William H. Macy has an unexpected pitch for a TV show that’s as intriguing as it is unconventional. On Wednesday's episode of the "Films To Be Buried With" podcast, hosted by Brett Goldstein, Macy shared his idea: “I’ve tried to sell this a couple of times,” the "Shameless" star explained. “I wanna do a thing where, you take three episodes to have you fall in love with one of the major characters and then shoot him.” But here’s the twist—the character doesn’t die.
Instead, Macy wants to explore the gritty aftermath: “Every week, you can see what a bullet does to a human body. You can see how it wrecks his marriage, how he gets infections, learns to walk or use his hands again, and battles deep, dark depressions. Let's tell the truth about it.” His goal? To make films feel true to the human experience. “I swear to God, you kill one person, there’s nothing more dramatic than that,” Macy emphasized, criticizing the excessive violence in many movies today.
Macy’s critique didn't stop there. “You kill 18 people, it’s just porn. The only thing you can do to make that more dramatic is kill 18 more,” he lamented. Macy believes that modern films often lose touch with reality, becoming outlandish and disconnected from true human experiences. “What offends me is films that aren’t true. Hollywood's portrayal of violence isn’t a good place to be lying,” he said, adding that this stance has cost him work.
On a related note, Macy talked about a Western he's writing and plans to star in with his daughter, Sophia. Initially, there were nine bodies by page four, but Macy pushed to scale back the casualties to reflect the real Old West. “Only four men died in the 1881 shootout at the O.K. Corral. It was the biggest thing. Four guys,” he pointed out, advocating for authenticity over the sensationalized violence typical of many scripts today.
Switching gears, Macy reminisced about some of his favorite comedy moments. Known for his comedic roles in "Shameless" and "Fargo," Macy shared how he introduced his daughters to classic comedies. He mentioned that "Airplane!" is “the funniest movie you’ve ever seen” and recently rewatched "Dumb and Dumber," noting how its humor resonates with him even more now. “Oh, Horrible Bosses, too. Those guys are freaking geniuses,” he added, showcasing his love for laughter in films.
In the end, Macy’s reflections highlight his desire for more truth in storytelling and his appreciation for genuine humor. Whether it’s a hard-hitting drama or a laugh-out-loud comedy, Macy wants films to connect deeply with audiences, leaving a lasting impact.
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