Frances McDormand Quotes

Frances Louise McDormand is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, making her one of the few performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting.

McDormand was educated at Bethany College and Yale University. She has starred in a number of films by the Coen brothers, including Blood Simple , Raising Arizona , Fargo , The Man Who Wasn't There , Burn After Reading and Hail, Caesar! . For playing Marge Gunderson in Fargo, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film roles include Mississippi Burning , Almost Famous , and North Country , all earning her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2017, she starred as a hardened woman seeking justice for her daughter's murder in the crime-drama film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which won her a second Academy Award for Best Actress.

McDormand made her Broadway debut in a 1984 revival of the drama Awake and Sing!, and received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her acclaimed performance as Stella Kowalski in a 1988 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire. She returned to Broadway in 2008 with a revival of The Country Girl, leading to a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Play. In 2011, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for playing a troubled single mother in Good People. On television, McDormand played the titular protagonist in the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge , which won her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. Wikipedia  

✵ 23. June 1957
Frances McDormand: 13   quotes 0   likes

Famous Frances McDormand Quotes

“We’re avant-garde. It doesn’t mean we have to be unhygienic.”

The New York Times interview (2017)

“I present in a way that’s not stereotypical, even if I’m playing a stereotypical role.”

The New York Times interview (2017)
Context: My politics are private, but many of my feminist politics cross over into my professional life. Because I portray female characters — so I have the opportunity to change the way people look at them. Even if I wasn’t consciously doing that, it would happen anyway, just because of how I present as a woman, or as a person. I present in a way that’s not stereotypical, even if I’m playing a stereotypical role. … I can’t subtract that from myself anymore. I could when I was younger. … That’s another great thing about getting older. Your life is written on your face.

“And now I want to get some perspective.”

Acceptance speech as "best actress" at the 90th Academy Awards (4 March 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-86vgvZGMs4, for her performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as quoted in "Frances McDormand Just Brought Down the House with Her Oscars Speech" by Julie Kosin in Harper's Bazaar (5 March 2018) https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a19081077/frances-mcdormand-oscars-speech-transcript-2018/
Context: We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice. I want to thank every single person in this building. And my sister Dorothy. I love you, Dot. And I especially want to thank my clan, Joel and Pedro "McCoen." These two stalwart individuals were well-raised by their feminist mother. They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy.
And now I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honored to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors — Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will, c'mon — the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographer, the composers, the songwriters, the designers. C'mon! Okay, look around everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them.
I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: "inclusion rider."

“I say: "What’s your name?" … I touch them. I look at them. I have a real exchange …”

The New York Times interview (2017)
Context: I was never that involved in the machine of press and publicity as an actor because I’ve always kind of worked on the margins of my profession … And then when my son was younger and it did get a little bit more intrusive, I tried to come to terms with how I was personally going to handle someone coming up to me on the street and wanting some part of my time. … Now what I do — because this is how I live — when someone approaches me and says, "Can I have your autograph," I say: "No, I’ve retired from that part of the business. I just act now." … I say: "What’s your name?" … I touch them. I look at them. I have a real exchange … I’m not an actor because I want my picture taken. I’m an actor because I want to be part of the human exchange.

“We five women were fortunate to have the choice, not just the opportunity but the choice, to play such rich, complex female characters.”

Acceptance speech as "best actress" at the 69th Annual Academy Awards (24 March 1997) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phno8FKSl48, for her performance in Fargo · Full text online at the Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/069-3/
Context: It is impossible to maintain one's composure in this situation. What am I doing here? — especially considering the extraordinary group of women with whom I was nominated. We five women were fortunate to have the choice, not just the opportunity but the choice, to play such rich, complex female characters. And I congratulate producers like Working Title and Polygram for allowing directors to make autonomous casting decisions based on qualifications and not just market value. And I encourage writers and directors to keep these really interesting female roles coming — and while you're at it you can throw in a few for the men as well.

“I was never that involved in the machine of press and publicity as an actor because I’ve always kind of worked on the margins of my profession”

The New York Times interview (2017)
Context: I was never that involved in the machine of press and publicity as an actor because I’ve always kind of worked on the margins of my profession … And then when my son was younger and it did get a little bit more intrusive, I tried to come to terms with how I was personally going to handle someone coming up to me on the street and wanting some part of my time. … Now what I do — because this is how I live — when someone approaches me and says, "Can I have your autograph," I say: "No, I’ve retired from that part of the business. I just act now." … I say: "What’s your name?" … I touch them. I look at them. I have a real exchange … I’m not an actor because I want my picture taken. I’m an actor because I want to be part of the human exchange.

Frances McDormand Quotes

“I don't show up all the time. I only show up when I can and when I want to, but I was there at the Golden Globes and it's almost like there was an arc that started there. It doesn't end here.”

On the forms of social activism evident in the film industry's awards shows, in her 90th Oscars backstage interview (4 March 2018)
Context: I don't show up all the time. I only show up when I can and when I want to, but I was there at the Golden Globes and it's almost like there was an arc that started there. It doesn't end here. But I think publicly — as a commercial (because that's what we are, this is not a — this is not — this is not a novel — this is a TV show after all) — but I think that the message that we're getting to send to the public is that we're going to be one of the small industries that try to make a difference.

“There is — has always been available to all — everybody … that does a negotiation on a film, an ""inclusion rider"" which means that you can ask for and/or demand at least 50 percent diversity in not only the casting, but also the crew.”

Explaining her closing comment on the importance of the two words of ""inclusion rider"" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGa0jC5KHNM, in her 90th Oscars backstage interview (4 March 2018) http://www.oscars.org/press/90th-oscars-backstage-interview-transcript-actress-leading-role<!-- video of interview available for download at the official Oscar site -->
Context: I just found out about this last week. There is — has always been available to all — everybody … that does a negotiation on a film, an ""inclusion rider"" which means that you can ask for and/or demand at least 50 percent diversity in not only the casting, but also the crew. And so, the fact that we — that I just learned that after 35 years of being in the film business … we're not going back. So the whole idea of women ""trending"" — no. No ""trending"". African Americans ""trending"" — no. No ""trending"". It changes now, and I think the inclusion rider will have something to do with that.

“No "trending". It changes now, and I think the inclusion rider will have something to do with that.”

Explaining her closing comment on the importance of the two words of "inclusion rider" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGa0jC5KHNM, in her 90th Oscars backstage interview (4 March 2018) http://www.oscars.org/press/90th-oscars-backstage-interview-transcript-actress-leading-role<!-- video of interview available for download at the official Oscar site -->
Context: I just found out about this last week. There is — has always been available to all — everybody … that does a negotiation on a film, an "inclusion rider" which means that you can ask for and/or demand at least 50 percent diversity in not only the casting, but also the crew. And so, the fact that we — that I just learned that after 35 years of being in the film business … we're not going back. So the whole idea of women "trending" — no. No "trending". African Americans "trending" — no. No "trending". It changes now, and I think the inclusion rider will have something to do with that.

“We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice.”

Acceptance speech as "best actress" at the 90th Academy Awards (4 March 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-86vgvZGMs4, for her performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as quoted in "Frances McDormand Just Brought Down the House with Her Oscars Speech" by Julie Kosin in Harper's Bazaar (5 March 2018) https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a19081077/frances-mcdormand-oscars-speech-transcript-2018/
Context: We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice. I want to thank every single person in this building. And my sister Dorothy. I love you, Dot. And I especially want to thank my clan, Joel and Pedro "McCoen." These two stalwart individuals were well-raised by their feminist mother. They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy.
And now I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honored to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors — Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will, c'mon — the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographer, the composers, the songwriters, the designers. C'mon! Okay, look around everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them.
I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: "inclusion rider."

“I encourage writers and directors to keep these really interesting female roles coming — and while you're at it you can throw in a few for the men as well.”

Acceptance speech as "best actress" at the 69th Annual Academy Awards (24 March 1997) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phno8FKSl48, for her performance in Fargo · Full text online at the Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/069-3/
Context: It is impossible to maintain one's composure in this situation. What am I doing here? — especially considering the extraordinary group of women with whom I was nominated. We five women were fortunate to have the choice, not just the opportunity but the choice, to play such rich, complex female characters. And I congratulate producers like Working Title and Polygram for allowing directors to make autonomous casting decisions based on qualifications and not just market value. And I encourage writers and directors to keep these really interesting female roles coming — and while you're at it you can throw in a few for the men as well.

“It is impossible to maintain one's composure in this situation.”

Acceptance speech as "best actress" at the 69th Annual Academy Awards (24 March 1997) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phno8FKSl48, for her performance in Fargo · Full text online at the Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/069-3/
Context: It is impossible to maintain one's composure in this situation. What am I doing here? — especially considering the extraordinary group of women with whom I was nominated. We five women were fortunate to have the choice, not just the opportunity but the choice, to play such rich, complex female characters. And I congratulate producers like Working Title and Polygram for allowing directors to make autonomous casting decisions based on qualifications and not just market value. And I encourage writers and directors to keep these really interesting female roles coming — and while you're at it you can throw in a few for the men as well.

“My politics are private, but many of my feminist politics cross over into my professional life.”

The New York Times interview (2017)
Context: My politics are private, but many of my feminist politics cross over into my professional life. Because I portray female characters — so I have the opportunity to change the way people look at them. Even if I wasn’t consciously doing that, it would happen anyway, just because of how I present as a woman, or as a person. I present in a way that’s not stereotypical, even if I’m playing a stereotypical role. … I can’t subtract that from myself anymore. I could when I was younger. … That’s another great thing about getting older. Your life is written on your face.

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