William H. Macy’s first reaction to this Paul Thomas Anderson script “We can’t make this movie, this is X-rated”

Actor William H. Macy made his breakthrough playing Jerry Lundegaard in the 1996 crime-thriller film ‘Fargo’. He has played several notable roles since like that of the family patriarch Frank Gallagher in the “so deliciously wrong” TV series ‘Shameless’, and Little Bill in the film ‘Boogie Nights’.

However, he was a little taken aback when he first read the script for Paul Thomas Anderson’s groundbreaking 1997 movie. He recently shared what his first impressions were with Variety when he read the script about the life of Eddie Adams, played by Mark Wahlberg, aka Dirk Diggler, and his being drawn into the porn film industry.

“I called my agent and said, ‘Am I being punked?’” Macy RECALLED.

‘We can’t make this Movie. This is X-rated’

‘Boogie Nights’ got rave reviews when it was released, establishing Anderson as a top-notch director and launching Wahlberg’s career into the stratosphere. However, Macy explained why he was in disbelief when he first got the script. “It was much racier than the film.”

Speaking to his agent he doubted if the movie could even be shown in theaters. ‘We can’t make this Movie. This is X-rated,’ he recalled saying to his agent. However, he was reassured that contractually the film was “going to be R-rated.”

His character Little Bill was right up his alley. “Boy I wanted it. I really wanted to do it. I loved it. It was so fantastic,” Macy said nostalgically.

He also shared an anecdote from when they were filming. One of his character’s most famous lines when he has to just stand by while his wife has sex in public with a group of men watching.

Note to readers, language in the following clip may not be appropriate for audiences under age 18.

Apparently, in the first couple takes he kept getting the wording wrong on the body parts involved in the sexual act. “This is the genius of Paul Anderson,” Macy reflected. “He thought that it was psychologically correct somehow. And it was… The guy was beside himself. It made sense.”

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