William Joseph McCormack Jr. (born January 13, 1974) is an American actor, executive producer, screenwriter, and film director. He is best known for his short film If Anything Happens I Love You (2020), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Will McCormack | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Joseph McCormack Jr. January 13, 1974 Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Other names | William McCormack |
| Education | Trinity College |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Partner | Emily Arlook (engaged) |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Relatives |
|
McCormack is also known for writing the screenplay for Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012) and the story for Toy Story 4 (2019), the former of which earned him nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay and the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or Original. He appeared in the television series The Sopranos (1999–2001), Brothers & Sisters (2008–2009), and In Plain Sight (2008–2012), as well as the films American Outlaws (2001), Syriana (2005), and A Wrinkle in Time (2018). He won a Lucille Lortel Award for his role in the off-Broadway one-act play The Long Christmas Ride Home (2003).
Early life and education
editMcCormack was born on January 13, 1974, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to William Sr. and Norah Magdalene (née Ross) McCormack. He has two older sisters, Mary, an actress, and Bridget, a Michigan Supreme Court Justice and former University of Michigan law professor. He graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.[2][3]
Career
editMcCormack's key television roles include Jason La Penna on The Sopranos (1999–2001). More recently, he played the role of Leo Spiller, brother of lead character Lucy Spiller (Courteney Cox), in the FX series Dirt.[4] He also played a recurring role as the FBI agent in the television drama In Plain Sight, which stars his older sister, Mary.[5]
In 1996, McCormack appeared on Broadway at the Criterion Center Stage Right as a member of the ensemble in a revival of the drama play Summer and Smoke (1948) by Tennessee Williams, produced by The Roundabout Theatre Company.[6] He has also appeared in two Off-Broadway theatre productions, Chinese Friends and The Long Christmas Ride Home.[7] McCormack and Rashida Jones worked on the script of Toy Story 4. They ultimately withdrew from the project in November 2017, and received "story by" credit.[8]
Personal life
editAs of 2018, he is engaged to actress Emily Arlook.[9]
Filmography
editFilm and television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2001 | The Sopranos | Jason La Penna | Television series |
| 2000 | Boiler Room | Mike | |
| 2001 | American Outlaws | Bob Younger | |
| 2002 | Abandon | August | |
| 2002 | A Midsummer Night's Rave | Greg | |
| 2002 | The Shield | Steve Hanratty | Television series |
| 2005 | Prime | Palmer | |
| 2005 | Must Love Dogs | Jason | |
| 2005 | Syriana | Willy | |
| 2006 | Right at Your Door | Jason | |
| 2006 | CSI: NY | Todd Miller | Television series |
| 2007–2008 | Dirt | Leo Spiller | Television series |
| 2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Langston Weller | Television series |
| 2008–2009 | Brothers & Sisters | Ethan Tavis | Television series |
| 2008–2012 | In Plain Sight | Robert O'Conner | Television series |
| 2011 | Paul the Male Matchmaker | Harry | Television series |
| 2011 | Alphas | Marcus Ayers | Television series |
| 2012 | Celeste and Jesse Forever | Skillz | Also credited as co-screenwriter |
| 2012 | Mob City | Gunman | Television series |
| 2013 | The Office | Wolf | Television series |
| 2014 | Among Ravens | Chad Whitlock | |
| 2018 | A Wrinkle in Time | Mr. Teacher | |
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | — | Co-story writer |
| 2020 | If Anything Happens I Love You | — | Director and writer |
Stage work
edit| Year | Title | Genre | Role | Theatre | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Summer and Smoke | drama | Ensemble (member) | Criterion Center Stage Right | New York City, New York | Broadway revival by The Roundabout Theatre Company |
| 2003 | The Long Christmas Ride Home | drama | Stephen | Vineyard Theatre | New York City, New York | Off-Broadway; recipient, 2004 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Featured Actor |
| 2004 | Chinese Friends | Stephan | Playwrights Horizons | New York City, New York | Off-Broadway |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13th Black Reel Awards | Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original (shared with Rashida Jones) | Celeste and Jesse Forever | Nominated |
| 28th Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Screenplay (shared with Rashida Jones) | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Academy Awards | Best Animated Short | If Anything Happens I Love You | Won |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ "Biodata". IMDb.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ Catlin, Roger. "Behind The Scenes Success Story; Trinity College Alum McCormack Makes His Own Work As Writer And Producer", Hartford Courant, October 19, 2014. Accessed March 17, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "When Will McCormack was attending Trinity College in the mid-1990s as a performing arts minor, 'I was in every play I could be in there.' A role model for the Plainfield, N. J., native was his older sister, Mary McCormack, a Trinity grad, who was by then starting her movie career that would bring her to starring roles in The West Wing and In Plain Sight."
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (June 8, 2009). The Year in Television, 2008: A Catalog of New and Continuing Series, Miniseries, Specials and TV Movies. McFarland. p. 756. ISBN 9780786453368.
- ^ CATLIN, ROGER (October 16, 2014). "Trinity College Alum Will McCormack Building Hollywood Credits". courant.com. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ "Summer and Smoke". IBDb.com. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ Will McCormack at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- ^ "Disney-Pixar Hires New Screenwriter for 'Toy Story 4'". January 18, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ "Emily Arlook Dishes on Playing a Bisexual Jewish College Student on 'grown-ish'". Alma. February 14, 2018.