Louis for his southern accent. He won the Pulitzer Prize fo' A Streetcar Named DesireA Streetcar Named Desire is a play by Tennessee Williams describing a culture clash between Blanche DuBois—a pretentious, fading relic of the Old South—and Stanley Kowalski, a rising member of the industrial, inner-city immigrant class. In the first stage, for which she was nominated for a Tony AwardWhat is popularly called the Tony Award but is formally the Antoinette Perry Award is an annual American award celebrating achievements in theater, including musical theater. Awarded by a panel of approximately 700 judges from various areas of the industr.

McDormand has been nominated for Academy Awards three times. In 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day. she was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Mississippi Burning; In 1996 she won the award for Best Actress for her police chief performance in Fargo; and in 2000 she was nominated again for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of a concerned mother in Almost Famous.

Also for Almost Famous she won the Best Supporting Actress nod from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Chicago Film Critics Association, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, San Diego Film Critics Society, Southeastern Film Critics Association, and the Florida Film Critics Circle. For Wonder Boys in 2001 she won Best Supporting Actress from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Florida Film Critics Circle, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

She played Connie Chapman on Hill Street Blues.

Frances McDormand is an associate member of the experimental theater company The Wooster Group.

McDormand's credits include:

• Blood Simple (1984)
• Raising Arizona ( 1987)
• Mississippi Burning (1988)
• Miller's Crossing ( 1990)
• Fargo ( 1996)
• Lone Star (1996)
• Primal Fear ( 1997)
• Almost Famous ( 2000)
• Wonder Boys (2000)
• The Man Who Wasn't There ( 2001)
• Laurel Canyon (2002)
• City by the Sea (2002)