I’ve been hearing about this movie, Soul on Fire, for a few months now. I’m a St. Louis native, and it’s been the talk of the town for a while, because it’s very St. Louis, but I didn’t get a chance to see it when it was briefly in theaters at the end of last year. I did get a chance to watch it with my Netflix subscription, and as a native, I have to say, they did a great job representing the city accurately.

Celebrating The Best Of St. Louis, And The Cardinals, Of Course

The movie tells the true story of John O’Leary, played here by Kissing Booth star Joel Courtney. O'Leary is almost exactly my age, as well. When he was a kid, he accidentally started a fire in his house and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given almost no chance to live, but he survived and has since thrived in life as the owner of a contracting business and as a motivational speaker.

O’Leary, like almost everyone in St. Louis, is a huge Cardinals fan, and the team is featured prominently throughout the movie. William H. Macy even co-stars as legendary announcer Jack Buck, who was the voice of O’Leary’s youth, as he was mine. There are scenes in the new(ish) Busch Stadium, and even a scene featuring a CG rendering of old Busch, where I grew up going to games. But it goes deeper than that on the STL side of things.

They Do A Great Job Showing Off The City

St. Louis has a tricky reputation in the United States, and I get it. It’s had its fair share of troubled times over the decades, and some of its “dangerous” reputation is warranted. However, it’s also a great city to live in and to grow up in, and Soul on Fire does a wonderful job highlighting that. The film also does right by St. Louisans, in that it is clear that the location scouts, set dressers, and the rest of the crew clearly understood the city and how it works.

The locations are fun to spot, like multiple scenes at the Missouri Athletic Club and St. Louis University. There is a super fun easter egg of a location at Saratoga Lanes, a legendary bowling alley in the suburb of Maplewood. Right around the corner from Saratoga is Tiffany’s Diner, where another scene happens. Maybe the smartest location is a scene shot at Humphrey’s Bar. As a student at SLU in the ‘90s, O’Leary most certainly would have hung out at Humphrey’s, so that’s the perfect bar for the scene.

There is a long list of other locations where they shot, like the iconic Old Courthouse downtown, Mercy Hospital, where O’Leary recovered from his accident, and The Shrine of St. Louis Catholic Church, where O’Leary got married in real life. The list goes on and on, but maybe my favorite attention to detail is the license plates. The film is set in four different time periods: 1987, the late 1990s, the late 2000s, and the late 2010s. Each time, the license plates on the cars are the correct ones for those eras. I love that kind of attention to detail, especially when I really understand the source.

It’s A Fun Movie, And Very Inspirational

I’ll be honest, while the movie is fun to watch, and O’Leary’s story is certainly inspirational, it is a faith-based movie, and that’s not exactly my thing, personally. I’ll say it’s not overtly Christian, and it doesn’t pound you over the head with its faith message, and I appreciate that. O’Leary is, by all accounts, a devout Catholic, and so it’s true to his story, which is all a viewer can ask for.

The cast is great, especially John Corbett as Dennis O’Leary, John’s father, and Macy as Buck. A Million Little Things star Stéphanie Szostak plays John’s mother, Susan, and Masey McLain, whom I was unfamiliar with, is great as John’s girlfriend and future wife. Soul on Fire was directed by Sean McNamara, who most notably also directed 2024’s Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid as former president Ronald Reagan.

The film does have a bit of a Movie-of-the-Week vibe, and it’s clear that this wasn’t going to ever be a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster, but as I said, the whole production team did a great job with what they had to work with. There is a great underlying story here, and if you’re looking for something lighthearted but meaningful, it’s worth a watch. Most of all, though, I really enjoyed how well St. Louis is represented. At least one side of the city, anyway.

St. Louis Hasn’t Always Been Portrayed Well In Movies And On TV

There was a spurt of movies in the late ‘00s that were filmed in St. Louis, most notably Up in the Air with George Clooney and Anna Kendrick, and Meet Bill with Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Alba, and Elizabeth Banks, but those didn’t really highlight St. Louis as a unique city. They could have been set anywhere. They are both movies I enjoy, don’t get me wrong, but St. Louis is really just a stand-in for Anywhere, USA.

There have also been a few TV shows set in St. Louis or in the St. Louis area over the last few years, like Superstore, Sharp Objects, and (though outside of the STL) Ozark. There is a new show, with Ozark’s Jason Bateman, called DTF St. Louis. The thing about those shows, even though they are set in The Gateway City, none of them were filmed here. Soul on Fire is not only a movie about St. Louis, but it was also shot here, and the filmmakers really leaned into the city. I love it for that reason.

We live in a vast and complicated world, and it is easy to feel lost within it. In a population of 8.3 billion people, what is the value of an individual life, and what makes a life significant? In the face of this scale, one can easily develop a sense of purposelessness – but art can be a remarkable eye-opener, and I recently found myself floored while watching director Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams and hearing a very special line of dialogue: “The world needs a hermit in the woods as much as a preacher on the pulpit.”

Without sharing any spoilers (as it comes from toward the end of the film), the line is delivered by Kerry Condon's Claire Thompson, an agent of the United States Forest Service, to Joel Edgerton's protagonist Robert Grainier, and I was struck by its beautiful philosophy: though you may at times find yourself feeling insignificant, the reality is that each and every one of us have our own part to play in our world. It’s a wonderful and optimistic idea, and I felt compelled to ask the stars of Train Dreams about it when I spoke with them at the film’s Los Angeles press day last month.

In the Golden Globe-nominated film, the aforementioned Robert Grainier is simple 20th century man, living in the Pacific Northwest working as a logger to provide for his wife and child, but Joel Edgerton stressed that he as a seemingly ordinary man is no less extraordinary than the men and women whom our society holds up as heroes or in higher classes. We all have a special and equal part to play in our world, or in his words:

Train Dreams explores the full adult life of its protagonist, seeing him through struggle, bliss, tragic loss, new vocations, age, and societal change. His relationship with the world around him constantly evolves, and co-star Felicity Jones (who plays Robert’s wife) sees his depicted journey as a search for and understanding of purpose. Said Jones,

And one could argue that we are each at our happiest when we feel as though we are contributing to what we view as our purpose.

When I asked Kerry Condon about the special line in question, she added an extra dimension to the idea: understanding one’s own stresses about purposelessness should come part and parcel with understanding the universality of that feeling. Building on Joel Edgerton’s commentary about personally recognizing individuality, she added that there should be an abolishment of judgement. She explained,

There is a beautiful simplicity to the tale in Train Dreams that comes with a somber energy. But its message ultimately isn’t downbeat, and William H. Macy, who plays one of Robert Grainier’s fellow loggers, doesn’t believe that the film is overwhelmed by its darker and sadder moments. He added,

If you haven’t already experienced the amazing film for yourself, Train Dreams is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and given the buzz around it, you can expect to hear quite more about it in the coming weeks and months of awards season.

Between it being another Edgar Wright-directed movie and starring recent Hollywood favorite Glen Powell, The Running Man remake has been one of those especially exciting 2025 movie releases throughout the year. Now that it’s arrived and I’ve seen it, there’s one idea that I can’t shake about what could have been for the latest of Stephen King adaptations. SPOILERS are ahead.

I Think The Running Man Could Have Been Even Better As A TV Show

While on one hand I think Edgar Wright’s vision for the movie was absolutely made for the big screen, as I found it to be a fun popcorn movie full of nail-biting action and such, I can’t stop thinking about a missed opportunity that could have elevated the concept. Given that The Running Man is partly a commentary on reality television, and the lengths desperate contestants might go to and TV producers might push for the sake of entertainment value, one predominant thought I have is how it could have thrived even further as a television series.

I think it would have been really clever if The Running Man were a weekly TV show that partially used its reality TV framing to make viewers feel like they are watching the titular series, as Ben Richards is also trying to survive it. It would have been a lot more meta to feel like we’re tuning into the show … which could be compared to a very twisted and violent take on network shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race.

Some Of My Issues With The Running Man May Have Improved

Overall, I do like the movie as is. I mostly agree with our The Running Man review, which highlights its big changes to the story’s ending. However, the problems I do have with the Glen Powell-led movie could have been improved if The Running Man were a TV show. It’s over two hours, and it felt rushed to me, and I don’t love leaving a theater and feeling like there were too many ideas and not enough time to flesh it out on the big screen.

There are a few threads that I think, if they were explored more, would have made me enjoy The Running Man a lot more. For one, I felt like the movie didn’t do the best job of setting up the stakes of Ben Richards' life. It was briefly suggested that his baby daughter, Kathy, was sick, and he felt desperate enough to try out for the high-stakes competition show, but I didn’t really feel this need from the movie itself.

Also, I really liked what was briefly established between Ben and William H. Macy’s Molie when he helps get him a disguise before revealing that he had planned to get him his next job. I was surprised to see that the only follow-up for his character was him possibly getting tortured without anything more. If this were a TV show, something like this relationship could have had more depth to it, rather than it feeling like Macy was giving basically a nothing cameo-ish role. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the third act! It felt a bit rushed to me.

Anyway, like I alluded to, I think The Running Man works as a movie. I had a blast watching it on the big screen. But watching it made me realize how solid this story would be as a TV show. Hey, maybe someday! Tons of upcoming book adaptations are taking the serial route these days.

Happy Halloween, King Beat readers! There is no more appropriate day on the calendar to celebrate the legacy of Stephen King, so I’m happy for that reason that the holiday is on a Thursday this year so that I have a brand new column ready to publish. This also happens to have been a tremendously exciting week in the world of King, as the author has announced he is venturing back into the fictional universes he introduced in The Dark Tower and The Talisman.

That’s the headlining story, but there’s also been some exciting developments on the casting front for Edgar Wright’s upcoming remake of The Running Man, and those of you who are looking for something spooky to binge tonight may want to heed a recommendation Stephen King offered earlier this month. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!

Stephen King Has Revealed He’s Returning To Both The Territories And Mid-World, An

Stephen King did some wonderful work making Constant Readers antsy this past summer. In July, he provided an update about his plans to write a sequel to The Talisman and Black House (making no promises while doing so), and one month later, various comments and social media posts invited speculation that he was considering a return to the world of The Dark Tower a.k.a. Mid-World. This past week, this teasing intensified in a significant fashion, as while King still isn’t guaranteeing the results will be published, he has confirmed that he is in the kitchen and cooking.

But what exactly is it that he’s working on?

The impetus of this King Beat headline is a post that Stephen King published on his personal Twitter account this past Saturday. In no uncertain terms, the author confirmed that he is “back” in the universes of The Talisman and The Dark Tower, though he provided no details regarding what form the work may ultimately take. He wrote,

To provide a quick recap for those of you who don’t quite understand the significance of this…

The Talisman and Black House are connected novels that Stephen King co-wrote with Peter Straub (who sadly passed away in 2022). The first book is a fantastical adventure about a young pre-teen named Jack Sawyer who learns about the existence of a parallel reality called The Territories, and he must go on a perilous journey through the country so that he can find a cure for his mother’s cancer. The sequel catches up with Jack as an adult and retired police detective who finds himself embedded in the hunt for a vicious serial killer who has been dubbed The Fisherman.

Mid-World, meanwhile, is the primary setting of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, which principally centers on a group of heroes – Roland Deschain, Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, and Oy – who are on the quest for the titular monolith, which stands at the center of reality. It’s a universe built on blended elements of westerns, fantasy, and science-fiction, and while King has said that he has completed the story of Roland and his friends, he has teased more ideas set within Mid-World.

It’s notable that Stephen King is simultaneously taking on returns to Mid-World and The Territories, as while they were introduced as distinct settings, that changed with Black House. Without getting too deep into spoilers for those of you who haven’t read the book and wish to, the conclusion of the novel creates direct ties between the worlds and the efforts made by sinister forces to try and destroy The Dark Tower.

In regards to a sequel to The Talisman and Black House, Stephen King has said that he has unearthed a letter from Peter Straub with ideas for how to continue the story of Jack Sawyer with a narrative inspired by the 1950s serial killer Charles Starkweather. Whether or not that’s what King is specifically working on as referenced in the Tweet is unclear; we can’t rule out the possibility that what he is working on is a short story or novella instead of a full-on novel.

Also interesting to consider with this update are upcoming adaptations. Given Stephen King’s comments about Roland’s story being done, one imagines that what he is working on probably won’t have an impact on Mike Flanagan’s developing Dark Tower TV series, but not to be forgotten is that Matt and Ross Duffer (the creators of Stranger Things) are working with showrunner Curtis Gwinn to develop a streaming show based on The Talisman at Netflix. If King is working on a new Jack Sawyer story, that makes that project far more fascinating.

We’ll have to wait and see what comes of King’s latest writing pursuits, but in the meantime, you can mark your calendar in anticipation of the author’s latest book, as his latest Holly Gibney mystery, Never Flinch, is going to arrive in stores everywhere on May 27, 2025.

William H. Macy Being Cast In The Running Man Recalls His Emmy-Nominated Performance In A Terrifically Underrated Stephen King Adaptation

Edgar Wright is in the process of putting together a tremendous ensemble cast for his adaptation of The Running Man, but looking at the list of names, one thing that stands out is a lack of stars with Stephen King experience. It will be the first King movie for not just lead Glen Powell, but also Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Katy O'Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, and Emilia Jones. The lone exception to this pattern is William H. Macy, who joined the cast this week (via The Hollywood Reporter) – and it will be his first King project in nearly two decades.

In 2006, Macy was one of the multiple standout stars who took a part in the Stephen King-centric anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes, and it’s a highlight on the actor’s resume for two reasons: it’s a performance that earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, and his episode is the best of the show’s run. Given that Nightmares & Dreamscapes stands among the best Stephen King TV projects ever, that’s not an insignificant superlative.

In “Umney's Last Case” – the third episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes – William H. Macy plays the titular Clyde Umney, a private detective living in 1930s Los Angeles. While all things seem fine at the start of the story, everything in Umney’s life begins to quickly fall apart with no apparent explanation. It’s a mystery that baffles him… right up until he meets a writer named Sam Landry (also played by Macy), who informs Umney that he isn’t a real person; he’s a fictional creation.

The Running Man will be William H. Macy’s first Stephen King movie in 18 years, and the role will see him play an individual who helps protagonist Ben Richards (Glen Powell) as he competes on the titular deadly game show. Production is scheduled to begin in early November 2024, and Paramount Pictures has put it on the release calendar for November 21, 2025. Meanwhile, if you want to watch “Umney's Last Case,” I’m sad to report that your only option is to pick up a copy of the DVD, as the show isn’t available to stream or to rent or purchase digitally.

Looking For A Last Minute Halloween Night Binge? Give The Stephen King-Recommended Teacup On Peacock A Try

If you’re a devout horror fan, Halloween can present a conundrum. Watching scary movies and TV is as traditional for the holiday as trick or treating and carving jack-o'-lanterns, but what do you do if you’ve already watched all of the classics 1,001 times? When faced with this challenge, it’s always a good idea to turn to the recommendations of legends – and if your tastes tend to align with those of Stephen King, you may want to consider using your Peacock subscription to check out the new miniseries Teacup.

Stephen King first posted on social media about the streaming horror show at the start of the month, but now that the full run is available to watch (the final two episodes arrived today), I figured this would be a great opportunity to highlight it. King wrote,

The eight-episode series is based on the book Stinger by Robert R. McCammon and is set on an isolated ranch in rural Georgia. As peculiar events begin to occur locally, drawing neighbors together on the property, a mysterious man in a gas mask shows up and paints a circle around the area. The characters quickly discover that it’s a line that they definitely should not cross. The impressive cast includes Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, and Rob Morgan.

To draw a link between the show and the bibliography of Stephen King, I’d say that Teacup can be best compared to Under The Dome (the book, not the terrible CBS TV series that completely misses the point of the book). Explaining why would be saying too much prior to you getting invested in the show, but by the mid-point in run, you’ll definitely understand why I would put the two stories side by side.

With that, this latest edition of The King Beat has come to an end, but I’ll be back here on CinemaBlend next Thursday for a brand new roundup of the biggest headlines out of the world of Stephen King. In the meantime, allow me to recommend catching up on all of the details regarding the slate of upcoming Stephen King adaptations – including Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey (set for release on February 2025), Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck (arriving in summer 2025), Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk (which has completed production), HBO's IT prequel series Welcome To Derry, and the MGM+'s series The Institute (which will start filming before the end of the year).

The era of Jeremy Allen White is in full swing. He’s taken streaming by storm with The Bear, and most recently he starred as Kerry Von Erich in the gripping biopic, The Iron Claw. While he’s quickly gained his place as a permanent fan favorite, one person is especially proud of his hard work: William H. Macy, White’s TV dad on Shameless who was undoubtedly the most shameless character of the series. Macy, who has boasted about White’s work, has also taken notice of the latest Calvin Klein underwear campaign and in typical dad fashion, he had some funny words to say about it.

While he played Frank Gallagher, the abusive and careless addict and drunk, on Shameless, Macy proved that he couldn’t be any further from the character as he gushed about White’s growing career and recent successes with ET. And what he had to say shows that he not only thinks very highly of the young actor, but he also truly thinks of him like a son:

Oh, those billboards. The Calvin Klein ads that feature White stripped down to his skivvies have had the internet in a total chokehold, and fans have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the fictional chef in something other than (or lack thereof in this case) the signature white t-shirt and apron. When Macy was asked about it, the natural dad in him came out, and he hilariously responded that he had to call White and tell him to “put your pants on.” 

Macy continued on, noting that this actually wasn’t the first time the Lip actor has been seen with almost nothing on, as he said:

Macy definitely wasn’t exaggerating about that. Along with White’s scenes, many members of the Shameless cast were featured in quite a few explicit nude scenes throughout all nine seasons. The show was known for pushing boundaries so if you haven’t seen it and plan to, keep in mind that it’s not the most family-friendly.

Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait much longer to get their next White fix as Season 3 of The Bear should premiere this June on the 2024 TV schedule. The junior season is highly anticipated not only because it won six Emmys earlier this year, but also for the possibilities of Carmy's (played by White) self-growth and the return of the other amazing actors and their characters. Trust me: I’m just as eager as all of you are for the upcoming season, and I’m crossing my fingers that the next few months go by quickly. 

Thankfully, we have this fun story from William H. Macy about that iconic Calvin Klien ad to remind us of the show that Jeremy Allen White started out on and hold us over until Season 3. Shameless is available with a Netflix subscription and to check in on The Bear, all you need is a Hulu subscription. 

The ‘90s were the halcyon days for gross-out comedies, with filmmaking siblings Peter and Bobby Farrelly leading the pack similarly to how Zucker-Abrams-Zucker reigned supreme in the world of spoof cinema. The duo struck gold with the 1-2-3 combo of Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin and There’s Something About Mary, with wildly varying results from 2000 onward, leading into the brothers going off to solo directing careers. And then along came Ricky Stanicky.

The 2010 Black List screenplay changed hands several times over the the course of twelve years, eventually landing with Peter Farrelly – who used it as a means to return to his slapstick, balls-out roots (metaphorically in this case). With Zac Efron and John Cena fronting the often NSFW chaos – and without Bobby Farrelly’s involvement – Ricky Stanicky is definitely cut from the same questionably stained cloth as the R-rated efforts Kingpin and Me, Myself & Irene. 

The movie, in which the power of friendship is built upon a foundation of lies, oozes the same kind of gloriously dumb humor that needs a smart person to make it funny, and I laughed from beginning to end while only occasionally judging myself for it. But though the overall story is pleasing and surprisingly sidesteps certain narrative tropes, the main thing holding Ricky Stanicky back from true greatness is the screenplay, which feels overwritten and underwritten all at once.

Ricky Stanicky handles its offbeat concept well but with zero valid subplots to balance the flow.

One of the admittedly great things about Ricky Stanicky is its elevator pitch. As children, three friends make up a kid with the titular moniker to get themselves out of trouble, and they spend the next 20 years evolving that deceit into an artform excuse to take mini-vacations and avoid less satisfactory obligations. As adults, the trio are forced to provide proof of his existence once their lies become uncontrollable, and they employ a struggling “actor” to take the part. It’s a setup and conflict with a wacky built-in solution. Nothing wrong with that.

Making things more troublesome for the central trio of Dean (Zac Efron), Wes (Jermaine Fowler) and JT (Andrew Santino)? They’re each at different stages in their romantic relationships. JT and his wife, played by Loudermilk fave Anja Savcic, are heading into parenthood; Dean and his girlfriend (Florida Man’s Lex Scott Davis) have happily been dating for a long while; and Wes’ lack of forward momentum is creating stress with his boyfriend. 

Understandably for a plot like this, all three of those partnerships are at risk because of Ricky, who the guys continuously excuse away as being busy with philanthropic duties around the globe. That’s where John Cena’s Rod comes in (pun flaccidly intended). An Atlantic City entertainer of sorts, he’s tasked with living up to the standards that Dean, Wes and JT have painstakingly set up over the years. 

All the cringe-worthy moments one might expect ensue, but with only one narrative to pay attention to, the story starts wearing thin as the movie hits the midway point. While Ricky Stanicky gets credit for avoiding certain moves that many R-rated comedies lean into and brandishes more heart than snark on its sleeve, any kind of B-plot would have allowed the main story to breathe easier and could have helped the underutilized significant others. This is somewhat helped by William H. Macy’s Summerhayes, Dean and JT’s affluent and oblivious boss, but his arrival just changes the story’s direction as opposed to supplementing anything.

For a gross-out comedy, Ricky Stanicky isn’t all that gross, and it lacks the off-the-wall energy of the Farrellys' golden era. 

I was a 13-year-old sack of unbridled hormones upon watching Kingpin for the first time in the weeks after its theatrical debut, and rather than witnessing more dorky duos running amok, it was all the grimiest bits of Dumb and Dumber expanding exponentially with even more comedy masterminds within the ensembles. The 1996 film set the high mark for low brow humor in my mind, and while it’s neither Bobby nor Peter Farrelly’s fault (and isn’t really a “fault” at all), I’ve always felt a twinge of disappointment whenever any of their later releases failed to dredge the same skeezy waters as the ones Woody Harrelson’s Roy Munson and Bill Murray’s Ernie McCracken bathed in. Still, out came those same hopes when it looked like Ricky Stanicky could be a return to form.

In the new movie, the majority of anything that could be conceived as gross is within the dialogue (which may or may not sometimes be accompanied by hand-mimed sexual acts). John Cena and William H. Macy play heavily into this material without anything getting very extreme on the visual side at any point. To that end, only a scant few moments come to mind with over-the-top physical comedy, gross or otherwise, that take things to a different level.

Do they hit? Absolutely, which is why it’s a shame this movie isn’t filled with them. As disappointing as it may or may not be, we’re not getting any scenes where Zac Efron’s hair is styled like a certain Cameron Diaz character’s was because of a certain bodily fluid, and there’s not even a single diarrheal explosion to be heard anywhere in the soundtrack. I mean, what are we even doing here?

Ricky Stanicky is undeniably John Cena’s movie, and it continues to prove he’s one of the funniest actors in Hollywood.

Peter Farrelly has worked with a slew of brilliant, top-tier actors, many of whom boast a history with sketch comedy along with proven dramatic chops – from Jim Carrey to Ben Stiller to Will Sasso and beyond. So I can imagine roughly 300 actors who could have played the part of Ricky Stanicky with ease, many of whom would have done somewhere between “splendid” and “zowie-wowie.” But I’m glad to live in a universe where this horny and hopeful lounge singer is played by WWE fave and future comedy legend John Cena.

Throughout Ricky Stanicky, Cena runs through a surprisingly deep gamut of character types and behaviors without missing a beat or feeling inauthentic. You buy him as a self-promoting casino singer who specializes in cosplaying performances for song parodies exclusively about masturbation. You buy him as someone trying to climb from rock bottom to whatever higher class will take him. You buy him as a (fictional) actor whose role research may be his most impressive value.

Also, because Cena is so genial even at his character's lowest points, it helps audiences buy into the idea that this doofus can't stop failing upwards after meeting Dean & Co. It's like Peter Farrelly is tapping into the reverse-logic of another craven '90s classic, Beavis & Butt-Head, in that the lead foursome manage to avoid certain worst case scenarios because of the unexpected ways other characters react to their damning behavior, as opposed to them facing constant admonishment and heightened peril.

I don't know that the next step for Peter Farrelly should be to direct a new Nutty Professor movie where, instead of just playing each of the main character's family members as Eddie Murphy did, John Cena plays every single character period. But if that did happen, I can hope the lesson learned here is to cut out 35% of the dick jokes and add 50% more head-bonkings, full-speed pratfalls, and characters' body parts getting caught on mechanical things. 

As the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes continue with no end in sight, more and more stars are coming out to the picket lines to show solidarity. After the cast of Shameless got together earlier in the strike, the Gallaghers are continuing to show their support. While Cameron Monaghan was absent from the initial reunion, he did reunite with former co-star Isidora Goreshter with a sign that would make his on-screen family proud.

Monaghan portrayed Ian Gallagher on one of Showtime’s best series, and he is keeping the family legacy alive. The actor took to Instagram to share photos from his time picketing at Disney Studios in Burbank alongside Goreshter and actress Madisen Beaty. With a sign saying, “The AMPTP is more shameless than Frank Gallagher,” it looked like the perfect way to show their support for the unions and pay homage to Shameless:

If you’re unfamiliar with Shameless or need a refresher, the sign is in reference to the Gallagher family patriarch, Frank Gallagher, portrayed by William H. Macy. He was an alcoholic, unemployed, made money through scams, and often endangered or abandoned his children. So, saying the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is more shameless than him is saying a lot, and it gets the actors' feelings about the AMPTP across very clearly.

Even though Cameron Monaghan wasn't with his Shameless family back in July, he did seem to make up for it with that sign. Maybe he can even be part of the next reunion, whether it’s on the picket lines or a family dinner. At least he was able to reunite with Isadora Goreshter, who played Svetlana Yevgenivna on the dramedy. It may have been only two years since the Shameless series finale aired, but any kind of reunion or reference just takes us right back to the good old days.

While Monaghan missed the recent Shameless reunion, he did spend the holiday with the Gallaghers back in 2021. He reunited with Noel Fisher, Emma Kenney, Shanola Hampton, Kate Miner, Steve Howey, and Ethan Cutkosky for a Shameless party. Now, two years after the finale, it seems like the cast is still as close as ever and still having family reunions. Though, instead of spending the holidays together, they are picketing together, which is even better.

As of now, there doesn’t seem to be anything indicating that a resolution is coming soon for either the WGA or SAG-AFTRA. Many networks have had to rework their fall 2023 TV schedule since most scripted originals are not in production. Plenty of actors and writers have been taking to either the picket lines or social media to show support and tell their own stories of being a member of the union and why it’s so important that these agreements to happen. Hopefully, a resolution will come soon, and the actors won't have to keep using that shameless sign. 

In 2011, ten years after the release of Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes remake, the sci-fi franchise based on the original Planet of the Apes novel by Pierre Bouelle with a new spin. Set in the present day, Rise of the Planet of the Apes set the stage for apes becoming the dominant species on Earth and most of humanity dying off from a virus. We watched this unfold through the eyes of Andy Serkis’ Caesar, with his story continuing in 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes. The latter movie ended with the protagonist dying after he and his people reached their promised land.

Rather than reboot the Planet of the Apes franchise again, 20th Century Studios has decided to continue the continuity started with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Directed by Wes Ball and written by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver and Josh Friedman, the forthcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will take place roughly 300 years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes and address Caesar’s legacy. The first Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer further cleared up the narrative picture, but this spot is reserved for going over Kingdom’s cast. It’s time to go over the actors who will star in this next chapter of the Apes saga.

Owen Teague

Caesar has passed on, which means we’ll need to follow along with a new ape protagonist in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Owen Teague, known for playing Harold Lauder in The Stand (which be be watched with a Paramount+ subscription) and Patrick Hockstetter in the IT movies, has been cast as the lead primate. Teague’s character is an ape named Noa, who lives several generations after Caesar's death, though it's unclear if he's related to the late protagonist. As heard in the trailer, Noa sees "strange things" when he sleeps, specifically "new things," not memories. Could these visions tie into the adventure he'll be going on?

Freya Allan

While some of you may remember Freya Allan playing the young version of Karen Gillan’s character Sam in Gunpowder Milkshake, there’s no question that she’s most famous for playing Ciri in The Witcher. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now giving her the opportunity to shine in a major Hollywood production. Allan is playing Mae, a human living at a time when her kind have devolved into primitives as a result of the Simian Flu, and she'll cross paths with Noa. However, not only is she smarter than most other humans, she has the ability to speak.

Peter Macon

Fans of The Orville know Peter Macon as the actor who plays Lt. Commander Bortus, but because of all the makeup and prosthetics on his face when he’s in character, they wouldn’t not necessarily recognize the actor if they ran into him on the street. As I suspected, Macon will also be playing one of the apes in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, giving him the opportunity to bring a character to life through performance capture. His character is an orangutan named Raka, who appears to be a mentor-like figure to Noa and is giving off the same kind of vibes Maurice did in the original Apes reboot trilogy.

Kevin Durand

Within the film realm, Kevin Durand has lent his talents to 3:10 to Yuma, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the Russell Crowe-led Robin Hood, Real Steel, Resident Evil: Retribution and Fruitvale Station, to name a few movies. However, he’s arguably better known for his TV work thanks to roles in shows like Dark Angel, Lost, The Strain, Vikings, Swamp Thing (the 2019 version) and Locke & Key. Regardless of where you know him best from, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes gives him another blockbuster platform to shine on. He'll be playing Proximus Caesar, a tyrannical ape who's corrupted the original Caesar's teachings and is building his own empire. Wes Ball also shared with EW that Proximus has rediscovered electricity, which looks like "a magic power" to the apes who've forgotten about the phenomena.

Eka Darville

Following his time playing Scott Truman, the Red Ranger, in Power Rangers RPM, Eka Darville started capturing more mainstream attention for playing TV roles like Diego in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, Malcolm Ducasse in Jessica Jones and The Defenders, Ryan Morgan in Empire and Beau Morris in Tell Me a Story. Darville also has a few movies under his belt, but there’s no question that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the biggest one yet. 

Travis Jeffrey

Travis Jeffrey has collected a sizable number of credits from Australian productions, including appearing in multiple episodes of shows like Gallipoli and The Heights. Stateside, however, unless you remember him from guest appearances in Preacher and Heartbreak High, or for playing minor roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Unbroken, then he’s likely never crossed your radar. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will see him playing a chimp friend of Noa's named Anaya, and perhaps it will pave the way for him to score roles in other Hollywood productions.

Neil Sandilands

If you watched The 100 or The Flash, then you’re familiar with Neil Sandiands, as he recurred as Titus in the former’s third season, and then played the super-intelligent antagonist Clifford Defoe, a.k.a. The Thinker, in the latter’s fourth season. More recently, Sandilands appeared as General Abbot in three episodes of Netflix’s Sweet Tooth, which will return for Season 2 at some point. For Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Sanidlands will play an ape elder named from Noa's tribe named Koro.

Sara Wiseman

The majority of Sara Wiseman’s performances hail from Australian or New Zealand productions, including the shows Rake, Shortland Street and Harrow, although the latter did run for three seasons on ABC. If you have a Peacock subscription, you might have also recently seen Wiseman in the mystery series One Of Us Is Lying. It’s safe to say, though, that there’ll be a lot of eyes pointed at her for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Lydia Peckham

Lydia Peckham doesn’t have that big a resume just yet, but if you watched Netflix’s short-lived live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop or the Joseph Gordon-Levitt-led series Mr. Corman, then you’ll have spotted her. Hopefully Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, where she plays Noa and Anaya's chimp friend Soona, will lead to her scoring bigger roles down the line.

Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi

Like Lydia Peckham, Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi doesn’t have a lot of acting credits on his resume, but perhaps Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will also lead to him being considered for other major projects. His established work includes Found in a Dream, Westermarck and the upcoming Disney+ series The Clearing.

William H. Macy

Now we come to quite possibly the biggest name in the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes cast. From movies like Fargo, Air Force One, Boogie Nights and The Lincoln Lawyer, to playing Dr. David Morgenstern in over 30 episodes of ER and Frank Gallagher for the entirety of Shameless’ run on Showtime, William H. Macy has been around the acting block and then some. Macy will appear in the next Apes movie as Trevathan, a human who's associated with Mae. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to speak like her or if he'll be mute.

Dichen Lachman

If you're a fan of Severance, then you're quite familiar with Dichen Lachman, who plays Ms. Casey in the Apple TV+ series. Others may know her better from shows like Dollhouse, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Altered Carbon and Animal Kingdom, while on the cinematic side of things, you may have heard her in Raya and the Last Kingdom or seen her in Jurassic World Dominion. Now she'll be stepping back into blockbuster territory with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, so we eagerly await to see how she'll fit into the story.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on May 10, so keep checking back for CinemaBlend for more updates on casting and the movie’s overall progress. Our 2024 release schedule is available for those of you curious about what other movies come out next year, and you’re also welcome to see how we’ve ranked the Planet of the Apes movies that have come out so far.

Despite kicking off its fifth season without an abundance of guest stars, The Conners has somewhat reversed that trend in the weeks ahead of its winter hiatus, thanks to Estelle Parsons’ celebrated return and Jane Curtain’s introduction as Louise’s mom. That celeb-friendly run will definitely continue with the sitcom’s January return, too, thanks to Shameless vet William H. Macy’s arrival, but he won’t be the only familiar face involved. That’ll also be the ep featuring the long-teased return of an O.G. Roseanne character, which ABC has at last confirmed with some first-look photos, and it’s a wild and unexpected reveal.

The upcoming episode, titled “Two More Years and a Stolen Rose,” is bringing The Hughleys and Lodge 49 vet Eric Allen Kramer back to Lanford to reprise the role of Bobo, the lunkhead bully who gave Dan a spot of aggro-trouble back in Roseanne’s very first season. Check him out squaring up against William H. Macy’s Smitty Cusamano in the pic below.

It was previously revealed that Macy’s Smitty was a former classmate of Dan’s that Jackie crushed on and Roseanne dated, and that his episode would indeed feature the on-screen return of Lobo’s Lounge, the boozy hangout that the adult characters frequented in the flagship sitcom’s early seasons. It only makes sense that the storyline, which centers on the death of a longtime high school English teacher, would also be the prime placement for an O.G. character to pop back up. 

Definitely not a callback for casual fans, the character Bobo’s first and only Roseanne appearance came in the show’s ninth episode, “Dan’s Birthday Bash,” which aired back on January 3, 1989. (Exactly 24 years ahead of ABC confirming the return, funnily enough.) That ep’s central conflict was between Dan and Bobo, all over the use of a pool table, with John Goodman’s birthday boy having to back down from their fight after Roseanne got upset. Dan got the last laugh, though, decking the insult-spewing asshat by the episode’s end. (Shout out to fellow sitcom vet William Sadler as Dwight.) 

No sign of Dwight here, but it looks like another Dan vs. Bobo confrontation will take place in the winter premiere.

It's technically possible that the character completely turned away from his verbally abusive and ignorant ways of the past, and has embraced a newly zen outlook on life and women. But that would probably be too big of an adjustment for anyone in Lanford, and he's probably the same ol' dickface. And if that IS the case, then I hope the image below is indicative of Bobo getting audibly eviscerated by Drunk Jackie. I'm pretending the moment after this is Jackie sticking her finger clean through his torso, though with the understanding that The Conners isn't making the jump to body horror in the back half of Season 5.

So not only are Conners fans getting to see a classic Roseanne location brought to life anew decades after it was last seen on TV, but we’re also getting a character that I can’t imagine anyone truly expected to see again without showrunner Bruce Helford teasing that a mystery return was happening. Cheers to more surprise reprisals like this!

The Conners’ winter premiere will arrive on ABC on January 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET. New episodes air on Wednesdays, and are available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are popping up before and after the sitcom’s newest ep.

Going into its Season 5 winter hiatus, The Conners spent a bit of time wallowing in the family history of its two eldest female leads, as Jackie dealt with the sad news of her mother Bev’s dementia (complete with a guest spot from Estelle Parsons), while viewers were privileged with meeting Louise’s mom for the first time, as portrayed by SNL vet Jane Curtain. When the show returns in January, fans will get to metaphorically step back into a Lanford landmark, thanks to impending guest star William H. Macy, whose arrival will not only shine a light into Dan’s past, but will also deliver some connective tissue to The Conners’ sitcom predecessor Roseanne. 

Who Is William H. Macy Playing In The Conners?

The Dropout thespian’s latest episodic jaunt will be as the character of Smitty Cusamano, a former high school classmate of Dan & Co. who clearly already has an advantageous shot at winning the Best TV Character Name Of 2023 title when his episode debuts on Wednesday, January 11. He sounds every bit like the kind of guy who would have a mustache as thick as a forearm, even as a high school freshman, and Macy is indeed rocking some mighty upper lip hair in The Conners. 

Smitty Cusamano, aside from assumedly being a guy who knows a guy who can get you a deal on anything, was something of an ambitious dude who put Lanford in his rear-view mirror not long after his years mixing it up with these characters viewers know so well. He managed to make a name for himself, while making a mint in the process, in the field of pool supplies, according to TVLine. Expect Macy to be playing things fairly big, as Smitty is described as being an “outgoing, salesman-type,” in the words of showrunner Bruce Helford. Anybody who’s seen Fargo knows how well he can sell that part, with or without the cheeky accent, gee golly.

Check out a first look at the character below.

He doesn’t seem like the kinda guy who would just pop back into his hometown for shits and giggles, so it’s not a surprise that Smitty shows up for different reasons, He’s back in Lanford for the funeral for an adored English teacher, and won’t hesitate much about showing off his current status in front of others. I hope his clothes will be beer-proof, because I’m already forecasting somebody throwing a drink at him. (Unless his mustache is capable of sopping up any liquids that fly in its way, of course.)

How Will William H. Macy’s Character Connect To The Roseanne Timeline? 

• #1: Obviously, being a former classmate of the gang is a connection unto itself for Smitty, but when he pops into the world of The Conners (as seen above), it will be within Lobo! The old Roseanne bar hangout hasn’t made a small screen appearance in many years, with it basically getting phased out as the flagship sitcom’s generational lines shifted upward.
• #2: Perhaps surprisingly or perhaps not, Bruce Helford divulged that Jackie apparently had a crush on Smitty in their youthful years. Is that going to create any strife with Neville? Doubtful. I’d sooner believe Neville would be talked into buying pool supplies to help with an otter habitat or something. 
• #3: While Jackie may have felt some puppy love from afar, Roseanne actually dated Smitty at some point before she and Dan were married. Which doesn’t rule him out as a rebound boyfriend during a period of strife for the iconic TV couple. I certainly hope he doesn’t get all weird when talking about her, only to learn that she’s dead now. It’s also teased that the appearance will incorporate some drama into the comedy, with William H. Macy being more than capable within any genre. (Mystery Men for all the wins.) 

Speaking to the idea of Lobo’s return, star Lecy Goranson talked to CinemaBlend ahead of the Season 5 premiere, saying at the time that she was excited to hear about the location making a return for The Conners. Here’s what she told us: 

As uncomfortable as planned-out high school reunions can be, circumstantial reunions sparked by funerals certainly doesn't make things easier. But at least we can take comfort in knowing Macy will get to share the screen again with his former Shameless kiddo Emma Kenney when the show returns from its winter hiatus on January 11, 2023.

The Conners airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 8:00 p.m., and though it’s on vacation now, past Season 5 episodes are available to stream with a Hulu subscription. While waiting for the show to return, head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the way soon.

Boogie Nights was an incredibly packed ensemble experience from filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. The critically acclaimed drama featured the story of a dishwasher who ends up becoming famous by making pornographic films, and shows his rise and fall in the porn industry.

But, with such a large ensemble, one might be wondering where the Boogie Nights cast is now and what they’ve been up to after nearly twenty-five years. Well, look no further, as we aim to answer that question today and let you know exactly where stars like Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, and others are now. 

Mark Wahlberg (Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler)

As the star of Boogie Nights, Mark Wahlberg received wide-spread acclaim for his role as Eddie Adams, otherwise known as Dirk Diggler. Since his role in the film, Wahlberg has been up to so much. 

Wahlberg’s biggest film roles so far have included a major role in The Transformers series, an Academy Award-nominated role in The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, The Italian Job, The Perfect Storm, the Daddy’s Home series, and many more. He’s also had success in television too, producing shows like Boardwalk Empire, Entourage, Ballers, and others. 

Some of his upcoming work are the films Father Stu, Me Time, Arthur the King, Our Man From Jersey, and The Six Billion Dollar Man, so he’ll surely be appearing in more awesome movies. 

Julianne Moore (Maggie/Amber Waves)

Next up, we have Julianne Moore, who played Maggie/Amber Waves in Boogie Nights and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Since her performance in the movie, Moore has become an even bigger star. 

While she has had some small roles on television, such as an appearance on Sesame Street and a minor recurring role on the classic series, 30 Rock, Moore has mainly kept her talents to the big screen. Some of her biggest roles thus far have included Still Alice, for which she won an Academy Award, The Big Lebowski, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Maps to the Stars, Far From Heaven, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Hunger Games series, which recently just turned ten years old. 

Coming up, Moore will be in many new movies, including Sharper, Mothertrucker, May December, and Fruitcake, so I’m sure the next couple of years are going to be jam-packed for this amazing actress. 

Burt Reynolds (Jack Horner)

Burt Reynolds was a legendary name in Hollywood, and he earned rave reviews for his performance in Boogie Nights as Jack Horner, including a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 

After his role in the film, Reynolds would go on to have a prominent film career, just as he did before, appearing in movies like Crazy Six, Hotel, Driven, The Longest Yard, Grilled, In The Name of the King, Deal, and others. He also had a recurring role in the TV series, My Name is Earl, as well as playing Ron Wilcox in Hitting the Breaks. 

Unfortunately, Burt Reynolds passed away in 2018 at the age of 82, but we have the rest of his amazing legacy in Hollywood to look back on to remember him.

Don Cheadle (Buck Swope)

Playing Buck Swope in Boogie Nights was Don Cheadle, someone who's only gotten more and more popular over the years. Cheadle has had a prominent career in both movies and TV. 

One of his biggest roles that he has reprised many times is playing James Rhodes, otherwise known as War Machine, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for more than ten years, and he will reprise that role in the upcoming Armor Wars series on Disney+. Some of his other big films roles include Hotel Rwanda, which scored him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, Traffic, Out of Sight, No Sudden Move. Space Jam: A New Legacy, and more. 

He’s also had a great career in television, with a main role in the Showtime series, House of Lies, as well as a main role on Black Monday. Currently, he actually stars in the series, The Wonder Years. 

Soon, he’s going to be appearing in many new movies, including White Noise and Black Stallions, so he certainly has a good line-up for the next couple of years. 

John C. Reilly (Reed Rothchild)

Next up, we have Reed Rothchild in Boogie Nights, played by John C. Reilly. The actor has had quite the career since Boogie Nights took off, and has appeared in a variety of movies and TV shows. 

Some of his biggest movies were appearing in Magnolia (another Paul Thomas Anderson film), The Thin Red Line, the musical film, Chicago, The Aviator, Step Brothers alongside Will Ferrell, Kong: Skull Island, The Guardians of the Galaxy, and so many more.

He’s also had a prominent career in television too, including a voice role in Stone Quackers, a starring role in Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule, a recurring role in Moonbase 8, a voice role in Ultra City Smiths, and more. His latest project is playing Jerry Buss, owner of the L.A. Lakers, in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, on HBO. 

William H. Macy (Bill “Little Bill” Thompson)

Another big name in Boogie Nights is William H. Macy, and while he had already made a name for himself years before with movies such as Fargo, Macy has had a huge career in the last twenty-five years. 

Some of his biggest film accomplishments have been starring in Magnolia, as well, Psycho, The Cooler, the Studio Ghibli film, The Wind Rises, Cake, Room, The Layover, Krystal, and so much more. However, his longest-running project thus far was portraying patriarch Frank Gallagher on the popular Showtime series, Shameless, for a 11 seasons, becoming a character fans loved to hate on the series.

His latest project is The Dropout on Hulu, where he plays Richard Fuisz, so keep an eye out for him. 

Heather Graham (Brandy/Rollergirl)

Next up, we have Heather Graham, who played Brandy/Rollergirl in Boogie Nights. Graham has appeared in many other movies since, with some of her biggest roles being in Bowfinger, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Hangover and The Hangover Part III, the Daniel Radcliffe-led film, Horns, The Last Son, and more. 

Graham has also done some television work as well, appearing in shows like Bliss, Angie Tribeca, Get Shorty, Law & Order True Crime, and others. Coming up, she’s going to be in many new movies, including Oracle, On a Wing and a Prayer, and more. 

Nicole Ari Parker (Becky Barnett)

Playing Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights was Nicole Ari Parker, who has had a huge career in television. While she has appeared in many movies as well, including Remember the Titans, Brown Sugar, Almost Christmas, How It Ends, and more, she’s mainly kept her talents to TV. 

Parker appeared as a recurring cast member on Cosby, was a part of the main cast on Soul Food, as well as The Second Time Around and The Deep End. She was a recurring cast member on Revolution, as well as on I’m Dying Up Here, Empire, and Chicago P.D. Most recently, she was a part of the recurring cast of the Sex and the City spinoff, And Just Like That…,which just got renewed for a second season. 

Soon, she’s going to have a role in two new movies, We Are Gathered Here Today and HeadShop, as well as appear in a new TV series called At That Age. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Scotty J.)

Moving on, we have Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played Scotty J in Boogie Nights. After his role in the film, Hoffman appeared in many movies. 

Some of his biggest roles were in Patch Adams, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, Charlie Wilson’s War, Doubt, The Master, The Savages, and more, alongside a bigger role in The Hunger Games series. He did have some minor appearance on TV, including two episodes of Empire Falls, but mainly stuck to movies. 

Sadly, Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away in 2014 at the age of 46. 

Luis Guzman (Maurice Rodriguez/T.T. Rodriguez)

Next up is Luis Guzman, who played Maurice Rodriguez/T.T. Rodriguez in Boogie Nights. After his role in the film, Guzman has appeared in many movies, including Magnolia (like many of his other castmates) Traffic, Punch-Drunk Love, War, We’re the Millers, The Last Stand, 9/11, The Birthday Cake, and several others. 

He’s also had a great career in television as well, with several main roles and recurring appearances. Some of his most-known were playing the titular role in Luis, Rene Calderon in How to Make It in America, Jesse Salander in Code Black, Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha in Narcos, Mikey O’Shea in Shameless (usually alongside William H. Macy) and Jorge Cuevas in Hightown. Talk about a stacked resume. 

Coming up soon, he is going to be portraying one of the most iconic TV characters ever, Gomez Addams, in the upcoming series, Wednesday, so definitely be on the lookout for this Netflix series to drop.

Philip Baker Hall (Floyd Gondolli)

Floyd Gondolli in Boogie Nights was played by Philip Baker Hall, who has had a great career in both movies and television. Some of his biggest roles include Psycho, The Insider, Magnolia, Rules of Engagement, The Amityville Horror, The Last Word, and more. 

Some of his most-known television roles have been a recurring role on Pasadena, as well as work on The Loop, Second Change, and Messiah. 

Thomas Jane (Todd Parker)

Last but not least, we have Thomas Jane, who played Todd Parker in Boogie Nights. Since his appearance, Jane has popped up in many movies and television shows. Some of his biggest movies include, but aren’t limited to, The Punisher, 1922, Deep Blue Sea, The Mist, The Predator, Vice, Hot Summer Nights, and many others. 

He’s also had some major roles in television, including playing Ray Drecker on Hung, James Wykoff in Texas Rising, Joe Miller in The Expanse, and Ted Conkaffey in Troppo. Coming up soon, he’s going to be in several new films, including Vendetta, Slayers, and Bad Hombres, among many others. 

There are still plenty of other names that you might recognize from Boogie Nights, such as Alfred Molina, Michael Penn, Robert Downey Sr., and more. However, this updates you on the main stars who have been active to this day with some amazing film and TV work. 

When you think of one of the most versatile actors of the last twenty plus years, what are some of the first names you think of? For me, one of them is William H. Macy. While many younger folks like me probably know him for his iconic role of Frank Gallagher in the Shameless cast on Showtime, he’s known for many other amazing roles that you should check out as soon as possible. 

From Fargo to The Cooler, these are some of the best William H. Macy movies and TV shows that are streaming right now - or, you can find them available to rent.    

Shameless (2011 - 2021)

The Gallagher family is one you don’t want to mess around with. In Shameless, we follow this South Side of Chicago clan through their daily issues as they try to just survive in the city, make a living, graduate school, or just try not to get arrested - but a Gallagher will do what a Gallagher does. 

As one of the best shows on Showtime, Shameless is truly iconic in every sense of the word, and that includes William H. Macy’s portrayal of Frank, the family patriarch. Frank is a piece of human garbage, and William H. Macy knocked it out of the park for more than a decade, earning nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards. If shows about dysfunctional families are your favorite, you should definitely check out Shameless.

Stream Shameless on Netflix.

Fargo (1996)

This iconic Coen Brothers film is one you shouldn’t miss. Fargo, starring William H. Macy and Frances McDormand, is about a man who comes up with a kidnapping scheme in order to pay off his many debts. However, the plot goes south when a dedicated police chief begins to investigate the death of a state trooper. 

I feel like this is one of those films you really want to go into knowing nothing. William H. Macy received tons of acclaim for his role as Jerry Lundegaard, and while he had plenty of work beforehand, many people (including myself) know him from Fargo. Murder, mystery, and black comedy galore. Definitely watch Fargo, and then learn some behind the scenes facts about the film.

Stream Fargo on Amazon Prime.
Rent Fargo on Amazon.

Boogie Nights (1997)

Ready for a comedy-drama filled with stars? Boogie Nights is a film that tells the story of a dishwasher who begins starring in pornographic films. Over time, he becomes a huge star within the industry, but fame also has its consequences, and slowly, his world starts to fall apart. 

I think what I love the most about this film is that it’s just so funny. Everyone works so well off of each other. William H. Macy rocks it in his role of “Little Bill” Thompson and provides some truly funny moments, but the whole Boogie Nights cast is just so perfect. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay, so you know that it’s going to be a great story. 

Stream Boogie Nights on Showtime.
Rent Boogie Nights on Amazon.

Happy, Texas (1999)

This comedy is a hidden gem. Happy, Texas follows a pair of prisoners who somehow escape and end up in a little Texas town, and get mistaken for a gay couple. Seeing the advantage of the situation, they decide to use this cover in order to plan their next heist. 

William H. Macy is plays the sheriff, Harry, in the small town of Happy, and I have to say he’s the best part of this film. While there are many funny moments, I can’t quite get over his portrayal of Happy, as it’s so out there and funny that you can’t help but love it. Plus, the sheriff's storyline always makes me chuckle. 

Stream Happy, Texas on Showtime.
Rent Happy, Texas on Amazon.

Oleanna (1994)

Oleanna, starring William H. Macy and Debra Eisenstadt, is based on the play of the same name, telling the story of a young student who goes to speak with her teacher about a grade she received, but even when the professor decides to help her, misunderstandings and bad communication lead to his downfall when she accuses him of sexual assault.

While Oleanna is not a very well-known film of Macy’s, I think it deserves far more praise. Since it’s only Macy and Eisenstadt in the film, we are fully able to see their dramatic prowess, and their acting is just amazing. They hold our attention so well that you’ll have trouble tearing your eyes away for even a single second. 

Stream Oleanna on Tubi.
Rent Oleanna on Vudu.

ER (1994-2009)

ER was a very popular long-running drama that focused on the fictional County General Hospital, following the daily lives of its doctors, nurses, staff, and everyone else as they worked in this emergency facility in Chicago. 

ER was one of those shows that made medical series like Grey’s Anatomy possible, and throughout the years, there were many stars that guest-starred on it. But William H. Macy wasn’t just a guest - he was a recurring character, and appeared on the show several times as Dr. David Morgenstern. 

While he was in the show pretty regularly as a recurring guest at first, he stepped back after Season 4, then returned to the role for the fifteenth season. It’s certainly one of his more diverse characters, and picturing him as a doctor is always weird now after seeing him as Frank Gallagher, but that just shows how skillful of an actor he is. 

Stream ER on HBO Max.

The Cooler (2003)

Now this is a William H. Macy movie you can’t miss. The Cooler is all about a lonely man who works as a successful gambling jinx at a Las Vegas casino. But, when he meets a woman and begins falling in love, it affects his performance, so his boss decides to end the romance.

The Cooler was critically acclaimed when it was released for not only its story but the acting from all parties, specifically Alec Baldwin, who portrayed Macy’s boss in the film. However, William H. Macy as a leading man never tires me, and he was excellent as Bernie from the very beginning, making me want to watch him to do better and succeed in life. 

Stream The Cooler on HBO Max.
Rent The Cooler on Amazon.

Homicide (1991)

If you’re looking for a great crime film, check out Homicide. This movie, starring William H. Macy and Joe Mantegna, tells the story of a homicide detective and his partner who get tangled up in a deeper case that extends into the detective’s own heritage, changing his life forever. 

I sort of look at Homicide as a “by the book basics” crime movie, because it feels exactly like the kind of film you’d show someone if you want them to get into crime movies because it's not too intense. However, the real draw in this movie for me is Macy’s excellent acting alongside Mantegna, and their awesome chemistry as detectives. Plenty of twists and turns for you to enjoy, too. 

Stream Homicide on Showtime.
Rent Homicide on Amazon.

Room (2015)

If you’re looking to cry, Room is the movie to watch. Starring Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, this story tells the tale of Jack, a boy who is cared for by his mother, who was locked away in a shed before having him, and hasn’t seen her family for seven years. Soon, she finds a way out, and the boy gets to explore the world for the first time. 

While William H. Macy isn’t the main star of this film, his portrayal of Robert Newsome, Joy Newsome’s father, broke my heart in the best way, if that makes sense. His acting was so phenomenal and shows the true terror that a parent feels when their child is taken from them; the regret, the shame - every emotion you could think of, William H. Macy portrayed perfectly. It’s definitely one of his best acting performances ever. 

Stream Room in Showtime.
Rent Room on Amazon.

Pleasantville (1998)

Pleasantville is a teen dramedy that follows every teenager’s worst nightmare - somehow ending up in a 1950s TV show set in the Midwest, where everyone looks to be absolutely perfect, but there are dark secrets. 

This whole film is just great from start to finish. William H. Macy, in another great supporting role, plays George Parker, the father of the two main characters, and is an integral part of the story that pushes characters forward. The movie itself was also great for many actor’s careers, including Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, and more. Check it out if you’ve never seen it before. 

Rent Pleasantville on Amazon.

Magnolia (1999)

Last but not least, we have Magnolia. This epic drama with a large ensemble cast is all about the idea of happiness, forgiveness, and reconciliation, following several different stories that intersect in the San Fernando Valley. 

While a big star of this film was Tom Cruise, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work, everyone in this large ensemble cast is truly amazing, including William H. Macy. His role as Donnie Smith, otherwise known as “Quiz Kid,” was one of the best stories of the film, showing how money isn’t the key to happiness and finding people who truly care for you is. It’s just an all-around great film with a story that’s top tier. 

Rent Magnolia on Amazon.

William H. Macy has done so many other great movies, including Mystery Men, Focus, and Thank You For Smoking, but these are just some of my personal favorites. Maybe after today, you’ll have found a new favorite movie or TV show that stars the talented actor - and keep an eye out for him on the Hulu series, The Dropout.  

It has been a quarter of a century since Joel and Ethan Coen introduced audiences to the wild and crazy world (and characters) of their 1996 dark comedy Fargo. In that stretch of time, the movie has become a modern classic, spawned a successful anthology series on FX, and helped take the careers of its colorful cast of characters — led by Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi — to the heights of their respective careers in film, on television, and beyond. 

But, a long time has passed since we’ve first met the cast all those years ago (the movie can officially rent a car at this point), so now seems like the perfect time to take a break and look back on what the Fargo cast has been up to as of late...

Frances McDormand (Marge Gunderson)

Fargo is one of the best Frances McDormand movies, and turned the actress into a sensation and Academy Award winner following her iconic portrayal of the nice but no-nonsense Brainerd police chief, Marge Gunderson. Since taking on the role of the seven-months pregnant police officer with a knack for solving crimes and postage stamp painting, McDormand has gone on to win two more Oscars, one for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2018 and another for Nomadland in 2021 (she also took home Golden Globes for each of those performances). 

One of the best actresses of her time, McDormand continues to find success whether she’s appearing in her husband Joel Coen’s movies, like The Tragedy of Macbeth, working with Wes Anderson in the likes of The French Dispatch, or with just about anyone else. McDormand is set to star in Sarah Polley’s upcoming drama Women Talking, per Variety.

William H. Macy (Jerry Lundegaard)

William H. Macy’s portrayal of Jerry Lundegaard, the desperate and short-sighted car dealer who hires a pair of crooks to kidnap his wife, will forever go down as one of the Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor's best performances. 

In the years since appearing in Fargo, Macy has found success with roles in everything from Boogie Nights to Bobby, with dozens of memorable performances before and since. From 2011 to 2021, Macy portrayed Frank Gallagher on Shameless, the down-on-his-luck and substance-abusing patriarch of the Showtime series’ central family, which earned him multiple Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations throughout the show’s impressive 11-season run.

Steve Buscemi (Carl Showalter)

Things didn’t shake out all too well for Steve Buscemi’s Fargo character, Carl Showalter, but the same can't be said about the actor and the state of his insanely successful and fruitful career over the past 25 years. 

From 2010 to 2014, Buscemi portrayed Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, the corrupt, powerful, and dangerous Atlantic County official at the center of Boardwalk Empire, a performance that earned him a Golden Globe and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during the show’s run on HBO. More recently, Buscemi has appeared on comedy series like Miracle Workers and Rick and Morty, as well as a list of movies that includes The King of Staten Island, Hubie Halloween, and the soon-to-be-released Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Peter Stormare (Gaear Grimsrud)

Peter Stormare’s portrayal of the silent but deadly killer, Gaear Grimsrud, in Fargo adds a much-needed layer of danger and darkness to the offbeat nature of the Coen Brothers movie. 

In 1998, Stormare and his Fargo co-star Steve Buscemi appeared in the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski. Over the course of the past few decades, there have been multiple years in which Stormare has appeared in more than five movies (he appeared in 10 in 2013 alone), though he has slowed down just a little bit more recently. In 2020, he appeared in the pandemic thriller Songbird, which he followed up with two animated films in 2021 — Gift of Fire and Cryptozoo. He currently co-hosts the docuseries Secrets of the Viking Stone.

Harve Presnell (Wade Gustafson)

Wade Gustafson, Jerry Lundegaard’s father-in-law who gets caught up in the ill-fated kidnapping and ransom plan, was portrayed by Harve Presnell. The veteran character actor, who appeared on shows like Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Dawson’s Creek, as well as in movies like Saving Private Ryan and Mr. Deeds, passed away at the age of 75 in July 2009 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to the New York Times.

Kristin Rudrüd (Jean Lundegaard)

Kristin Rudrüd shows up in Fargo as Jean Lundegaard, the unsuspecting wife of Jerry Lundegaard at the center of the dark comedy’s doomed-from-the-start kidnapping and get-rich-quick scheme. Born and raised in the actual Fargo, North Dakota, Rudrüd appeared in a few more movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s before stepping away from acting. This includes Pleasantville, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and Herman U.S.A.

Tony Denman (Scotty Lundegaard)

Tony Denman shows up in the Fargo cast as Scotty Lundegaard, the only son of Jerry and Kristin Lundegaard, whose demeanor (and life) forever changes upon his mother’s kidnapping and murder. 

In the years since Fargo was released into the wild, Denman has appeared in a number of movies including National Lampoon’s Barely Legal, Transylmania, and, more recently, For the Love of Jessee. Denman has also popped up on numerous TV shows over the years, including King of the Hill, My Crazy Ex, and The 33rd: Sci-Fi Anthology in 2018. Denman is part of a comedy duo by the name of As a Matter of Fact.

Steve Reevis (Shep Proudfoot)

Taking on the role of Shep Proudfoot, the man who convinced Jerry Lundegaard to hire the men to kidnap his wife for the ransom money in Fargo, is Steve Reevis. Leading up to his appearance in the Coen Brothers dark comedy, Reevis had roles in movies like Twins, Dances with Wolves, and The Doors, and later went on to show up in The Missing, The Longest Yard, and Fishing Naked, his final film appearances. There were a number of TV shows to feature Reevis over the years, including Walker, Texas Ranger, Malcolm in the Middle, and Bones. Unfortunately, Reevis passed away at the age of 55 in December 2017, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Larry Brandenburg (Stan Grossman)

Larry Brandenburg shows up in Fargo as Stan Grossman, Wade Gustafson’s accountant who informs Jerry Lundegaard of his client’s decision to handle matters himself. Prior to the release of Fargo, Brandenburg landed small roles in movies like Field of Dreams and The Shawshank Redemption, as well as shows like Quantum Leap and Cheers. 

In the years following the film’s release, Brandenburg landed roles in some of the most popular shows of the early 21st Century including Monk, Grey’s Anatomy, and NCIS. Brandenburg’s final appearances came in the movie Last Harbor, and an episode of the successful animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, both of which were released in 2010.

John Carroll Lynch (Norm Gunderson)

In one of his early film appearances, John Carroll Lynch shows up in Fargo as Marge Gunderson’s husband Norm. Prior to working with the Coen Brothers in the duo’s dark comedy, Lynch had small roles in Grumpy Old Men and Beautiful Girls, with his film career taking off immediately after. 

Over the years, Lynch has had a rather balanced career with action spectacles like Volcano and Gone in 60 Seconds, right up there with thrillers like Zodiac (he played the prime suspect in the titular case) and Shutter Island. In 2020, Lynch portrayed David Dellinger in Aaron Sorkin’s courtroom drama The Trial of the Chicago 7.

It should also be pointed out that Lynch has had a successful career on the small screen, as well, with major roles in various entries in the American Horror Story franchise, Big Sky, and Veep, on top of dozens of other smaller roles dating back to a 1996 episode of Frasier.

Stephen Park (Mike Yanagita)

Mike Yanagita, Marge Gunderson’s high school friend who makes a dinner scene all the more awkward and uncomfortable in Fargo is portrayed by comedian and actor Stephen Park. Prior to landing the small, yet memorable, role in the 1996 dark comedy, Park made a name for himself with appearances in movies like Do the Right Thing, Kindergarten Cop, and Falling Down, as well as shows like In Living Color, Martin, and Friends. 

Since completing his duties in Fargo, Park has been in everything from A Serious Man to Snowpiercer, and The Gambler to The French Dispatch. Park’s recent television appearances include Warrior and Infinity Train. And, just like so many other big-name actors and actresses, Stephen Park will take on an unspecified role in Wes Anderson's upcoming (and mysterious) movie Asteroid City.

With electric and unforgettable performances from Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and the rest of the Fargo cast, it's easy to see why the 1996 Coen Brothers dark comedy remains such a treat for movie lovers of all ages. If this trip down memory lane has piqued your interest, check out the assortment of Fargo behind the scenes facts we gathered from the making of the movie. If you want to know more about everything coming out in theaters and on streaming services, check out CinemaBlend's 2021 movies schedule.

For a while now, TikTok has been the breeding ground for dance crazes, celebrity rumors and lifestyle advice, and isn't exactly known as the premiere place for older generations to strut their stuff. But as it goes for every generation, today’s dads are doing the most to connect with their children and grandchildren, regardless of things like shame and more shame. Accordingly, Shameless star William H. Macy isn’t immune to this mindset, and to celebrate his latest Emmy nomination for Frank Gallagher's last hurrah, the actor wanted to celebrate the achievement in his way. So naturally (or not), he did it with TikTok and Megan Thee Stallion.

William H. Macy surprised his TikTok followers with his post celebrating his Emmy nomination, which is his sixth for Shameless, and his 15th overall. The actor pulled out some questionable moves to rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion’s latest hit “Thot Shit.” Let's just say no knees were injured in the viral video, at least not in an obvious way. So, with that peace of mind, watch the prior Emmy winner bring his dance skills out on TikTok below:

To see an everyman like William H. Macy pull out his best moves was hilarious, and one can only assume his Fargo character would only be confused. Macy's moves were a combination of 1980s exercise videos with a hint of the Macarena. His arms must have been tired after all that dancing. At least, he didn't try any Megan Thee Stallion's knee-centric choreography. This might've been a different story. (Or maybe he did, and those videos didn't make it to the public eye.)

It was almost as if the actor was conjuring the spirit of Frank Gallagher by choosing “Thot Shit.” I mean, anyone who sleeps with their son's wife is definitely about that thot life. But at least, William H. Macy proved don't have to be in the 18-34 demographic to be down.

The Shameless star’s Emmy celebration carried over from TikTok to Twitter. This time, Macy deiced to tap more into his "dad" side rather than his "thot" side by leaving a heartfelt message. Thankfully, fingers (not arms) were the main appendage used for this moment. Here's what William H. Macy wrote to his Shameless family and fans:

Like any good TV dad, the actor wanted everyone to know just how important his television family was to him. As William H. Macy mentioned, his Emmy nomination was a bittersweet moment during the long process of getting over leaving the Gallaghers behind following the Showtime series' final season. His nomination, along with the multiple others for Shameless, marked the end of an era for a landmark series.

Despite his bittersweet Emmy nom, William H. Macy’s career is still flourishing along with other cast members', even with no new projects announced just yet. If you want to relive Frank Gallagher in all his dysfunctional glory, check out the first 10 seasons of Shameless on Netflix, and stay tuned for the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 19, on CBS.

For people of a certain age, there are few ‘90s action movies that are as beloved as Wolfgang Petersen’s 1997 political action thriller Air Force One, which just so happened to feature one of the best Harrison Ford characters of the decade and his career. Outside of Ford, with his portrayal of United States President James Marshall, and Gary Oldman as Egor Korshunov, the leader of a Kazakh ultranationalist terrorist group, the rest of the Air Force One cast is a list that is long as it as is impressive.

From Glenn Close’s portrayal of Vice President Kathryn Bennett to William H. Macy’s Major Norman Caldwell, the list goes on and on, all the way down to smaller supporting characters with only a few brief moments of screen time. No matter how long they were on screen or what they did with the time they had, each of these members the cast played an important role, and for the most part, have continued to so since then. Here’s what the Air Force One cast has been up to all these years.

Harrison Ford (President James Marshall)

Even though Air Force One came out around the time Harrison Ford was celebrating his 30th year in Hollywood, the man known to some as Han Solo and Indiana Jones to others hasn’t really slowed down all that much and continues to give excellent performances in a variety of roles. In the 24 years since he portrayed President James Marshall, Ford has returned to his two most popular characters and franchises — Star Wars and Indiana Jones — with neither time nor injuries slowing him down one bit. Speaking of Ford’s iconic and dashing archeologist, he will return to the character once more in the upcoming Indiana Jones 5 in July 2022.

Gary Oldman (Egor Korshunov)

There are few actors who play a better villain than Gary Oldman, and one of the Academy Award winner’s best is Egor Korshunov from Air Force One. Since taking on the role of the ruthless leader of the band of terrorists who hijack the most heavily-fortified plane in the world, Oldman’s career has continued to be one of the most impressive (and versatile) in show business. With iconic performances as Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (which won him an Oscar), and Herman J. Mankiewicz in Mank, Oldman has continued to be one of the best actors around.

Glenn Close (Vice President Kathryn Bennett)

Although she’s not on the plane in Air Force One, Glenn Close’s Vice President Kathryn Bennett plays a key role in action thriller, serving as the second-in-command and biggest supporter of President James Marshall. Since portraying the strong and resolute character that added a level of realism to a subplot involving the presidential line of succession, Close has gone to win three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, and multiple Academy Award nominations, her most recent being for the 2020 Netflix drama Hillbilly Elegy.

William H. Macy (Major Norman Caldwell)

William H. Macy was on quite a tear when he joined the Air Force One cast as Major Norman Caldwell in the 1997 political thriller and his momentum just kept going after that with Boogie Nights and Wag the Dog both coming out by the end of that year. Since then, Macy has continued to be one of the most prolific actors in film and television with his most notable role being that of Frank Gallagher on the hit Showtime series Shameless which concluded its 11-season run in early 2021. Prior to the show’s conclusion, Macy was honored with three Screen Actors Guild Awards and received five consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nods.

Wendy Crewson (First Lady Grace Marshall)

Since playing First Lady Grace Marshall, a character who never loses her cool despite the circumstances, Wendy Crewson has gone on to become a staple in the world of television, having portrayed recurring characters on 24 and Revenge as well as dozens of made-for-TV movies. The actress, who some may remember from The Santa Clause and its sequels, most recently appeared on an episode of The CW’s Superman & Lois.

Liesel Matthews (First Daughter Grace Marshall)

Liesel Matthews (real name: Liesel Pritzker Simmons) only appeared in three movies in her brief acting career: A Little Princess in 1995, Air Force One in 1997, and Blast in 2000. Since leaving acting behind, the member of the wealthy Pritzker family has gone on to become a driving force in the world of impact investing (investments that have beneficial social and ecological impacts in addition to generating revenue) and even founded the Blue Haven Initiative in 2012.

Philip Baker Hall (Attorney General Andrew Ward)

Philip Baker Hall is briefly featured in Air Force One as Attorney General Andrew Ward, but he makes the most of his time, especially when settling a dispute between the Marshall Administration. Since being the voice of reason in the political thriller, Hall has gone on to be in some of the most important films of the final years of the 20th Century and early 21st Century, including The Truman Show, Magnolia, Zodiac, and Argo, as well TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, and BoJack Horseman. His most recent performance was on the Netflix series Messiah, which lasted only one season on the streamer.

Paul Guilfoyle (White House Chief Of Staff Lloyd Shepherd)

In addition to playing White House Chief of Staff Lloyd Shepherd in Air Force One, Paul Guilfoyle was in two other memorable 1997 movies: L.A. Confidential and Amistad. Guilfoyle would go on to appear in several other late ‘90s gems including Primary Colors and Random Hearts. The dawn of the 21st Century led to Guilfoyle’s most notable role, that of Captain James Brass on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2000 to 2014. Guilfoyle is set to reprise his role on the upcoming CSI: Vegas. He will also appear in the Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up.

Dean Stockwell (Defense Secretary Walter Dean)

Dean Stockwell, who appeared in everything from Paris, Texas to Dune before joining the Air Force One cast as Defense Secretary Walter Dean, retired from acting following a 2015 stroke, but finished his 70-year career with appearances on multiple shows throughout the early 2000s including Battlestar Galactica, CSI: New Orleans (where he reunited with his Quantum Leap co-star Scott Bakula, and Stargate SG-1.

Xander Berkeley (Secret Service Special Agent Gibbs)

Secret Service Special Agent Gibbs, aka the mole, aka the man who goes down with the plane in Air Force One, is played by Xander Berkeley. In the years following the release of the 1997 summer blockbuster, Berkeley has gone on to appear in everything from Taken to Kick-Ass and Transcendence to Solace. Over on the television side of things, Berkeley has recently appeared in small one-off roles on shows like FBI: Most Wanted, Bull, and Supergirl, as well as a 13-episode run as Gregory on The Walking Dead.

Elya Baskin (Andrei Kolchak)

Elya Baskin played Andrei Kolchak, the hijacker who actually knew how to fly the plane in Air Force One, and has gone on to have a rather successful career in film and television. In addition to notable film roles like Peter Parker’s landlord Mr. Ditkovich in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, Anatoly Dobrynin in Thirteen Days, and Cosmonaut Dimitri in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Baskin has also appeared on shows like The West Wing, Criminal Minds, and the upcoming Stranger Things Season 4.

Andrew Divoff (Boris Bazylev)

Andrew Divoff takes on the role of Boris Bazylev, one of the hijackers in Air Force One. Already an established actor with a track record of villainous roles in Another 48 Hours and Toy Soldiers, Divoff followed up the 1997 thriller with a performance in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Lockdown, and most recently Vault. Divoff has also appeared on a number of TV shows over the years, including Lost, The Blacklist, and Perry Mason.

Tom Everett (National Security Advisor Jack Doherty)

One of the members of the Air Force One cast who also a member of the xXx cast, Tom Everett took on the role National Security Advisor Jack Doherty, who stood up to the hijackers even if it guaranteed he wouldn’t get off the plane alive. In addition to the aforementioned xXx, Everett also went on to appear in Thirteen Days, Pearl Harbor, and The Alamo in the years following the release of the 1997 summer action flick. In recent years, Everett has transitioned to television with appearances on Helstrom, Criminal Minds, 24, and several other programs.

Jürgen Prochnow (General Ivan Radek)

Jürgen Prochnow portrays General Ivan Radek, the man responsible for the events of Air Force One. In the past 24 years, Prochnow has appeared in movies like Wing Commander and House of the Dead as well as shows like 24, Luck, and NCIS: Los Angeles.

J.A. Preston (Major General Samuel Greely)

J.A. Preston shows up in Air Force One as Major General Samuel Greely, one of the few military officers who isn’t willing to count President James Marshall out. Following the film’s release, Preston only appeared in a handful of movies and TV shows with his final on-screen appearance being in 2006’s Sweet Deadly Dreams. Preston’s earlier movies include A Few Good Men, Body Heat, and Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.

This is just a small portion of the insanely deep Air Force One cast. If we included every single actor who appeared in the 1997 summer blockbuster, we would be here until all the upcoming 2022 movies were already out on Blu-ray.

Major spoilers below for anyone who didn't watch Shameless' series finale on Showtime, so be warned!

After eleven seasons of boozed-up, dysfunctional mayhem from the entirety of the Gallagher family, Showtime's longest-running drama Shameless came to its bittersweet and darkly comedic conclusion with its series finale titled "Father Frank, Full of Grace." Fans had tons of expectations going into that finale, with the largest one hinging on Emmy Rossum returning as estranged daughter/sibling Fiona. That didn't happen, sadly, and the finale also surprisingly left things pretty open-ended for a variety of main characters. Well, except for William H. Macy's Frank, of course.

The Gallagher family patriarch and anti-role model Frank met his maker in a predictably strange and subdued fashion, which was capped off in one of the greatest mid-credits scenes in all of television. But before we get to that, let's talk about the glaring absence of one Emmy Rossum.

Why Emmy Rossum Didn't Return For Shameless' Finale

As Shameless fans are well aware, Emmy Rossum took absence from the Showtime drama back in March 2019 for the Season 9 finale, with Fiona rounding up some money and taking a plane ride the hell away from the rest of the Gallagher clan, never to return again. (At least during the show moments that viewers were privy to.) Though fans were strongly hoping for producers to find a way to bring Rossum back into the fold, it sadly did not happen. However, executive producer John Wells says that there definitely was a concerted effort to showcase Rossum's Fiona one final time, even though it didn't work out. Here's what he told TVLine:

As John Wells implied, the COVID pandemic has obviously taken serious tolls on untold numbers of people around the world, so a TV finale isn't the biggest victim here. But still, removed from that grander context, it was hugely disappointing to go through the entire finale without seeing Fiona pop up at some point. Even if it would have just been a Zoom call with Emma Kenney's Debbie or something. Sigh.

How Shameless Ended For Frank And Others

William H. Macy's Frank definitely had the most eventful finale, at least in terms of experiencing permanent character changes. The episode started off following up on his couch-set overdose from the previous episode, and in true Gallagher form, none of the family members did much to check on Frank's vitals or his general well-being. They just left him to his devices, and only Christian Isaiah's noticed whenever Frank got up and shambled out into the world.

Frank's issues were likely a mix of drugs in his system, his dementia, and his somewhat surprising COVID-19 diagnosis, and he looked like death warmed over, fittingly enough. After taking an ambulance ride from a church to a hospital, Frank found solace in a flashback-filled trip down memory lane, though none of his children found solace in the note he left before shooting up that last time, considering they didn't find the note at all before the credits rolled.

After Frank passed, his ghostly form floated above the heads of his family and friends inside The Alibi, watching over everyone until he made his grand exit by floating up into the ethers. It was an oddly supernatural moment for Shameless, but just in case that was too sweet of an ending for Frank, the episode's mid-credit moment added some hilarious punctuation to his death. As Frank's body was being processed inside a crematorium, it was so full of alcohol that it exploded the whole building.

Other characters' stories featured far less closure. Cameron Monaghan's Ian and Noel Fisher's Mickey, who'd recently moved into their own digs, discussed the notion of having children at some point. Mickey was haunted by the notion that he might fail as a dad, while Ian was more optimistic about the concept, even tossing the idea out there that they could potentially adopt someone less fortunate within the Noel's fam. Meanwhile, Debbie got horny for Shakira Barrera's criminalistic Heidi, but viewers never got to see if Debbie accepted Heidi's offer to leave Chicago on an expansive road trip.

Speaking of moments that weren't confirmed or otherwise, viewers were left in the dark about whether Jeremy Allen White's thirst-trapping Lip and Kate Miner's Tami will be having a child together, as it wasn't revealed in full whether Tami was pregnant. Lip was also having issues trying to sell the house, and likely wasn't going to make a proper amount of money off of it, so that's another blow against him. It also looked like The Alibi might get sold off, too, with Steve Howey's Kevin and Shanola Hampton's Veronica looking into their options. So it was somewhat surprising when Ethan Cutkosky's Carl and his fellow cop buddy (played by Joshua Malina) talked to Kevin about buying it and turning it into a cop-friendly bar. Of course, that was another plot strand that was left open-ended.

Given how many characters' stories didn't have proper conclusions, fans might have suspected that the creative team was setting up one or more spinoffs to hit Showtime at a later date. However, John Wells doesn't make it seem like that's the case at all. In his words:

For John Wells, it's more interesting to leave a story off when the action is still taking place, as opposed to letting things drift off after all the explanations have been laid out. It certainly gave viewers more to discuss by way of what they think will happen next for the characters, but it also likely made viewers pretty aggravated that so many story strands were left hanging.

Perhaps Shameless will one day live on in some other form, but for now, the Showtime drama has officially capped off its eleven-season run. While waiting to see everything that the cast is doing next, R.I.P. Frank, and we'll hopefully see you soon, Fiona!

Ten years after its series premiere, Shameless is coming to an end with its eleventh season. A rambunctious, irreverent American adaptation of the notorious British series, Shameless became a popular favorite for Showtime, propelling Emmy Rossum's career, providing a nice, steady gig for character actor William H. Macy, and launching and/or elevating the careers of Justin Chatwin, Cameron Monaghan, Jeremy Allen White, Emma Kenney, Shanola Hampton, and Steve Howey. Now that the series finale is set to air this Sunday, April 11th, what is the Shameless cast working on now? Let's find out!

William H. Macy (Frank Gallagher)

Playing the part of Frank Gallagher, the family's dysfunctional, alcoholic single father, William H. Macy gives an Emmy-nominated performance in Shameless. He also wrote and directed a few episodes. Most notably, Macy is Oscar-nominated for his supporting turn as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He also won two Emmys — both as an actor and screenwriter — for 2003's Door to Door. Macy's other film credits include Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Room, Jurassic Park III, The Cooler, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Mystery Men, Seabiscuit, Mr. Holland's Opus, The Sessions, Pleasantville, Psycho (1998), Air Force One, Ghosts of Mississippi, Spartan, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Happy, Texas.

Additionally, on television, William H. Macy's other notable credits include ER, Sports Night, Frasier, and Law & Order. Also, Macy wrote, directed, produced, and acted in 2014's Rudderless. He also helmed 2017's The Layover and Krystal. Furthermore, Macy narrated PBS's Curious George. At the moment, the actor's next project is unknown.

Emmy Rossum (Fiona Gallagher)

In the role of Fiona Gallagher, the eldest Gallagher child who often needed to take care of her rambunctious siblings (and her undependable father), Emmy Rossum played a main character in the first nine seasons of Showtime's Shameless. In addition to starring in this show, the actress directed a couple of episodes. Outside of Shameless, Rossum is known for her lead role in 2004's The Phantom of the Opera, for which she was Golden Globe-nominated. Her other film credits include Mystic River, The Day After Tomorrow, Poseidon, Dragonball Evolution, Beautiful Creatures, Comet (which she also produced), A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Songcatcher, and Cold Pursuit. Additionally, Rossum made guest appearances in As the World Turns, The Practice, and Mr. Robot.

Outside of acting, Emmy Rossum also directed episodes of TNT's Animal Kingdom and Amazon Prime's Modern Love. Additionally, she released two albums, 2007's Inside Out and 2013's Sentimental Journey, as well as 2007's EP, Carol of the Bells. Next, Rossum plays the lead role in Peacock's new limited series, Angelyne, which she'll also produce.

Justin Chatwin (Steve Wilton/Jimmy Lishman)

As Steve Wilton, i.e. Jimmy Lishman, i.e. "Jack," Justin Chatwin played a mysterious love interest for Fiona Gallagher in Shameless. Away from this series, Chatwin is known for playing Goku in Dragonball Evolution and Nick Powell in The Invisible. His other notable film credits include War of the Worlds, The Chumscrubber, Taking Lives, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, Josie and the Pussycats, Bang Bang Baby, Urge, CHIPS, No Stranger Than Love, One Night, The Scent of Rain and Lightning, and The Assassin's Code. Also, on TV, Chatwin appears in Weeds, Traffic, Orphan Black, American Gothic, Doctor Who, Smallville, and Lost. Currently, the actor stars in Netflix's Another Life.

Next, Justin Chatwin will be seen in Die in a Gunfight and Boneyard Canteen. He'll also reprise his role as Erik Wallace in the second season of Another Life.

Cameron Monaghan (Ian Gallagher)

Playing the part of Ian Gallagher, the resilient but unstable third oldest Gallagher child, Cameron Monaghan plays a troubled personality in Showtime's Shameless. Outside of this series, Monaghan is known for his recurring roles as Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, i.e. the twins who forge Joker's origins, in Fox's Gotham. Additionally, Monaghan played Tom Fairfax in PBS's short-lived series, Mercy Street. The actor's other television credits include Malcolm in the Middle, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Criminal Minds, NCIS, The Mentalist, Monk, and Numb3rs.

Additionally, on the big screen, Cameron Monaghan can be seen in Click, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Safe Harbor, Vampire Academy, Amityville: The Awakening, The Giver, Prom, and The Year of Spectacular Men. Furthermore, the actor played Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. As a voice actor, meanwhile, Monaghan is heard in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Reign of the Superman. Currently, Monaghan is lending his voice to My Love Affair with Marriage. Next, Monaghan is attached to the upcoming thriller, The White Devil.

Ethan Cutkosky (Carl Gallagher)

In the role of Carl Gallagher, the second youngest Gallagher child, Ethan Cutkosky was a main character throughout all eleven seasons of Shameless. Outside of this series, Cutkosky is known for playing a prominent part in The Unborn. His other film credits include Conviction and Fred Claus. Additionally, the actor can be seen in Vic Mensa Feat. Pusha T's "OMG" music video. This year, Cutkosky reprised his role as Henry Mesner — a character he first played in a 2013 guest spot — on Law & Order: SVU. Also, the actor guest-starred in Starz's Power. Next, Cutkosky appears in Alex/October.

Shanola Hampton (Veronica “V” Fisher)

As Veronica "V" Fisher, Fiona's best pal and the Gallaghers' friendly neighbor, Shanola Hampton plays a reliable supporting character in Shameless. She also directed an episode in the show's final season. Her other TV credits include Related, Miami Medical, Stalker, Reba, Popular, Criminal Minds, and Scrubs. Additionally, Hampton can be seen in films like You Again, Suburban Gothic, Forever, and Things Never Said.

Most recently, Shanola Hampton starred in Netflix's Deadly Illusions, which she also produced. Also, this past fall, the actress made a notable guest appearance in The Eric Andre Show's most recent season. She was cast in the lead role of NBC's Night School, but the pilot wasn't picked up. Hampton's next project hasn't been announced yet.

Steve Howey (Kevin “Kev” Ball)

Playing the part of Kevin Ball, i.e. "Kev," the Gallaghers' neighbor and the bartender at Frank's favorite pub, Steve Howey is a main cast member in Shameless. Most notably, the actor is known for playing Van Montgomery on Reba. His other TV credits include Ctrl, Sons of Anarchy, ER, The Drew Carey Show, Psych, New Girl, Sons of Anarchy, Workaholics, Law & Order: SVU, and Dead to Me.

Additionally, on the big screen, Steve Howey appears in movies like Something Borrowed, DOA: Dead or Alive, Still Waiting ..., Stan Helsing, Wrong Cops, Game Over Man!, See You in Valhalla, Bride Wars, Unleashed, Making Babies, Supercross, Love on the Run, and Stuber. Next, the actor will be seen in Netflix's vampire comedy, Day Shift.

Emma Kenney (Debbie Gallagher)

In the role of Debbie Gallagher, the third youngest Gallagher child, Emma Kenney was a mature character who became impulsive and self-centered as the series continued. Away from this series, Kenney was a main character on ABC's Roseanne as Harris Conner-Healy. Now, the actress plays the part in the spin-off series, The Conners. Kenney can also be seen in HBO's Boardwalk Empire. Additionally, her film credits include Robert the Bruce, Bittersweet, Day Camp, and Back to Lyla. Furthermore, the former child actress can be heard in Blue Sky Studios' Epic.

Next, Emma Kenney will appear in Growing Up Gorman. She'll also lend her voice to My Love Affair with Marriage.

Jeremy Allen White (Philip “Lip” Gallagher)

As Philip "Lip" Gallagher, the second-eldest Gallagher child, Jeremy Allen White plays a smart (if not always considerate) character in Shameless. Away from this series, White appeared in Homecoming, Law & Order, Conviction, and Law & Order: SVU. In film, meanwhile, White can be seen in Twelve, Rob the Mob, Movie 43, Bad Turn Worse, Beautiful Ohio, The Speed of Life, Afterschool, After Everything, and The Time Being. Additionally, White starred in, wrote, and produced 2008's short film, The Fourth.

Most recently, Jeremy Allen White appeared in The Rental and Vienna and the Fantomes. Next, the actor will be seen in The Birthday Cake and You Can't Win.

Noel Fisher (Mickey Milkovich)

Playing the part of Mickey Milkovich, the intense (and often violent) older brother of Mandy Milkovich, Noel Fisher is a recurring presence in Shameless. He was one of the main characters in Seasons 3 through 5, as well as 10 through 11, while also being a familiar face throughout the other seasons. Outside of this series, Fisher's notable film and TV credits include playing Cael Malloy in FX's The Riches, Ellison "Cotton Top" Mounts in The History Channel's Hatfields & McCoys, Vladimir in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2, and Michaelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and its sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

Additionally, Noel Fisher can be seen in shows like Castle Rock, Fear the Walking Dead, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, The Pacific, Law & Order: SVU, and Bones. Also, the actor's other film credits include Final Destination 2, Freddy Got Fingered, Max Keeble's Big Move, and Battle Los Angeles. Most recently, Fisher appeared in Capone and ABC's The Conners. His next project hasn't been announced.

Christian Isaiah (Liam Gallagher)

In the role of Liam Gallagher, the youngest Gallagher child, Christian Isaiah became a main character on Shameless during its extended run. Away from this series, Isaiah plays Young Phil Saunders in Borrasca. His other TV credits include Married, Reel Kids, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Teachers, Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G., and Action Nat and the Cat. In film, additionally, Isaiah appears in 21 Bridges, Induced Effect, and Dead Women Walking. His next project hasn't been announced.

Kate Miner (Tami Tamietti)

As Tami Tamietti, Lip's romantic partner and the mother of his child, Kate Miner became a main character in Shameless starting in Season 9. Outside of this series, Miner played lead roles in NBC's Persons Unknown and USA Network's Necessary Roughness, respectively. Her other TV credits include Two and a Half Men, Scandal, Hellcats, CSI: Miami, Ugly Betty, Drake & Josh, Malcolm in the Middle, Boston Public, ER, Hart of Dixie, Life in Pieces, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Grey's Anatomy. Also, the actress appears in The Campaign, Fifty Shades of Black, Deviant Love, Fired Up!, and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Her next project hasn't been announced.

Joan Cusack (Sheila Jackson)

In the role of Sheila Jackson, Frank's former love interest, Joan Cusack won an Emmy for her work in Showtime's Shameless. While her performance is one of the show's most acclaimed, she exited the series after Season 5. An Oscar-nominated actress for her supporting turns as Cyn in Working Girl, and Emily Montgomery in In & Out, Cusack is also well-known for her voice work as Jessie in Toy Story 2, 3, and 4. Additionally, her other film roles include School of Rock, Addams Family Values, Nine Months, Grosse Point Blank, Runaway Bride, High Fidelity, Friends with Money, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The End of the Tour, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and Let It Snow.

Additionally, on television, Joan Cusack appeared in Saturday Night Live, What About Joan?, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. The actress was also the narrator of Peep and the Big Wide World, for which she was Emmy-nominated. Most recently, Cusack was seen in Amazon Prime's Homecoming. Her next project hasn't been announced.

Shameless is airing its final season on Showtime.

Warning: Some broad spoilers for SPOILERS for all nine seasons of Shameless to follow!

Shameless: characterized by or showing a lack of shame: immodest; audacious; insensible to disgrace. There is no better adjective than that to describe the characters of Showtime’s appropriately titled series Shameless. Based on a British series of the same name, John Wells’ long-running dramedy features some of the most despicable, selfish and lovable characters on television.

Over the course of 9 seasons and more than 100 episodes, the Shameless characters have behaved abhorrently, committed more crimes than you could count, self-destructed in spectacular fashion, hurt those closest to them and innocent bystanders in equal measure and generally sucked at life, all while feeling little to no shame for their actions.

They say one bad apple spoils the bunch, but the Shameless characters are all bad apples. That said, some of those bad apples are more rotten and exhibit less shame than the rest. This is not necessarily who deserves the most jail time, who has hurt the most people or who has caused the most damage measured in dollars and cents, although that may overlap, this is about the degrees to which the Shameless characters live up to the show’s title by being completely and utterly shameless.

Here are the Shameless characters, ranked from least to most shameless.

Liam Gallagher (Christian Isaiah)

It makes sense the least shameless character on Shameless is the character that has done the fewest shameful things. The majority of the series, the youngest Gallagher was a near-mute toddler played by twins Brendon and Brandon Sims. He usually just suffered from or was an accomplice to the screw-ups and schemes of his family members. Once Liam Gallagher was recast with actor Christian Isaiah in Season 8, the character took on a bigger role and followed in his family’s footsteps, to a point.

The highly intelligent Liam bribes a classmate to protect him from a bully by doing his schoolwork for him. Liam also gets a kick out of some of his siblings’ and father’s shenanigans, but he does sometimes feel shame and embarrassment over their actions. When Frank wants to use Liam’s private school connections to rob his friends’ families, Liam feels embarrassed and ultimately tricks Frank, almost resulting in Frank’s arrest.

Veronica “V” Fisher (Shanola Hampton)

Shanola Hampton’s Veronica Fisher is easily one of the most levelheaded characters on Shameless and probably the one with the most common sense. Like the rest of the Shameless characters though, V is not above engaging in behavior most people would be ashamed of. She helped the Gallaghers temporarily steal an old lady from a nursing home, she passed off her two children as one at a prestigious preschool and used her dominatrix talents to help Carl get a West Point recommendation. Oh yeah, and she had Kevin have sex with her mom in a drastic surrogacy measure.

Although V is generally very confident in her actions, she does feel shame. She truly cares about Kevin; however, he is the source of frequent embarrassment for her. Because she cares, she feels shame when there are problems at The Alibi Room and when she makes real mistakes, like trusting Svetlana, or when she is having trouble taking care of her family.

Phillip “Lip” Gallagher (Jeremy Allen White)

Lip Gallagher is simultaneously one of the most likable and most frustrating of the Shameless characters. Easily the smartest of the Gallagher clan, Jeremy Allen White’s Lip is a constant screw-up who has done some truly shameful stuff over the years. Lip Gallagher truly doesn’t care what people think about him and he wears that ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude like a badge of honor.

This pessimist has slept with his professor and gotten kicked out of college and often uses his smarts to make a quick buck through questionable means. Lip often gets into trouble, including physical altercations, in a seeming desire to self-destruct. But Phillip Gallagher sometimes does give a shit and his sensitivity and pain is what has driven this alcoholic to the bottle so many times. He does feel shame at some of his decisions and how his life has turned out, making him far from the most shameless character in Shameless.

Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)

Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher is, along with William H. Macy’s Frank, the main character on Shameless, at least before her exit from the series at the end of Season 9. She is a tough character to rank because she vacillates from being devastated, embarrassed and ashamed at her actions and their consequences, like letting Liam get into her coke, to basically not giving a damn. She is often the glue that holds the Gallagher family together and more than any other character in the series, she has tried to improve herself and work toward a better life.

However, her tough South Side upbringing has made her a fighter and as such she is fairly shameless when she screws up, which happens often. When Fiona is irresponsible, cheats in her relationships or goes on one of many benders, she is often unwilling to accept help or criticism from those around her. In that way, she shares some of the same shamelessness as her father Frank.

Kevin Ball (Steve Howey)

Kevin Ball is an odd character on Shameless because, unlike so many of the other characters, he generally doesn’t ever do anything particularly awful. So you might think that would put him further down the list with someone like Liam Gallagher, but shamelessness is the key on this list and Kevin Ball feels almost no shame for anything he does, whether he should or not.

That’s part of the beauty of Steve Howey’s Kevin, he’s lovable and clueless, a big-hearted family man who always tries to do the right thing. He is shameless though in things others would be red in the face over. This is a guy who sold weed out of an ice cream truck, slept with his mother-in-law and started a topless maid service with graphic depictions of his wife and girlfriend on the broad side of a van. And he felt no shame for any of it. Kevin Ball did, however, feel quite bad for throwing Frank off a bridge.

Ian Gallagher (Cameron Monaghan)

Whether it’s Gotham or Shameless, Cameron Monaghan often plays particularly troubled characters. His Ian Gallagher is quite difficult to place because a lot of his behavior stems from the fact that he suffers from Bipolar Disorder. Regardless, of the reasoning behind it, Ian Gallagher is fairly shameless in many of his actions. Near the beginning of the series, he used Lip’s name to enlist in the military, only to later go AWOL.

Ian has plenty of public sex, using his body as a cash machine in reckless fashion. Later in the series, Ian becomes a gay rights advocate called ‘Gay Jesus’ and he advances his message through dangerous and criminal means, resulting in his imprisonment. A lot of the time Ian isn’t particularly aware of the consequences or optics of his actions and is pretty shameless about them, often seeming to feel bad about himself generally than about what he actually does. When he does realize what he’s doing, it hits him hard.

Carl Gallagher (Ethan Cutkosky)

Ethan Cutkosky’s Carl Gallagher is the Bart Simpson of the Shameless universe, the kid in your neighborhood growing up who was always in trouble and always the most fun to hang out with. Although he possesses real kindness and love for his family, even saving their home at one point, for the most part Carl is a troublemaker and a thug with no shame in his game.

A lot of Carl Gallagher’s shamelessness stems from the fact that he is kind of an idiot. So, when he deals drugs from a young age and enlists his slow nephew Chuckie to help him, or when he sells guns in school, or almost murders someone or goes to juvie on purpose, he is too dumb and full of adolescent bravado to feel any shame. Ethan Cutkosky’s character has turned over a new leaf in recent seasons, but Carl Gallagher’s shamelessness is a big part of what makes him one of the most entertaining characters on Shameless.

Debbie Gallagher (Emma Kenney)

Debbie Gallagher is often considered the most dislikable of the main Shameless characters and that has a lot to do with her complete lack of self-awareness and how utterly shameless she is about her reprehensible actions. Emma Kenney’s character date raped a guy to lose her virginity, tricked another dude into getting her pregnant to trap him and took advantage of a disabled man, using him for his money and as a babysitter.

Debbie Gallagher has also stolen strollers, stolen a baby, dropped her own and generally been an entitled brat. She is one of the most shameless characters on Shameless because she always thinks she is right, refusing to acknowledge her own mistakes and rarely showing any remorse for her actions. Debbie Gallagher has started to evolve into a more responsible character in the most recent season, but she still lives up to the show’s title and is the heir apparent to the most shameless character on Shameless.

Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy)

The rest of these rankings are debatable, but of this there could be no doubt, William H. Macy’s Frank Gallagher is the most shameless Shameless character and perhaps the most shameless character on television and maybe in all of fiction. There are no depths Frank Gallagher won’t stoop to and nothing he won’t do and he will never feel bad or ashamed about any of it. Frank Gallagher is a narcissist, a charlatan, a deadbeat and a scumbag, concerned only with his own self-interest -- which primarily extends to where and how he is going to get his next drink.

It is only through the brilliance of William H. Macy’s performance that this lowlife is entertaining and not infuriating to watch. His crimes are too myriad to enumerate entirely, but this is a character that has faked disabilities, supported a pedophile for local office, leveraged his kid in a gambling debt, ruined his daughter’s wedding, participated in a demeaning hobo competition, failed to support his children in any way and has destroyed one liver and is working on his second. Because he is purely driven by his own self-interest, Frank Gallagher felt no shame for any of that. Shame, embarrassment and remorse simply aren’t in his nature as shamelessness is his defining trait, making him the most shameless character on Shameless.

There you have it, the shameless characters of Showtime’s Shameless, largely bad people distinguished only by their varying degrees of insufficient shame. Reading out all their crimes you might not want to hang out with them in real life, but the show does a remarkable job of investing you in the struggle and journey’s of these deeply flawed characters as they do their best to get by.

Shameless returns for Season 10 later this year, although the cast has changed with Fiona's exit. For now, take a look at our schedule to see what's hitting TV and streaming this summer.

Emmy Rossum has been the source of a lot of Shameless headlines in recent years, especially now that she's announced Season 9 will be her final season. The news hit fans, who had rallied behind her not long ago when contract negotiations over equal pay threatened her presence on the show. Rossum's co-star William H. Macy was far less shocked, and also completely understands why she's walking away following Season 9. The actor responded to Rossum's departure with a bit of added insight, and made it clear he supported her decision to exit:

William H. Macy had nothing but kind words to say regarding Emmy Rossum's exit, and expressed a shared excitement for the next stage of her career. Macy, who has been in the acting game quite a while, completely empathized with the wide range of emotions an actor goes through when they think about their careers after a long-running show-- which is a perspective some fans might not understand. Macy gets it, as the 68-year-old actor pointed to Rossum's age and the promising career she has beyond her days as Fiona on Shameless.

William H. Macy's perspective on the situation may cool some heads, although others may still be burning up thinking Emmy Rossum just shortened the run of Shameless with her decision. Macy indicated to EW he's not all that worried about that happening, and cited the show's remaining cast as one of the primary reasons why. Macy explained that the cast is growing alongside their characters, so there's plenty of new plot avenues to keep the show going. Macy added fans shouldn't expect a lot of that changing to happen with his character, however, as the point of Frank Gallagher is that he never changes.

Emmy Rossum is leaving Shameless, but she'll be with the series when it premieres Season 9 on Showtime Sunday, September 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET. For a look at what else is coming to television over the next few months, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide. For more on Shameless, check out which other star of the series took some time off earlier this year to cope with stress and get her mind right.

Recently, Mark Wahlberg opened up about his feelings starring in Boogie Nights, and how he hopes that God is a "movie fan." Wahlberg starred as a porn actor in the film who sinks deeper and deeper into drug abuse and exhibits behavior that Wahlberg seems to regret. At least one of his former co-stars, William H. Macy, feels that there's nothing to be ashamed about. Macy was recently asked how he felt about Wahlberg's comments on Boogie Nights, and he replied that it doesn't matter because it's ultimately a great movie.

Mark Wahlberg recently appeared at a Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago event, where the actor was candid about his feelings toward his starring role in Boogie Nights. The Invincible actor said that Boogie Nights was "up there at the top of the list" of past choices that he regrets. In the film, Wahlberg stars as Eddie Adams, a.k.a Dirk Diggler, who becomes a porn star and gets lost in the party hard lifestyle that his stardom affords him. TMZ caught up with William H. Macy, who co-starred as Little Bill in the movie, and asked him what he thought about Wahlberg's comments. Macy said that there was nothing to forgive because Boogie Nights was a great and "moral movie."

Directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson, Boogie Nights takes a look at the porn industry in the late 70s/early 80s and the lives of the people in the industry. It's ultimately a very matter-of-fact look at porn as a business above all else, and it doesn't really paint the surrounding drug abuse and criminal behavior of some of the actors as a positive thing. This is likely what William H. Macy means when he calls it a "moral movie."

From a purely pragmatic viewpoint, you can't say that Boogie Nights wasn't important to Mark Wahlberg's career. Wahlberg had starred in a few films before then, but it was Boogie Nights that ultimately cemented him as an A-list actor, eventually going on to be nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Departed. The subject matter of Boogie Nights was always something that made him hesitate though, so it's easy to understand why the film has upset him from a religious perspective.

Mark Wahlberg at least has something on the way that's a bit more family-friendly than Boogie Nights. The actor will be appearing in the comedy Daddy's Home 2 alongside Will Ferrell, John Lithgow, and Mel Gibson. The sequel will release in theaters later this month on November 10. For more movie news, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.

With credits that spell out a career just waiting for a break out hit, Alexandra Daddario has two projects that have a good chance of helping her make the jump. The first is this summer's disaster picture San Andreas, in which she plays Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's daughter and gets caught in a bit of a jam involving a gigantic earthquake. That alone could give her the boost she needs to become a big star, should the part be written well enough. However, it's the second role that seems to be the ace in the hole, as she's joining Kate Upton for a bit of a road trip in the new comedy The Layover.

Variety reports that Daddario, fresh off of a supporting turn in HBO's hit drama True Detective, has joined Upton in the story of, " a pair of lifelong best friends who decide to avoid their problems by taking a vacation." Of course, a hurricane warning comes along and forces the ladies to drive to their ultimate destination, and seeing as the trades have described this film as a "sex comedy," there's more than a chance that some misadventures are going to be peppered along their journey.

The duo seem to have their work cut out for them, considering Kate Upton had a role in the rather successful comedy, The Other Woman, and Alexandra Daddario has a lot of TV comedy experience – part of which is from an episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Not only is that a prime gig to land if you want to prove you can make people laugh, but it's also a good entry to have on your resume when your film is written by a pair of writers who have collaborated on said gig.

The only downside that stands in the way of The Layover's potential success is the fact that three films come to mind reading its plot: Sex Drive, Forces Of Nature, and The Sweetest Thing. Elements of all three films are present in this film’s plot summery, but all three films managed to fade into the background rather quickly – something that neither actress will want to happen if they want this to be the launching pad for their continued success.

Still, with two solid leads in Daddario and Upton, The Layover just needs to find a colorful cast of characters for them to play off of effectively. Enter the William H. Macy, who is not only is directing this little comedic romp, but also co-starring in some capacity with two of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses. While this might lead some to think that bestowing him with the honor of "Cinema's Number One Loser" is a little premature, we're sure he'll find a fun way to keep the crown – at least, he will in front of the camera.

There is no production schedule or released date in play for The Layover, but we wouldn't be surprised if the film changes its title before it gets going. Otherwise, some folks might be inclined to think Anthony Bourdain has a cameo of some sort.

If ever there were a patron saint of being down on your luck - and we mean really down and out, Charlie Brown sort of misfortune - it'd have to be William H. Macy. In the three decades-worth of film appearances shown in the video below, it becomes clear that he's perhaps had more misfortune than any actor. Relive his struggles in this supercut, proclaiming him, "Cinema's Number One Loser."

The Huffington Post Movie Mashups YouTube channel released this video today, edited together by Oliver Noble and Ben Craw, highlighting some of the highest lows that William H. Macy has played in his career. It's one thing to say that William H. Macy is really good at playing a loser, but it's another to really look at the ways his characters have explored the depths of loserdom.

He's been all over the map of Loserville, USA; and he's had some colorful failures in his various characters. When Pleasantville needed a lovable, but square middle aged man to put down during its technicolor revolution, he was more than able to do the job as George Parker. When Alec Baldwin needed someone to interrupt any high roller's hot streak at his casino, he called in Macy, a.k.a. The Cooler, to take the stakes down a couple notches. And, most notably, Macy's two best known, and most tragic, losers are two of the best performances in the past twenty years of cinema: Boogie Nights’ Little Bill and Fargo's Jerry Lundegaard.

So what is it about William H. Macy that makes him such an excellent loser? Well, going back to his role in Pleasantville, we'd have to say it's his pleasant demeanor and honest looking face. He's so inherently likable just in appearance alone that you really have to stick it to him in order to get anything done. And the more you put down William H. Macy, the more you're going to effect your audience for 90% of the time. The other 10% is filled with roles like Tick Tock McGlaughlin in Seabiscuit, which was more of a comedic relief than anything; or even director Walt Price in State And Main, where he was more of a brash ass than a lovable loser. But even in that 10%, there's still going to be some setbacks that bring us to his side of the page.

So here's to William H. Macy, a man who's such a loser that he appeared in both Jurassic Park III and the Psycho remake, and yet he's still one of our favorite people to watch on the big or small screen. While he might be a punching bag the cinematic universe rents out by the hour, we'd like to think that his payout in real life is something that eclipses all of the slings and arrows he suffers on the big screen. Cheers to you, sir! May you continue to lose gracefully, and win big.

In 2011, writer-director David M. Rosenthal won notice at the Tribeca Film Festival with his music-fueled feature Janie Jones, which starred Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola in an unconventional family drama. This year he's returning to the fast-approaching fest with A Single Shot. Matthew F. Jones adapts his own crime novel into a seemingly chilling thriller that stars Sam Rockwell as a desperate man.

Last spring when Rockwell signed on to play John Moon, a role Michael Fassbender was formerly slated to play. Moon is an impoverished poacher whose hunting skills keep him in trouble but free from starvation. However, hunting off-season can be dangerous for reasons beyond crossing paths with forest rangers. With the titular single shot, Moon kicks off a chain of events that bring more heat on his tail than he'd ever imagined.

A Single Shot boasts an incredible supporting cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, Jason Isaacs, Academy Award nominee William H. Macy, and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo. In short, this is an indie to watch out for.

I'll confess. Right now, Katey and I are strategizing which of the many enticing titles we'll be seeing at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. With a cast like this one, A Single Shot was on my shortlist of should-sees. But this trailer has rocketing near the top of my must-sees. How does the sorrow-filled voiceover of an unseen woman factor into this narrative? What has John Moon done and what will he have to face? What's the deal with the money he's shouting about? Inquiring minds need to know!

A Single Shot will make its North American premiere on April 26th.

If you haven't already (and you're over 18), I highly recommend that you drop whatever your doing right now and go see Choke. The directorial debut of Clark Gregg - best known as the beloved and dearly missed Agent Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe - the film is a terrific adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's book of the same name and features some awesome performances from cast members like Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald and Brad William Henke. Unfortunately Choke didn't exactly explode at the box office and it's been four years since Gregg was behind the camera, but now he's ready for his sophomore effort and has already brought a great group of actors together for it.

Rockwell, Amanda Peet, Allison Janney, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Paul Sparks, Molly Shannon, and Niecy Nash have all signed up for parts in Trust Me, the new dark comedy being directed by Gregg. According to The Wrap, the story follows a former child actor (Gregg) who becomes an agent and then finds a "prodigal young actress" that he wants to turn into a star. Saxon Sarbino will play the girl, but no character details are given for the other characters. Gregg wrote the script himself, just as he did with the adaptation of Choke. Gregg will also be a producer on the film, making the movie under his new Savage Bunny label. Production on the movie actually began last week and UTA will be handling the sale of domestic rights.

All of you Avengers fans who were sad to see Coulson go will hopefully back Gregg on this endeavor. The guy is so likable you can't help but wish him success.

Anybody who saw Duncan Jones's moody sci-fi film Moon knows that Sam Rockwell is more than capable of being the leading man in a film. But most people who know Rockwell's work know him from supporting roles, whether in Cowboys & Aliens or Iron Man 2 recently or in The Green Mile and Galaxy Quest much earlier in his career. Rockwell is one of those character actors you're always grateful to see, but it's hard not to root for him to get into the spotlight once in a while-- just to remind us exactly how talented he is.

Happily for his fans, Rockwell isn't opposed to starring roles from time to time, and he's taking on one next with A Single Shot, a thriller that includes a killer supporting cast to back him up. According to Deadline, William H. Macy, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Isaacs and Melissa Leo are among the actors who have joined the production, in which Rockwell stars as a poacher who winds up on the run from some killers with a suitcase full of cash in hand (you know, like happens to all of us). David M. Rosenthal, who previously made the indie Janie Jones is directing the adaptation of Matthew F. Jones's novel.

With indie productions you never quite know when you'll see the finished film, but with a cast like this it's hard to imagine they'll keep it hidden from us too long. Who knows how that many people will fit into the story, but the plot seems complicated enough that there will be plenty of room. let us know in the comments if you're a Sam Rockwell fan, and if you're looking forward to him finally getting his proper consideration as a leading man.

If you wind up procrastinating this holiday season and need a late Christmas gift for a TV lover in your family, Showtime's Shameless will be there for you in your time of need. Warner Home Video has announced that the show's first season will be arriving on Blu-ray and DVD on December 27th. You might think it would make more sense to put it out before Christmas, but that's just typical of the Gallaghers.

If you never caught Shameless during its run earlier this year, you may still have heard it referenced online as "that show where Emmy Rossum gets really, really naked on a regular basis." Fortunately, if Emmy Rossum's unmentionables aren't enough to lure you in, the show also happens to be pretty damn funny. Based on a British show of the same name, Shameless tells the story of the dysfunctional Gallagher clan, a dead-broke Chicago family who struggles to make ends meet, even as their patriarch, the alcoholic Frank (William H. Macy), struggles to stay drunk at all times. Emmy Rossum plays Fiona, the eldest Gallagher child, and the one saddled with keeping the family running while Frank stumbles about in a booze-soaked haze. The show is exec produced by TV veteran John Wells (ER, The West Wing).

The show deftly balances dark humor and more dramatic moments, and never attempts to blunt the harshness of the Gallaghers' poverty-stricken existence or Frank's horrible parenting. Rossum is stellar is a young woman who's had to grow up too fast thanks to ineffectual or absent parents, and is now simply trying to carve out something for herself in the world. If you missed it during its run, I can't recommend the DVD release highly enough. Well, that's not quite true. So far the listings for set don't mention any bonus features at all, so fingers crossed that it's simply an oversight. At any rate, the show will be well worth your $49.99 on Blu-ray or $39.98 on DVD.

Shameless will return to Showtime for a second season on Sunday, January 8th, 2012.

Marisa Tomei’s career has undergone a renaissance in recent years, mostly because she seems willing to show up in just about any movie to play “that girl who gets naked and sleeps with the protagonist”. It works for her. Made her more respectable than ever. Those jokes about her My Cousin Vinnie Oscar have even sort of stopped. Hollywood starlets take note: Getting naked on screen may be the best thing you’ll ever do.

Amongst these new clips from The Lincoln Lawyer you’ll see Tomei doing her girl who strips for the hero thing again, along with scenes involving Ryan Phillipe being a total creep, and clip in which a long-haired William H. Macy pretty much spoils the plot of the entire film. Maybe the marketing minds behind the film figure that since the movie’s based on the book, spoilers don’t matter, but if you haven’t read the book yet and don’t want to be spoiled, you might want to skip the third of the three clips below. If you watch, I’ll see you afterward for a quick breakdown of what we just saw.

While all of the Lincoln Lawyer’s trailers have been pretty wishy-washy on the subject of what’s really going on here, is Ryan Phillipe guilty or isn’t he, these clips make the whole thing pretty clear. “You’ve got one client in jail, for what your other client did,” explains William H. Macy’s character. There’s your conflict. How will Matthew McConaughey handle it? Normally he’d take care of business by ripping his shirt off, but this seems like a better, more focused Matt McC. He’s intense, kind of like back in the days when everyone still thought he could act.

The Lincoln Lawyer looks good and, if you’re looking to bone up on the film, check out our dedicated Lincoln Lawyer page in the BFD.

It was surprising to hear earlier today that Abe Sylvia's Dirty Girl had been picked up for distribution by the Weinstein Company, not only because several more significant films (like Robert Redford's The Conspirator) remain homeless, but because the company paid a cool $3 million for the rights. The road trip comedy about a high school skank and an overweight gay kid wasn't all that prominent on anyone's radar, so I felt compelled to catch it at today's press screening and see what all the fuss was about.

Now I know Harvey and Bob Weinstein have championed some bizarre and doomed films over the years, but I cannot fathom why they paid more than a few nickels for Dirty Girl, an incredibly uneven and mean-spirited excuse for a comedy that wears out its welcome long before it veers sharply toward sentimentality in the third act. Up-and-comer Juno Temple works fruitlessly hard as the utterly unlikeable lead character Danielle, a self-proclaimed high school slut who, wouldn't you know it, is just looking for the love of the father she's never known. Not much better is newcomer Jeremy Dozier as Clarke, shy and closeted and not callow like Danielle, but so pathetic and uninteresting that he's almost worse.

Set in the late 80s for no reason other than to deck out Temple in lavish blue eyeshadow, Dirty Girl is one of those movies that asks you to laugh at how stupid or sad or slutty its characters are before flipping it around with an "everyone is worthwhile" message at the end. Danielle and Clarke meet in a Special Ed program foolishly called Challengers ("The Challenger crashed!" Danielle bitchily tells the school principal), where they are assigned as "parents" to a bag of flour as an exercise about parental responsibility. When Danielle decides to take a road trip to meet her father for the first time in Fresno, both Clarke and the bag of flour come along, both as an obvious symbol about the importance of parents and a cutesy icon destined for the poster, changing facial expressions to suit each scene's mood.

Meanwhile Clarke's homophobic jerk of a dad (Dwight Yoakam, of all people) is on their tail, as are Clarke's prim mom (Mary Steenburgen) and Danielle's mom (Milla Jovovich) too. Somewhere back at home is Danielle's Mormon stepdad-to-be (William H. Macy), and waiting at the end of the road is her dad played Tim McGraw, who actually gives one of the film's better performance simply because he doesn't seem to be trying to so damn hard. Everyone else, whether the unconvincingly harsh Temple or the wasted Steenburgen, is marooned in the cliched coming-of-age script, which is peppered with a lot of gay jokes and slut jokes that don't make it edgy but terribly mean. It's one problem that the audience doesn't like any of the characters-- and really, aside from rote moments of "humanity" and "vulnerability," there's nothing to like here-- but Sylvia doesn't seem to care about them all that much either.

Especially with the terrific Easy A playing at the festival, with its open embrace of teen female sexuality and gay identity, Dirty Girl feels particularly out of place, an attempt at being edgy and raw that instead beaches itself on that border between irony and actual storytelling. Far be it from me to underestimate the Weinsteins and the marketing genius, but even with relatively big names on board Dirty Girl is all kinds of a tough sell. If it hadn't already been picked up I would breezily predict you'd never hear from this film again after TIFF, but unfortunately for all of us, it's coming back sooner or later. You've been warned.

More Cinema Blend coverage from the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival right here.

“In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” That's the Peter Principal, a brilliant theorem of morose inevitability put forth by Dr. Laurence Peter. Usually applied to the world of business and commerce, the astute commentary holds just as much water in Hollywood as it does on Wall Street. Nearly every working actor is eventually promoted to a level of fame, artistic sophistication or mass appeal big budgetary which he is either entirely incapable or in better cases, not particularly suited to handle.

It's actually not quite the insult it makes itself out to be. Imagine your dream car. For the sake of argument, let's say it's a silver 2008 Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Now imagine driving it on vacation to Mexico City. It's possible. You certainly could drive it to Mexico City; you're probably better off driving that than a 1993 purple Corey Haim, but really, on the whole, it's the better call to drive the sweet '08 Silver Hoffman to the airport and fly jumbo first class 757 Tom Hanks straight into Mexico City. Said another way, the best mashed potatoes in the world can't replace overcooked turkey on Thanksgiving. That's no shot at mashed potatoes, they're delicious, you just can't make a habit out of exclusively eating mashed potatoes, regardless of what the Irish might tell you.

Sure, this list could be looked at as a condemnation, the sixteen souls who inhabit it as mere second fiddles, but slander or not, this penned celebration is a testament to how truly wonderful these men and women are at their respective games. Some of them may be pleased with their stations, others may want for something more, but when focused, all are capable of delivering Oscar-worthy supporting turns. The Rock may have denigrated millions in the late 90s by telling them to know their roles and shut their mouths, but maybe, just maybe, that's legitimately great advice. At least for a handful of movies, these men and women knew their roles, and because of that acceptance, because of that commitment to providing world-class support, their brilliant work is what we remember. Here's a look at sixteen working actors who shine brightest with third billing. They know their roles.

William H Macy

Best Supporting Roles: Pleasantville, Magnolia, Fargo, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men

In a business typically all about stylized beauty, William H. Macy has built a career playing the opposite. The assistant principals, the car salesmen, the second directors, the wannabe superheroes, the fathers who can't change with the times and the schmucks who just don't know any better. There's a loneliness to William H. Macy's best roles, a longing, sometimes for love, sometimes for respect, sometimes merely for acceptance, but always a longing, a begrudging sadness channeled from millions of trapped, disenchanted middle class eyes. It all feels so familiar, so recognizable.

We watch the beautiful, the damned, the virtuous and the powerful to escape; we watch the isolated, the disheartened, the awkward and the melancholic to smile as they want for something more out of life. It doesn't always have to be about winning or achieving something memorable; sometimes happiness, in and of itself, is a beautiful goal. Life is never over if you still have love to give. That's the maxim of Quiz Kid Donnie Smith, and that's the overarching message in the wonderful supporting work of William H. Macy.

Alec Baldwin

Best Supporting Roles: 30 Rock, The Departed, The Aviator

In his early days, Alec Baldwin was a character actor talent trapped in a leading man body. Cursed to be continually cast as some sort of low-rent George Clooney knockoff I'm convinced that at some point he simply started eating, in the hopes that he'd get fat enough to be asked to do something interesting. Alec Baldwin was too good to be the chiseled-chin, straight man. He was never cut out for it. While most actors start out as sidekicks and eventually work their way up to leading men, Baldwin started out at the top of the marquee and then at some point decided he'd have a lot more fun with third billing.

He's a natural talent as the perfect, preening, comedic sidekick and, much as I love The Shadow, he never should have done anything else. It's more than just comedy with Baldwin though, portly old age has revitalized his career and remade him into one of the most sought after stars in Hollywood. Not as a leading man, but as the guy who works in the office upstairs, the guy who tries to ruin Howard Hughes empire, or the police captain who sends cops out into the street to do the mayor's dirty work. It's where he's always belonged.

Ed Begley Jr.

Best Supporting Roles: Best In Show, Pineapple Express, For Your Consideration, A Mighty Wind

Probably best known to most of you Johnny-Come-Lately's as the pissed off father who tried to shoot Seth Rogan in Pineapple Express, Ed Begley Jr has been hammering out solid supporting roles since President Obama was in high school. Many of them can be castigated as feed-your-family projects, he had a six episode story arc on the original Battlestar Galactica for Christ's sake, but Ed Begley Jr has really come into his own as the frequently stoic, always hilarious straight man in many of the best comedies and dramas of the last decade.

He's the condescending hotel manager in Best In Show, the hairdresser/ other man in Six Feet Under, the rival business executive in Arrested Development. Movies and television shows need great actors and actresses to support the main characters, this list has outlined many of them, but sometimes, they need reliable talent to pop in and out. Ed Begley Jr is a popper. He's the master of the several episode arc, the most capable man in three minutes of screen time or less. He's a dabbler, never wearing out his welcome or leaving on the low note. Maybe that's why he has time for environmental activism and kicking ass on Celebrity Jeopardy.

Djimon Honsou

Best Supporting Roles: Gladiator, Blood Diamond, Amistad, In America

Nearly every time I have watched Djimon Hounsou act, I have felt as if I was smack dab in the middle of an Aesop fable. “I am not your partner!”(Blood Diamond)- Every man for himself (the three tradesmen). See where I'm going with this? The nature of most of his films lends his characters to being men who are unfailingly moral in tough situations. And that's great, because it allows an actor to work in interesting movies, but it also only gives them a chance to play one note. Holed up in a corner, if you will, they must take paycheck roles like Joe in Beauty Shop and stay in the public limelight through dating “I am anorexic” Kimora Lee. Then I saw In America, and realized that there was more to Hounsou than being a great one-note actor. In America finds Hounsou with spark, wit… and complication. It's like flipping over (insert great song or first side of album) for the first time only to discover (insert great song from other side) was waiting on the other side all along. Sounds like a wolf in sheep's clothing to me.

Marisa Tomei

Best Supporting Roles: My Cousin Vinny, In The Bedroom, The Wrestler, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Perhaps never has a three-time Oscar-nominee been more maligned by the critics than Marisa Tomei. All-around douche bag Rex Reed once famously quipped Jack Palance must have read the wrong name when he opened her Oscar-winning envelope for My Cousin Vinny. She had to be playing herself. It all felt so genuine, like she and Joe Pesci hired writers to contrive a screenplay out of their personalities, but then along came In The Bedroom and recently, The Wrestler, two more worthy nominations for dissenting women with little in common. Like Bill Murray, she's carved out a niche playing emotionally-closeted, misanthropic middle-aged drifters, a wonderful counterbalance to her early tour-de-force look-at-me comedies. I love Marisa Tomei, she smiles and laughs like an A-list actress but sneers and cries like a seasoned character actor. I wonder how her biological clock feels about that.

John C. Reilly

Best Supporting Roles: Chicago, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Talladega Nights, Step-Brothers

Just like his less than infamous character Dale Doback, John C. Reilly is here to fuck shit up. John C. Reilly is a monolithic man, a chameleon of acting genres, a master of his craft…. While he's played the lead in films like Cirque Du Freak and Walk Hard, he's best when he's sharing a camera and wearing Chewbacca masks. Reilly slides seamlessly between historical biopics, musicals, comedies and dramas. He's a crooked cop, a best friend, a Stepbrother, a funny hunny—a Mr. Cellophane. So, here's the question, in which genre is he most suitable? “O.K. here's the shot out of the cannon… you gotta fuck one, marry one, kill one, go!” Just be careful because so help you God, if your answer ends up costing me Boogie Nights, my boyfriend's balls are going on your drum set.

Melanie Lynskey

Best Supporting Roles: Detroit Rock City, Up In The Air, Flags of Our Fathers, Away We Go, Helena From the Wedding

You know that chick who plays the friend who gives Piper Perabo that money in Coyote Ugly that later gets stolen out of the freezer? The same woman who brings the baby into the bar in Sweet Home Alabama? Most notably for anyone who actually watched Sputnik, she's the next-door neighbor in Two and a Half Men who shamelessly stalks Charlie Sheen's character. Same page? It's a shame these reference points need to be tossed out to get to some of Lynskey's roles that actually matter, most recently Up In The Air and Away We Go. In Up in the Air, Lynskey plays a soon-to-be married young woman dealing with keeping her family together on the eve of her wedding. In Away We Go, she plays a married woman who has adopted many beautiful children, but is tinged with sadness because she cannot have children of her own. A lot of people didn't see these movies. If you have, you've been privy to the pancake house, the lonely pole dance, the fatherless walk down the aisle. To see her is to think: “wow, that girl was pretty good. I wish she had a bit bigger of a part.” She's never going to be the woman to carry a whole movie, but it would be nice to see her get the acting credit she deserves.

Seth Green

Best Supporting Roles: The Italian Job, Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, Party Monster, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Here's the thing you need to know about Seth Green: we could talk about how he invented Napster in The Italian Job, got all angsty in Austin Powers and was the same level of solid in everything he's ever decided to do, but the real prize here is how he made the movie Sex Drive passable. Not even passable. Fairly funny. Not knocking on James Marsden or Clark Duke here (well maybe James Marsden), but that movie would be terrible without Seth Green. With his prowess, that movie almost made enough money to make back the budget costs.

Seth Green's the guy we need in there for a few scenes every movie, cleaning shit up, comedically speaking. Should he deserve to be on this list, next to the likes of Joe Pesci and Paul Giamatti? Debatable. All I'm saying is, you couldn't use the likes of Joe Pesci and Paul Giamatti the way you can use Seth Green. The man always plays Seth Green, but his shtick is so affable, he becomes super useful. (Seth Green could be Damian in Mean Girls: I want my pink shirt back. He could be Stanley Tucci in Devil Wears Prada—Gird your loins. See?) He may not be the best lead, but he is the John Cusack of support acting.

Steve Buscemi

Best Supporting Roles: The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs, Con Air, The Island, Fargo, Ghost World

You know how people with soft features and bland hair are often described as mousy? Steve Buscemi doesn't look mousy, he looks almost ratty, and by this count, it could be argued he shouldn't be a movie star. He seems ill-placed in a sea of fake body parts and charming smiles. But the best thing (probably) about being a great supporting actor is that you get to be a character actor, and there is something so eerily charming, so daringly weird about Steve Buscemi, an audience is drawn to him in the same way an audience is drawn to a Tim Burton film. But that first drawing in is only part of it. Because Steve Buscemi the downtrodden, Steve Buscemi the Man, Steve Buscemi the fragile guy the loser the sardonic outcast, the guy who kind of doesn't always get it always, always has the same matter of fact smirk to let us know he's still in there somewhere, outperforming the A-list with his ratty greatness.

Paul Giamatti

Best Supporting Roles: Cinderella Man, Safe Men, Shoot Em Up, Fred Claus

I have no idea what Paul Giamatti is like in real life. He might be a redneck or a biker or a desperate groupie, but let's be honest, he's not any of those things. I don't need to know him to know at least part of his overeducated curmudgeon persona has to be real. So powerful is his disapproving sneer, I preemptively pick out things for him to complain about. It doesn't matter the role, really. They're drinking merlot? Miles is not going to be pleased. Howard Stern said what yesterday? Oh Pig Vomit'll be pissed. They want James J. Braddock to fight whom? His manager will have something to say about that.

Whether it be Bob Zmuda from Man On The Moon or Veal Chop from Safe Men, Paul Giamatti's characters always look at the world through disapproving eyes; yet, we find reasons to root for many of them, or at least explain away their foibles. Harvey Pekar just wants a little respect, and John Adams just wants a little recognition for his hard work and Saint Nick, well, he just wants to keep on with his whole presents thing. Paul Giamatti would be the asshole to play Santa Clause as a tired mumbler. That has to be list worthy, right?

Morgan Freeman

Best Supporting Roles: Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Glory, The Dark Knight

Morgan Freeman is the greatest other dude in the history of cinema. Even in the films where he's technically the main character, he's still remembered as the other bloke. He's Andy's friend in The Shawshank Redemption. He's the other cop in Se7en. I haven't seen The Bucket List, but I'd throw down a few sawbucks and bet he's more Jack Nicholson's friend than the other way around. Mind you, this whole second banana business is a compliment. You see, the main guy, the lead character, he's always up to some shit. He's fighting off the sodomites in a prison bathroom or dressing in black to save Gotham City. Morgan Freeman's definitely not that dude. He's the brains, the guy behind the guy, the epicenter of real power and influence. Blasphemic rhetoric aside, he's God, at least when playing a sketchy head assassin, Nelson Mandela, or God.

JK Simmons

Best Supporting Roles: Spider-Man, Juno, Up in the Air, Extract, Party Down

Whether he's screaming for pictures of Spider-Man or driving Juno to planned parenthood, JK Simmons has a talent for being that guy you know, only better. Give him a line of dialogue and he'll deliver it like his tongue's on fire. Give him a thankless character and he'll invariably steal every single, crappily written scene he's plopped down in. He's the dad you've always wanted, the boss you've always feared, the incompetent secret agent who screws things up for everyone else and still manages to get a laugh while he's doing it. JK Simmons takes comedy seriously and makes drama seem easy. He's effortless. The guy you want delivering your movie's most important life lesson, the dude you want screaming at the top of his lungs whenever your movie's short on tension. JK Simmons makes anything better. Give him a cigar and he'll light your scene on fire.

Jeff Daniels

Best Supporting Roles: The Squid And The Whale, Pleasantville, The Lookout, Away We Go

Jeff Daniels sells stupid, ill-advised decisions better than any other actor working today. Sure, it may not be the sexiest skill on the acting block, but to consistently, over-and-over again, make me, as a viewer say, “that fucking moron would…”, well, that has to be a skill, at least in the same way as Justin Bieber's hair flip or David Koechner's whammy noise. Actually, it's better than those one-dimensional, for-any-situation faux-talents. Jeff Daniels can sell the shit out of the high-class stupid decision, the low-class stupid decision, I'm sure if you gave him a chance, he could have sold you on BP dumping eight million gallons of black gold into the Atlantic.

Take high class. In The Squid And The Whale, he fires his literary agent for making a disparaging remark about the Knicks at a party. “Said they played like thugs.” Fucking moron, he would. Take low class. In Dumb & Dumber, he follows his idiot best friend across the country to find a woman without checking to see if they knew her name. “Maybe it's on her briefcase!” No, Jeff, it's not Samsonite. Whether the character is a high-class, arrogant buffoon or a low-class, ignorant simpleton, Jeff Daniels commits, he invests in the incompetent, foolhardy natures of those he chooses to play, and in doing so, creates real people we can't help but root for as they stumble through misadventures.

Catherine Keener

Best Supporting Roles: Capote, Being John Malkovich, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Your Friends And Neighbors

There's a fragility to Catherine Keener's best roles which often gets lost amidst her harsh exterior. She's the woman who's seen it all, done most and regretted more than a few, gradually shrouding herself in defensive, impenetrable layers. She doesn't think herself a prize to win or a treasure to cherish; she's merely a woman more focused on riding out the waves than dreaming naïve girlish fantasies. In The 40-Year Old Virgin and Capote, we see these layers slowly unravel; in Being John Malkovich and Your Friends And Neighbors, we see these layers fortify. You've got to work for the love, for the trust, for the affection of a woman like Catherine Keener because “she breaks just like a little girl…”. That's what Bob Dylan would have said, but I'm sure Max's mother in Where The Wild Things Are wouldn't have even bothered to question it.

Joe Pesci

Best Supporting Roles: Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Home Alone, Lethal Weapon 2

Arguably more than any other ethnic subgroup, the Italians, the Romans, have seen their culture's history played out, praised, maligned, castigated and worshiped, sometimes within the confines of a single decade. What does it mean to be an Italian? An Italian-American? I don't know. A thousand people would probably give a thousand different answers, but Joe Pesci, that son of a bitch, he knows. And believe it or not, that all-knowing Italianism has little to do with his mob movies. It's the swagger, the walk, the I-don't-care-who-the-fuck-you-are and who-the-fuck-are-you-exactly persona. I don't have that. I'm sitting behind a computer typing an article, meanwhile a Joe Pesci character is out trolling the streets for uncollected gambling debts and probably simmering an awesome pasta sauce. Is that racist? I don't really care; it's awesome and it's the reason I own more than ten Joe Pesci flicks.

Tim Curry

Best Supporting Roles: Clue, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Earth 2, Muppet Treasure Island, Legend, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, It

We're cheating a little here because Tim Curry hasn't done anything even remotely relevant since Kinsey back in 2004. So he's our wild card, the 16th man. But he's in Burke & Hare which comes out later this year and if there's a god, then that means he's poised for comeback. Curry's the kind of unbelievable talent who deserves throngs of adoring fans outside his house throwing roses and begging for an appearance. He should be treated like the pope, because nobody does it better than Curry. He's the oily salesman, the innocent but brilliant butler, the mysterious villain, the untrustworthy colleague. He's danced around wearing a teddy, he's sneered and connived with the best of them. He's a villain when it's called for and the leader of an ensemble whenever it needs one.

There's nothing Tim Curry can't do, there's nothing he hasn't made better simply by showing up on screen and staring straight into the camera. When he speaks, it's liquid gold. He doesn't need to be a leading man, he's comfortable there on the fringes; pulling the strings, foiling your plans, ten steps ahead of you and six floors above. He doesn't need top billing, he doesn't need your accolades or your attention. Like the Mounties he always gets his man and frankly Scarlett he doesn't give a damn. Communism was just a red herring, Tim Curry's a star wherever he goes.

Best Supporting Runners Up: Laura Linney, Maria Bello, Mos Def, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, Maggie Gylenhaal, Anna Paquin, Thomas Lennon, Gary Oldman, Chris Cooper, Jackie Earle Haley, Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, Benicio Del Toro, John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Paul Dano, Ed Harris, Mary Steenburgen

Since she first came to the attention of many moviegoers (like myself) with her completely loony and lovable performance in Happy-Go-Lucky last year, Sally Hawkins has been pretty much missing from the movie scene. She has a tiny, tiny scene in An Education, and will be in Never Let Me Go with Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley next year, but thus far hasn't done that post-buzz overexposure-- and thank God for that.

In keeping with her tendency to take roles in tiny indies, Hawkins is moving on to Dirty Girl, the directorial debut from Abe Sylvia about two teenagers-- a trampy girl and a overweight gay boy-- who team up to find the girl's real father. Variety writes that Hawkins and William H. Macy have signed on, though it doesn't say how they'll fit into the story. The movie already stars Lisa Kudrow along with Juno Temple and Jeremy Dozier, who we can safely assume will be playing the teenagers. Temple was good in a small role in Atonement, and Dozier at least looks the part; if they're smart enough to cast Sally Hawkins, though, we can probably assume they've got good ideas here.