December 16, 1999
Web posted at: 5:00 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- Actor and Academy Award nominee William H. Macy joined CNN.com on December 15, 1999, as part of the "Meet the Oscar Hopeful" chat series . Macy is best known for his work in films such as "Fargo," "Boogie Nights," and "Mystery Men." His newest film is "Magnolia" in which he plays a former child prodigy. Macy joined the chat via telephone from California and CNN.com provided a typist for him. The following is an edited transcript of the chat.

Chat Moderator: Thank you William H. Macy for joining us today and welcome to chat!

William H. Macy: Alright! Hello everyone! Pleased to be here!

Chat Moderator: Can you tell us a little bit about your new movie Magnolia?

William H. Macy: Magnolia was written and directed by P. T. Anderson who also directed Boogie Nights, and It’s a tale of synchronicity. There are six or seven plots that seemingly have nothing to do with each other, but wind around in an ingenious way with a surprising ending.

Question from lucky: How long have you been in show biz and what was your first role?

William H. Macy: When I was in High School, I played Mordred in Camelot, the Senior Class Play. That was 273 years ago.

Chat Moderator: When did you first know that you wanted to act?

William H. Macy: It wasn't a revelation that I realized I wanted to be an actor. I sort of fell backwards into it. But the thing that turned me around was David Mamet. He was my teacher at Goddard College. He was the first person that ever described acting as a noble profession. He told us that the actor's task is to tell the truth under imaginary circumstances, and that the theater is the place where people have traditionally gone to hear the truth.

Question from stringy: do you prefer character roles as opposed to leads?

William H. Macy: If I ruled the world, I'd play leads. But some of the juiciest roles are character roles.

Question from bryholf: The separate-but-combined plots idea has been done in many movies recently (notably three rooms, the recent Connery movie...etc.) How is this movie different? What new angle can we expect?

William H. Macy: Paul Thomas Anderson's films are always surprising. They are always revelatory, and he breaks the rules in such a wonderful way ... as far as ground breaking story telling, no, don't expect that. There are only about 7 plots anyway, and we have seen them all. But then again, rock n roll is made up of 3 or 4 chords. And we still listen to rock n roll... and it surprises us still. And if nothing else, Magnolia will surprise you.

Question from IRbaboon: How do you feel being the best known least known actor? example: "you know,--that guy from Fargo!"

William H. Macy: LOL. It beats working.

Question from sharon: What was the most important role you've had and what have you learned from it.

William H. Macy: Career wise the most important role was Fargo. That moved me up to the grown ups table. The role that taught me the most might have been Olianna.

Question from lucky: DO you miss being in the ER cast, or are you glad to be doing just movies?

William H. Macy: I loved ER, and actually I love television. And I've filled my television Jones by acting in Sports Night, which is my wife's show... Felicity Huffman.

Question from Joey_N: Your role as the Shoveler in "Mystery Men" was quite convincing, did you shovel regularly as a youth? How did you prepare for the role? Your role in Mystery Men is very different than your other roles. How were you approached about playing the shoveler and what was your experience like working on that film?

William H. Macy: I worked with a martial arts expert for about 2 months before we began shooting. And I learned how to fling that shovel around. It was no small task. As a matter of fact, I did the first two weeks of shooting with a scar on my forehead where I had whacked myself in the face with the shovel.

And the way I got it .... the script was sent to me through my agents. And I loved it. And I said, "yes!"

Question from Mags: Do you get tired of playing shmuck all the time? (you do it so well!)Do you play a shmuck in Magnolia? PS I loved you in ER!

William H. Macy: It IS tiring to play a schmuck all the time. After while you begin thinking perhaps I am a schmuck. But mercifully, every once in a while, I get to play a hero or a smart guy or the guy that gets the girl.

Question from Douglas: Will you ever be on ER again??

William H. Macy: I doubt it. They are rather strict... you kill one patient and they get all upset.

Question from IRbaboon: What would be the ideal role for William H Macy?

William H. Macy: It would be a private detective who breaks up a teenage prostitution ring in Paris.

Chat Moderator: Which do you like better, stage or screen?

William H. Macy: If I had my druthers, I'd be in a play. You have more control on stage.

Question from stringy: Did you have to work hard to get that Fargo accent, you betcha?

William H. Macy: Oh for pete's sake! What a silly question. Dontcha know!

Question from QuizKid: What is his next project?

William H. Macy: I’m going to do a play, "American Buffalo" by David Mamet. First in London, and then in New York, with the Atlantic Theater Company. It is a sweet project because I was the original "Bobby" in 1974 or 5. This time I'm going to play "Teach." You can go home again.

Question from At: What are some of your passions in life outside of your profession?

William H. Macy: I play music, not well, but loudly. I do woodworking, particularly, I love to turn bowls.

Question from bryholf: Do you ever get together with your brother and play music anymore? How long was the group together?

William H. Macy: I'm going to see my brother for Christmas and hopefully we'll resurrect the 60s.

Question from lucky: What instruments do you play?

William H. Macy: Guitars, harmonica, ukelele, and I"’ now trying to learn how to play the piano.

Question from Metsie62: How is a London audience different from a NY audience or any other US audience?

William H. Macy: I don't know yet... ask me in March.

Question from Joey_N: If you weren't an actor, what would you do for a living?

William H. Macy: If I weren't incarcerated, I'd probably be a carpenter.

Question from Mags: What does the H. stand for? Where did you grow up? are married? do you have any kids?

William H. Macy: H stands for Hall. I grew up in Cumberland Maryland. And I have no kids. Yes I am married to Felicity Huffman. And although we have no kids, we DO have that technology.

Question from Skip: What actors were your favorites growing up?

William H. Macy: Gene Hackman, John Wayne, Lionel Barrymore, Marx Brothers, Charles Laughton.

Question from Douglas: Did you ever think you would be so successful that strangers would ask you questions over the Internet?

William H. Macy: Not in a million years... but one can always hope.

Question from Andy: Did you ever do a musical?

William H. Macy: I have done musicals but my voice is not up to par. I have noticed that when I sing, people turn on the radio.

Question from lucky: That's a wide spread of talent. Have you ever wanted to do a Western?

William H. Macy: So much... I'm dying to do a Western. Plus... I have a cowboy hat. And I know how to ride. And I look SMOKIN' in a pair of chaps.

Question from Mags: Are you hopeful that you will be nominated for an Oscar for your role in Magnolia? What was it like being a nominee before?

William H. Macy: One always hopes. And what was it like? It was mind-boggling. It was very difficult to stay cognizant of what was happening to me. I had to keep reminding myself to experience what I was going through, because it was so overwhelming that many times I would just shut down.

Question from QuizKid: I want to know Bill's opinion on child actors, since he plays a character that was a child star who lost it all. If he would encourage his kids to act.

William H. Macy: It boggles my mind that a young person could possibly survive becoming famous and rich. It's quite a task for an adult. And I don't understand how these 17, 18, 19, 20 year olds can survive it. It is a testament to their parents. And I would have no problems with my children becoming actors. I love actors, I love this profession. And I think it is a noble profession.

Question from KevinF: Bill, I hope this does not come off the wrong way, but you seem (and look) like most people I know. This is obviously a different 'profile' than say a Brad Pitt or a Tom Cruise. As a result, the kind of roles you are offered are going to reflect these differences. Could you expand on this a bit and - in general - what kind of roles do you target?

William H. Macy: It is really all makeup. I actually do look like Brad Pitt.

Chat Moderator: What do you look for in a script?

William H. Macy:It has to be true in the sense that it speaks to something that is true about the human condition. It has to be surprising. It has to be well crafted. And it's gotta be a story that I personally find interesting.

Question from lucky: Is it tougher coming back to the next role after RAVE reviews...feeling that the last one was tough to beat? ...or do you just take 'em as you get em?

William H. Macy: There is definitely a fear that you have reached your peak. And if you do some role, it might be the point where your work starts to dip. And historians will mark that point as the beginning of your decline. But I try my best to think of it as going to work. They are going to hire some actor to tell the story. So it might just as well be me. And all you have to do is the first scene. And when you are finished you do the next scene. When you do enough scenes, you finish the movie. That's pretty obtuse.

Question from Mags: Do you feel you've reached you peak, or is yet to come?

William H. Macy: God willing it is yet to come.

Chat Moderator: Any final thoughts?

William H. Macy: I may be off base but I don't think they have a right to show advertisements in a movie theater. I think we paid for that time when we bought a ticket and they can't turn around and sell it again. Perhaps we should all just boo until all the advertisements are over.I also don't understand putting a line around ... you know, when women put on their lipstick... putting a line around it. I don't understand that. It makes em look like they have been eating a Hershey bar.Why do women's clothes button on the opposite side that mens' clothes do. And why do men's clothes button on the opposite side in Canada?And Why can't we have a flat tax?And what are these little brown spots that are developing on my face as I get older?

That'll do it.

Chat Moderator: Thank you William H. Macy for chatting with us today!!

William H. Macy: Good bye! It is an honor... I'll see you all on line!