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Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand

Actor and producer · Born June 23, 1957 (69) · Gibson City, Illinois, USA

4 Oscars · 2 Primetime Emmys · 2 Golden Globes · 7 other major award bodies

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 23, 1957 (69)
From
Gibson City, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor and producer
Titles
59 on MovieCove · 72 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What are Frances McDormand's films like?

Across their 52 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Animation movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
29%
Bonds
22%
Self
20%
Society
9%
Survival
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
6%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception12 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 50 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 22 · Serious 10 · Dark 18

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 26 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 10

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 20 · Intense 19

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 22 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 22 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 10

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 18 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 8

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 22 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 17

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

30 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 7 of 30 analyzed roles.

Ally
7 of 30
Mentor
7 of 30
Herald
5 of 30
Hero
4 of 30
Shadow
3 of 30
Threshold guardian
2 of 30
Shapeshifter
1 of 30
Trickster
1 of 30
Show the 30 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
31
Melancholic
25
Contemplative
14
Warm
9
Absurd
9
Other
51

How their films linger

Bittersweet19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet33
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Frances McDormand's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 59 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Frances McDormand's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

72 credits, 59 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Bend in the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • Wolfs(2024)

    as Pam (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Women Talking(2022)

    Producer · as Scarface Janz

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Tragedy of Macbeth(2021)

    Producer · as Lady Macbeth

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The French Dispatch(2021)

    as Lucinda Krementz

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Nomadland(2020)

    Producer · as Fern

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Oedipus Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Jocosta

  • Good Omens(2019)

    Show 7 episodes · as God (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Isle of Dogs(2018)

    as Interpreter Nelson (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri(2017)

    as Mildred

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Hail, Caesar!(2016)

    as C. C. Calhoun

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Good Dinosaur(2015)

    as Momma (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Habitat Eart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Narrator

  • Olive Kitteridge(2014)

    Show 4 episodes · Executive Producer · as Olive Kitteridge

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Every Secret Thing(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Promised Land(2012)

    as Sue Thomason

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted(2012)

    as Captain Chantel DuBois (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Moonrise Kingdom(2012)

    as Mrs. Bishop

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • This Must Be the Place(2011)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon(2011)

    as Mearing

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Botany of Desire(2009)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Burn After Reading(2008)

    as Linda Litzke

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day(2008)

    as Guinevere Pettigrew

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Friends with Money(2006)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Æon Flux(2005)

    as Handler

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • North Country(2005)

    as Glory

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Something's Gotta Give(2003)

    as Zoe

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Laurel Canyon(2002)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • City by the Sea(2002)

    as Michelle

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Upheaval (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Anne

  • The Man Who Wasn't There(2001)

    as Doris Crane

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Grey Zone(2001)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • State of Grace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 39 episodes · as Adult Hannah (voice)

  • Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as The Adult Fannie (voice)

  • Almost Famous(2000)

    as Elaine Miller

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Wonder Boys(2000)

    as Sara Gaskell

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Scottsboro: An American Tragedy(2000)

    as Voices

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Talk of Angels(1998)

    as Conlon

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Madeline(1998)

    as Miss Clavel

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Johnny Skidmarks(1998)

    as Alice

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Paradise Road(1997)

    as Dr. Verstak

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Hidden in America(1996)

    as Gus

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Palookaville(1995)

    as June

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Lone Star(1996)

    as Bunny

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Primal Fear(1996)

    as Molly

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Fargo(1996)

    as Marge Gunderson

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Bleeding Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Woman on TV (archive footage)

  • Beyond Rangoon(1995)

    as Andy Bowman

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Talking With (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Caro (segment "Handler")

  • The Good Old Boys(1995)

    as Eve Calloway

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Short Cuts(1993)

    as Betty Weathers

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Crazy in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Clare

  • Passed Away(1992)

    as Nora Scanlan

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Butcher's Wife(1991)

    as Grace

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Barton Fink(1991)

    as Stage Actress (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Hidden Agenda(1990)

    as Ingrid Jessner

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Miller's Crossing(1990)

    as Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Darkman(1990)

    as Julie Hastings

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Chattahoochee(1989)

    as Mae Foley

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Melanie Upfoot (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Mississippi Burning(1988)

    as Mrs. Pell

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Leg Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 10 episodes · as Willie Pipal

  • Raising Arizona(1987)

    as Dot

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo(1986)

    as Brigette

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Twilight Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as (segment "Need to Know")

  • Crimewave(1985)

    as Nun

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Scandal Sheet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Blood Simple(1984)

    as Abby

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Nina Sloan

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Jack of Spades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 71 titles, 70 of them dated from 1981 to 2026; peak year 1997.

Biggest box office

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Good Omens (2019)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19812026

Peak 1997 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 29 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 8 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 71: 63 only acting, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thProducing7 of 71: 2 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thOther crew1 of 71: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

71 titles, 5 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1980s11 · acting1990s22 · acting2000s16 · 15 acting · 1 crew2010s13 · 12 acting · 2 crew2020s8 · 7 acting · 4 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 14% of 42 roles
859500051015

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

4 Oscars, 2 Primetime Emmys, 2 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTA Awards, 4 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 12 other major awards from 51 major nominations, 1989–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, won
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature
  2. 2021
    • Oscar, won · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • Oscar, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Film
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Leading Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    • +3 other major bodies · 2 wins and 2 nominations
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Feature
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Female Lead
  3. 2018
    • Oscar, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Leading Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actress
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Female Lead
  4. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Limited Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
  5. 2014
    • Venice award, won
  6. 2009
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  7. 2007
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Supporting Female
  8. 2006
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
Show 7 earlier years
  1. 2004
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Female
  2. 2001
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress
  3. 1998
    • Sundance award, won
  4. 1997
    • Oscar, won · Best Actress in a Leading Role
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actress
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Female Lead
  5. 1994
    • Golden Globe, won
  6. 1993
    • Venice award, won
  7. 1989
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Frances McDormand's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 50 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Midcredits score across 59 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up31
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 59 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved18
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion (2026)

69th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 45 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Frances McDormand's work okay for kids?

Across up to 35 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore28 titles24–75 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity35 titles12–62 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity30 titles19–85 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs29 titles27–54 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense28 titles20–69 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Frances McDormand work with?

People who share at least 2 of Frances McDormand's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joel Coen shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles