10 Fascinating Backstories Behind Famous Movies
1. William H. Macy Told The Coens They'd Completely Ruin Fargo If They Didn't Cast Him
We don't usually picture famous actors demanding that they be given the opportunity to play certain roles, but it does happen... from time to time.
When the Coen Brothers set about casting what is perhaps their best film, Fargo, they met with actor William H. Macy, who read for the part twice. Afterwards, the Coens - not believing the actor to be right for the character of anxious loser Jerry Lundergaard - didn't bother to meet with the actor for a third time.
At this point, Macy became incredibly concerned that the Coens were going to cast somebody else as Jerry, despite his own insistence that he was born to play the role. That's when Macy jumped on a plane and flew to New York to meet with the the two-headed director... completely uninvited.
Seriously. Macy set off without even having been asked and presented himself before the Coens, telling them: "I'm very, very worried that you are going to screw up this movie by giving this role to somebody else. It's my role, and I'll shoot your dogs if you don't give it to me."
Whilst nine out of ten times this bizarre approach - and the threat of murder - might have ended in embarrassment and disaster, Macy's risk paid off; the Coens slowly found themselves won around to the idea and eventually cast him.
Macy was right, of course; he nailed Jerry (and then some).