The protagonist of 'Nomadland' is a proletarian of the cinema, an 'outsider' of the Hollywood system, who likes to stay out of the spotlight without being willing to enter the wheel of aesthetic impositions that seem to be demanded of actresses of more than 40 years
Frances McDormand already has four Oscars in her possession. The first was won for 'Fargo', the second, for 'Three billboards on the outskirts' and she has just made history by picking up two more statuettes in this latest edition of the Academy Awards for her facet as an interpreter and as a producer of ' Nomadland'. Together with her director, Chloe Zhao, she has found a perfect travel companion when it comes to entering the America of the disinherited. Both were the most atypical stars of this pandemic Oscar gala, without makeup, with simple dresses, and accompanied by one of those real nomads who star in the film, Swankie.
When receiving the award for best film, McDormand howled to appeal to the spirit of the pack, of the community, while Zhao appealed to the goodness of the human being in these uncertain times. When she took the stage to collect the Oscar for her portrayal of Fern, the woman who after the economic meltdown of 2008 is forced to travel across the United States to find temporary jobs, her speech was so brief that she only referenced one of the Phrases of his character: "What I like is to work".
Frances McDormand is a movie proletarian, an 'outsider' of the Hollywood system. She is what she has always claimed, doing things with tenacity and perseverance, getting involved in projects that somehow have to do with her need to fight and claim normal people. She likes to stay out of the spotlight, she is not willing to enter the wheel of aesthetic impositions that seem to be required of actresses over 40. Her face is, after all, a mirror of herself, and also a declaration of intent.
Frances McDormand's relationship with the Coens
Frances McDormand was born Cynthia in Gibson City, Illinois, but her adoptive family (which belonged to a Presbyterian congregation, the Disciples of Christ) renamed her Frances, although she prefers that those closest to her call her Fran. She acknowledges that it's not like she was a very bright student, but she loved books. At the age of 14, she discovered Shakespeare and the poison of the theater inoculated her veins forever. That's why she was clear when it came to studying dramatic art at the university, culminating in her studies at Yale.
In 1982 she met two brothers, the Coens, who offered her the leading role in her debut, which would be titled 'Cold Blood', a film noir in which the debuting filmmakers wanted to pay homage to film noir from its inception. particular perspective. Two years later, she Frances married Joel Coen. Currently, they are one of the longest-lived (and austere) couples in the Hollywood industry and are the parents of a Paraguayan boy who is now in his twenties and shows muscles on Instagram.
Frances McDormand is a movie proletarian, an 'outsider' of the Hollywood system
She doesn't want anyone to consider her a star, so she doesn't need to be in the front line. As she says, she is comfortable on the fringes of the profession. She carved out some of the cachets for herself as a supporting actress, but when she landed a good leading role, her charisma eclipsed almost everything else entirely, as it did in Ken Loach's 'Hidden Agenda'. She has worked with legendary directors like Robert Altman in 'Cross Lives', and with icons of modernity like Wes Anderson, in 'Moonrise Kingdom'. Although, inevitably, her career is largely identified with that of her husband Joel and her brother-in-law Ethan, since she appears in much of her filmography. But there is an indispensable role in her career, that of the pregnant agent Marge in 'Fargo', thanks to which she became a popular face.
She has always preferred to go her own way. It's not that she lavishes herself on the screen much, but when she does, she hits the spot. In 2011 she represented the play 'Good People' and thanks to her interpretation, she won the Tony award. And in 2014 she produced the Pulitzer Prize adaptation of Elizabeth Strout's "Oliver Kitteridge" and took home the Emmy. So she is one of the few actresses who have achieved the Triple Crown of acting, among which are great ladies like Vanessa Redgrave and Maggie Smith.
He will continue to produce and perform. In her next project, she again bets on another director, Sarah Polley. Together they will launch the adaptation of the novel by Miriam Toews, 'Ellas hablan', which gives a voice to women from a Mennonite community in Bolivia who were subjected to S- assault. She will also be seen in Wes Anderson's new, 'The French Chronicle', and playing Lady Macbeth in Joel Coen's next film.
