Frances McDormand

Biography: Frances Louise McDormand is not your typical Hollywood actress. The roles that she has chosen have been unusual and quirky. McDormand's most famous character portrayal to date is Marge, the small town of Fargo's pregnant police chief. In a word, brilliant. McDormand was born on June 23, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. She was adopted by Noreen and Vernon McDormand. Her father was a Disciples of Christ pastor, and her mother worked as a registered nurse and receptionist. The McDormands also adopted three other children. Frances is the youngest. The family moved around quite a bit due to the nature of Vernon McDormand's work. They lived in several states such as, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee. The McDormands finally settled down in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb, Monessen. Frances attended high school there and graduated in 1975. She went on to earn her BA in Theatre from Bethany College in 1979 and her MFA from Yale in 1982. She began her career on stage shortly after graduation. She has continued her relationship with theatre throughout her career.… Expand