Photos: John Pavlish for Ponta Lopud
The American actress is a member of the elite Triple Crown of Acting club, having won the three major awards – Oscar, Emmy and Tony – and, in 2021, she became the first actress ever to win an Oscar in two categories
He’s killed five people, she says. ‘And for what? For a little bit of money? There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’t you know that? Well. I just don’t understand it.’
The person saying these words is a pregnant police officer Marge Gunderson in the brilliant 1996 film Fargo, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The police officer was flawlessly played by Frances McDormand, and the rest is, as they say, history. Frances McDormand won the best actress Oscar, while the Coen brothers won the one for best screenplay.
– It is impossible to maintain one’s composure in this situation. 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 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, she said in 1997, accepting her first golden statuette.
Frances McDormand has long been considered one of the greatest living actresses. Her strong character roles and a series of outstanding acting achievements have been captivating audiences for more than forty years. Her performances in films and series like Fargo, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Nomadland, Burn After Reading, Mississippi Burning, Almost Famous, North Country, Olive Kitteridge, and many others continuously raise the standards of acting as we understand it. Frances McDormand has won four Oscars, and, as the winner of the three major awards – Oscar, Emmy and Tony – in acting categories, she is a member of the elite Triple Crown of Acting club. Only 15 female and 9 male actors have earned this prestigious title so far.
The American actress is a rare bird. Although it is often considered that a celebrity has to live in the limelight from time to time, after Fargo Frances McDormand disappeared from the public eye in the manner of the great illusionist David Copperfield. She hired a publicist, who had only one job – to politely decline requests for interviews. And by doing so, she showed that it is possible to become a star only on account of brilliant acting.
